Lost two 5 week old chicks in two days.. ???

[LilBrat]

We have buff orps, NH reds and a bunch of guineas -- 5 weeks, two days old today.

In the last two days, we've lost two of them. One red and one buff.. it looks like they just lay down and died. No malformations, no injuries and no trail behind them of excrement from the process.

Two days ago everybody was playing .. flying around in the brooder and .. well being chickens. This morning, most of the buffs and the reds both are lethargic - although eating, drinking and pooping as usual. They are not panting.. they're just "roosting around" not doing much of anything.. a little pecking at the feed, water and yard veggies.. but mostly just staying still.

The guinea's are fine.

I'm VERY concerned that they are sick and don't know what to do. The only change we have made in the last week is the feed from the HMC to Purina (they were out of everything but the Purina)

They do eat "yard veggies" daily.. no changes there either.

I'm watching them closely and changing water more frequently, and I took the new feed out, just in case.. other than that, I don't know what to do.

 

[rooster-red]

What does their poop look like?

 

[LilBrat]

the standard kind of grey-ish semi-solid little pile it looks like most of the time
There are 50+ birds so distinguishing who's poop is who's is fairly impossible.. but I didn't see any runny or green/yellow or bloody looking poop around.

 

[ruth]

What type of brooder do you have 50+ 5 week old birds in? Is there plenty of room and fresh air? How hot is it in the brooder - at 5 weeks old and if inside, and 50+ birds in a small brooder, probably don't need any heat.

Have you tried getting them outside in fresh air and sunshine? During summer I put one week old birds outside to free range and have never lost a chick.

Just guessing and offering the only suggestion I can think of.

 

[LilBrat]

Our brooder is inside the coop.. we don't need the heat lamp anymore.. we're in the south. The coop is in the shade so it doesn't get too hot in there and the floor is partially hardware cloth... along with a roof line with chicken wire for ventilation.
It is 12' x 4' x 3 foot high... they have plenty of room to run around. We haven't started putting them out in the run because of the adult chickens in there and I'm afraid of the big ones hurting the little ones. Hubby hasn't finished the new run yet but they're going to have their own (apart from the big chickens) yard - hopefully by the weekend.
He's going for feed today - hopefully they'll have the HMC back in stock. We lost a bunch of chicks in the spring right after we started with the purina start and grow feed and I'm beginning to wonder if that's the situation now.. and if so, hopefully I got it out of there before it could do any more damage.

 

[dlhunicorn]

the sudden cut off of medicated starter to a feed non-medicated at five weeks may have led to a surge in cocci...be careful and get the medication to treat for this just in case.

 

[peruvian_princess]

I dont know why they are dying but I keep them on medicated feed up until about 4-5 months old. I will even give it to my older hens if they are sick or under the weather and have had great success with it.

 

[LilBrat]

oh.. both feeds are medicated... just the brand switch is all...
I just went and changed their water again.. some are still pretty droopy.. but some have perked back up.
I replaced the morning feed with a huge amount of yard veggies (the plants in the yard that the big chickens eat first)

 

[dlhunicorn]

are you sure the start & grow is medicated?
http://www.poultrynutrition.com/OURPRODUCTS/Products/StartGrow/default.aspx

 

[ruth]

Do you know what kind of "yard veggies (the plants in the yard that the big chickens eat first)" you are feeding them? Some can be toxic. Again, just a guess.