losing chicks

[busdriver9799]

We ordered 26 and have lost 6. I feel like we're failing here. 6 were lost to predators we've fixed that. One was dead this morning no visible cause, another died at 4 days old, another this morning is holding one foot up and hopping, and the last is getting it's neck pecked at by the other chickens. They are various breeds, straight run from McMurray Hatchery. My daughters is the smallest, a silkie. I've seperated that one and the one with the bad foot or leg. All the chickens look healthy I have no idea what's wrong, why the one died. It did get down to 40 last night but there is a heat lamp. Any ideas? I know it's vague.

 

[jerseygirl1]

What kind of feed are they getting, and are you putting anything in their water? Also, what kind of brooder are they in and how big is it?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Did you separate the silkie or the one with its neck getting pecked? They have anti-pick lotion at my feed store that works like a charm because it tastes bad to them.

They should not be huddled under the heat lamp (I know you didn't say whether they were or not) and they shouldn't be trying to get away from the light at the farthest point in the brooder. They should be spread out around the light or walking around happily.

So you can tell if they are cold. Also they will peep incessantly if they are cold.

Also I have lost single chicks as late as 3 weeks old for no reason whatsoever that I could tell.

 

[busdriver9799]

We've seperated the one getting pecked. That one is my daughters pet, so we're going to keep it seperated I believe. They're not in a brooder anymore. I was taught how to take care of baby chicks by a lady who's raised them for about 10 years. She kept hers inside with a heat lamp until they were about 6 weeks old then moved them outside with a heat lamp. That's what I did. They're about 8 weeks old now. They haven't seemed cold with it down to 40. I did forget that last night the heat lamp burned out I'm not sure for how long before I caught it and we replaced it that night. The feed was a mash but we've switched them to scratch and i don't add anything to their water. I take the water and food dishes out daily and wash them. We clean the coop once a week and put fresh hay down. Not sure what else to do.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Chickens are flock animals, and a lone chick will be TERRIBLY lonely. It is recommended to not have less than 3 chickens together.

I highly recommend putting it back in with the others as soon as its wound is healed or when you have put Pick No More lotion on it.

They shouldn't need a lamp at all at 8 weeks of age, as long as you have draft-free and dry housing for them. They should be fully feathered by now.

Scratch has much lower protein than starter/grower feed, which should have somewhere around 17% protein. Some folks use even 20% protein feed.

Scratch is going to be around ?I don't remember but maybe 7-9% protein. It is supposed to be a treat. Switch them to layer feed when they start to lay or somewhere around 20 weeks is good.

Sounds good- all the other things you mentioned that I can recall!!!

Enjoy your peeps!!!