Must have been a hell of a ride.

[LipsChicks]

Four days ago I received a shipment of 18 chicks. Four were DOA and 4 have since died. Now several remaining have pasty butt. Of course, I’ve been cleaning them but how do I make it stop? I’m not mentioning the hatchery because they have been wonderful to work with and I’ve never had problems before. I’m using a brinsea heating unit and they have chick feed, chick grit, and water with probiotics.

 

[A.M. Eggs]

I had almost the same thing happen to me 2 weeks ago with my batch. I got 43 chicks in mail(sharing with a friend) and one was DOA. 9 more died in the following 4 days. They have reached the age where they will most likely live to maturity. I dealt with the pasty butt by checking on them and then proceeding to clean them with warm water. If the chicks appear lethargic, I was told to give them a little honey and some warm water and then place them back under the heat lamp. I hope that you don't lose anymore!!!

 

[azygous]

Sadly, chilling enroute can do some serious short term damage to baby chicks. Shipping during a cold snap is almost guaranteed to produce dead chicks, and those that don't die, have been dealt a set-back if they were chilled. Usually it's the chicks on the perimeter of the shipping carton that both catch the brunt of the chill and end up shielding the others with their bodies.

Sometimes, a little nutritional boost can make a difference. A lot of us administer Pountry Nutri-drench to new chicks upon arrival and then a diluted dose in their water for their first week.

Type of heat can also make a difference when you're dealing with chicks that may have suffered chilling. I've found that these chicks crave extra heat, and direct contact heat is what satisfies their need the most. If you can rig you heat system so they can make contact with a warm surface, they seem to fare better.

I don't know if the Brinsea lends itself to this, but a heating pad would.

 

[LipsChicks]

Thanks. Also, do you know what the little eye icon is when I view my thread?

 

[LipsChicks]

Sadly, chilling enroute can do some serious short term damage to baby chicks. Shipping during a cold snap is almost guaranteed to produce dead chicks, and those that don't die, have been dealt a set-back if they were chilled. Usually it's the chicks on the perimeter of the shipping carton that both catch the brunt of the chill and end up shielding the others with their bodies.

Sometimes, a little nutritional boost can make a difference. A lot of us administer Pountry Nutri-drench to new chicks upon arrival and then a diluted dose in their water for their first week.

Type of heat can also make a difference when you're dealing with chicks that may have suffered chilling. I've found that these chicks crave extra heat, and direct contact heat is what satisfies their need the most. If you can rig you heat system so they can make contact with a warm surface, they seem to fare better.

I don't know if the Brinsea lends itself to this, but a heating pad would.

 

[LipsChicks]

We were having two below zero temps the week I got my chicks. The brinsea does gibe them direct heat and in addition, I had a ceramic heater in the room near their brooder.

 

[aggiemae]

Feed them a 1:1 ratio of active culture yogurt and chick feed. Twice a day. You can make a big batch, food will dry out ( especially under the heat lamp and be less messy). Add a splash apple cider vinegar with the MOTHER, to their water too. Don't be to vigorous with the cleaning and don't pick at the vent. A dab of hemorrhoid cream will help with swelling redness.

 

[FeatherstoneFrm]

I put about a 1/2 to 1 tsp of ACV to a quart of their water. That seems to have stopped it.

 

[LipsChicks]

Thanks! I’ll get some yogurt in town tomorrow. I’m gentle with the cleaning.

 

[Clemmy]

Its good that your cleaning the chicks vent often, but try to see if there is exessive fluff near the vent, because that might be the problem.