Low success rate raising chicks

[Bhubbard]

If you search through the forums long enough you'll find reports of fires every year. Lemme see if I happen to have any bookmarked... well that didn't take long: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coop-fire-advice-needed.1555495/ Granted this isn't in a brooder but the point remains that they can cause fires or in this case, a lot of smoke.

Just to clarify I use a heating pad, not a plate, and yes I still have a heat lamp in the garage as a backup (which I had to use once because I got chicks a day earlier than expected and needed to keep them warm while I got the heating pad set up!)

I hear you. I just curious on brooder that for years has seem to be the way to do it with lamp. I actually use massive kids pool bedding and Lamp witch 2x4 inch fencing over pool and lamp has the exterior metal cross on it. Like in that post seems to be freak accident with something knocking it down. So sad.

 

[Bhubbard]

So a bit off the topic now, when I have bad pasty butts, I soak them and then cut the mass open (very carefully) with some dog nail clippers before working on it. Seems to be a bit easier to clean off once it's opened and it gives them a chance to hurry up and poop as I'm working

I’m bad and should probably soak it. Based on some pictures and things on here I don’t think mine have ever had it too bad because it anything starts to build up at all I just grab them and pull it off like a wax I takes some fluff but gets the job done quickly and never lost a chick to it.

 

[DerSchoeneBahnhof]

Thanks for all the replies! I use very fine pine shavings for bedding, though I started with corncob particles that I had leftover from the previous batch of chicks I raised 2 years ago.

I definitely should have checked and treated pasty butt earlier . Lesson learned. I suspect the shop might make a difference too. In any event, last week I picked up two very energetic turkens from another shop and they are doing very well so far. I now have one sex-link, one salmon faverolle, and 2 turkens - the four chicks have different ages (3, 2 and 1 week).

Cross fingers!