Lost a chick :(

[HennyJenny]

To what appeared to be pasty butt - now I have another one with it. The first chick was a 3 day old that I hatched - the second is a chick I got at TSC today who is probably about 3 or 4 days old as well. Brooder temp is 95 degrees - they have room to escape the heat - but will in fact follow the lamp if I move it. I washed the bottom of both chicks. I also ground up some starter in a clean coffee grinder because I thought maybe it was too big. I have also added some ACV to their water. I'm not sure the chick I hatched ever started eating - I've seen this other one eating though (not recently in fact she's not incredibly interested in drinking either) she may just be stressed from shipping? The chicks have only been in the brooder together for about 5 hours - (my TSC does have a chick expert - a perfectly lovely retired old fella who used to run a hatchery in Wyoming) we discussed whether it was ok to put the two sets of birds together and decided that it was.

I think I'm doing what I should but as always I need a little reassurance. I have never dealt with pasty butt and have never had issues with chicks - now I'm a little nervous as my little barnie died in my hands - and I hate to see this other crash like the first. Anybody have any thoughts on the subject?

Symptoms in the first one were loud frantic chirping - followed by isolating and sleeping in the corner - eyes not opening - loss of muscle tone in the wings and neck (and of course the pasty bum).

Thanks for any input
Jenny

 

[debilorrah]

Honestly, if you are checking them twice a day, as you should, they probably died from failure to thrive instead of pasty butt.

 

[HennyJenny]

Thanks, Debi. That makes me feel better. Anything I know about pasty butt I learned from here - or I wouldn't know how to do anything (actually that goes for most things to do with these birds). I'm willing to take a "that's just life" if there's nothing else I could do. I need to let go a little and let the world turn.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Most chicks get pasty butt, but if you remove it twice a day they are fine. It sounds to me like they suffered from a simple failure to thrive. It would take longer than that for them to die from pasty butt. My cochin chicks are 6 days old and have it every day!!!

 

[nanawendy]

I'm so sorry,sometimes we don't have answers. I lost a week old chick this morning. No apparent reason. DH checked-feed and watered...everyone was fine. DS got up 2 hours later and one was dead the others on top. every ? was answered, no reason we could see. My point is, and I'm sure your head says this...but the heart is slow to follow: you've done your best and can not pinpoint a problem.
I can tell your a good Mommy to your chicks, because of your concern. Tell yourself what you would tell a friend if they were questioning themselves.