Lost a lot of my chicks! Help

[Kiki]

I highly doubt your young chicks need antibiotics this young.
You are better off using Corid for Coccidiosis/pasty butt...pasty butt can be from too hot in the brooder too.

 

[Lisa Thorne]

I know you are stressing about this and I don't blame you, but take a deep breath and hold off on treating them with every medication under the sun. You said the older ones were from a "home breeder". I wasn't clear if they were separate from your hatchery chicks or not. If I was going to bet on where a respiratory problem came from, I'd bet on those you did not get from the hatchery.

But, I agree with the other poster that the big red light is way too hot for that size brooder. I never use a 250W heat lamp in the house, only a reptile bulb which has a smaller area it heats. A mama hen takes her chicks outside in 40* weather-mine sure do. They can take cooler surroundings as long as they have a heat spot to go to, but overheating is very bad for them.

I'm not sure giving Duramycin is called for, honestly. You have no idea what you are treating. If it's a virus, I'm going to be blunt here, you do not want them to live. Antibiotics will not kill viruses anyway. They will be carriers if they live. At the very least, they will be weakened and susceptible to other bugs. I understand that the inclination is to save them, but that is really not the best course of action. Weak chicks end up as weak adults, or worse, Typhoid Marys.

Thank you. I should have never combined them. I should have quarantined them. I think combined all was what happened. They are not in a house. Should I get a 150 bulb? How do I get rid of the sick ones?? Do I kill them??!

 

[Peckadoodle]

In addition to what you are doing, try Magic Water with electrolytes. Someone gave me this recipe:1/2 gallon warmed distilled water, 2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 large pressed garlic cloves, 1/2 cup honey, 2 pinches salt, 2 pinches soda.

 

[Kiki]

Getting rid of the sick ones is not going to get rid of your problem right now.
All chickens have already been exposed to what ever they have...if they have something.

A regular 100 watt bulb is plenty hot enough...just make sure you can raise the bulb up higher in a safe secure way.

 

[Lisa Thorne]

Getting rid of the sick ones is not going to get rid of your problem right now.
All chickens have already been exposed to what ever they have...if they have something.

A regular 100 watt bulb is plenty hot enough...just make sure you can raise the bulb up higher in a safe secure way.

100 for the older ones?? And keep the 250 for the babies at a week old and higher it?

 

[Kiki]

Use a thermometer and find out the exact temps in each brooder as you have it set up right now.

What are the ages of the two groups of birds right now?
What are the temps in each right now?

 

[Lisa Thorne]

Use a thermometer and find out the exact temps in each brooder as you have it set up right now.

What are the ages of the two groups of birds right now?
What are the temps in each right now?

The larger brooder is now at 85ish. This Is the one with the week old hatchery chicks. The other smaller brooder with the sick chicks is at 80.
After reading multiple articles, I feel the sick one had/have coccidiosis AND a respiratoy infection. I have not seen blood in poo. But the closed eyes, and the ruffled feathers seem like coccidiosis. So I will treat that first?? I assume with corid? The respiratory... well.. What do I do?

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you. I should have never combined them. I should have quarantined them. I think combined all was what happened. They are not in a house. Should I get a 150 bulb? How do I get rid of the sick ones?? Do I kill them??!

Though they are more expensive and don't last as long as the big heat bulbs, I buy either black night heat or red night heat reptile bulbs. Sometimes you can get a pack of several on Walmart.com or Amazon for cheaper. Local pet shops are too pricey. You can use a 100-150 w reptile bulb and it will be fine for them.

The sick ones with respiratory symptoms, yes, you would euthanize them if it seems they are truly ill, not just overheated. The easiest way we think is the hold the chick until it sleeps in your arms then pinch off the airway. It doesn't take very long to pass away. Some use sharp large scissors and quickly lop off the head.

 

[Kiki]

I would start them all on Corid asap...they do NOT have to have bloody poops to have Coccidiosis.

I am not too sure what you should do with the others (sicklier) ones...

What exactly are their symptoms?

At this point you can't just only get rid of the older ones...if they do have a disease the others have already been exposed.

It they haven't died yet they may not die...they may pull through.

 

[Lisa Thorne]

I would start them all on Corid asap...they do NOT have to have bloody poops to have Coccidiosis.

I am not too sure what you should do with the others (sicklier) ones...

What exactly are their symptoms?

At this point you can't just only get rid of the older ones...if they do have a disease the others have already been exposed.

It they haven't died yet they may not die...they may pull through.

The older ones are sneezing, molding, and gasping for air. The baby ones have no symptoms and since I have made the brooder cooler and put electrolytes in the water and been on the pasty butt haven' lost any yet! The old ones eat and drink. They never had pasty butt. But look like they might have a respiratory issue.