I'm new to raising chickens, but am baffled by what happened to my chicks last night. All were fine. All were eating, drinking at about two days old. Suddenly, as I'm watching the littlest, the only bantam kicked over the water (not unusual) and fell over backwards, straightening both legs. Wings were outstretched too, eyes closed and panting. Within minutes it died. Three more chicks died the same way within the next 10 minutes. I freaked. Pulled all chicks out, changed the bedding thinking there was some sort of contamination there. I replaced the shredded paper with pine shavings and place the last three surviving chicks back in the box. Within the next half hour, two more passed in the same manner. I went to bed thinking if the last chick survives, I'll get more, if it doesn't I'm selling my coop. The chick has survived. "Lucky" is doing well, eating, and drinking and now cuddles with a chocolate lab stuffed animal. It woke me up at 2am screaming, I thought to die, but he was well and just lonely! I can't figure out what I did wrong, but I think one of the below 3 things happened. They hatched on Mon. and Tues. Last one out early morn. Wen.
1. My propane oven leaks and the chicks got a waft of bad air. They're in a box up on a desk with a stand up light over them in a room next to the kitchen. The top of the box is open. There is an oven liner in the bottom that is a sheet of that teflon type stuff. When preheating the oven, there is often a smell that we do notice that makes you think something is burning in there. Perhaps, that sheet off gassed or something. We had a pizza in the oven cooking.
2. The shredded paper, was white typed on paper not newspaper. Perhaps, the water spilled and reacted with bleach in the paper or something and the heat from the light caused some sort of off-gassing? But water had spilled in the day before several times and nothing bad happened then.
3. The eggs came infected with something.
Any guesses or advice or whatnot anyone has is welcomed. I feel horrible, but wanna get some buddies for Lucky without fear of killing them by bringing them here.
1. My propane oven leaks and the chicks got a waft of bad air. They're in a box up on a desk with a stand up light over them in a room next to the kitchen. The top of the box is open. There is an oven liner in the bottom that is a sheet of that teflon type stuff. When preheating the oven, there is often a smell that we do notice that makes you think something is burning in there. Perhaps, that sheet off gassed or something. We had a pizza in the oven cooking.
2. The shredded paper, was white typed on paper not newspaper. Perhaps, the water spilled and reacted with bleach in the paper or something and the heat from the light caused some sort of off-gassing? But water had spilled in the day before several times and nothing bad happened then.
3. The eggs came infected with something.
Any guesses or advice or whatnot anyone has is welcomed. I feel horrible, but wanna get some buddies for Lucky without fear of killing them by bringing them here.
