My baby chicks keep dying one by one, what am I doing wrong? What's going on?

[rasingcain]

I just got my first chicks ever on March 17th, I got 6 red pullets and 4 bantams from the local Tractor Supply Co. I put them in a 40 gall rubbermaid hard plastic water tub for horses. I put a mixture of sawdust and shavings on the bottom, a 1 gallon waterer, and a 24% Dumor chick starter feed with 2 bowls so they all had enough room to eat. As well as a red heat lamp with a clip on to the top of the tub. I have them on top of my kitchen table but I did not have the top covered. We took the temp at the bottom of the tub under the light and it said 85 degrees. They could go behind the tub to cool if they needed it. I lost the bantams first one at a time day by day then the red pullets one by one day by day. So basically one a day since I bought them. I did cover the tub half way tonight b/c I have another one dying as we speak. I don't know how to save it. What's too hot? What's too cold? They are just going limp then we wake up and they are gone. Any other questions please ask. I NEED HELP ASAP!!!!!!

 

[Bullitt]

What kind of sawdust and shavings did you use?

Cedar wood is not good for chickens, and I think the chicks might try to eat the sawdust. That may not be what is killing your chicks, but it is a possibility.

They may have caught a disease also.

 

[rasingcain]

It's not cedar, just regular. I have noticed them eating at it and wondered that as well. I know the bantams seemed to have their poop, for lack of better words, stuck and I tried to clean it off of their bottoms. The reds are having no problems going. I even heard one squirt it out tonight, sorry to be so graphic just need to know that everything is normal. Kind of soft, but firm looking. Like doves or other birds.

 

[featheredroots]

Are they huddling under the light to keep warm? Generally the temp for the first week sould be between 90 and 95. Is the heat lamp you're using one with shatter proof coating? The coating on those types of lamps gives off toxic fumes that can kill chicks. Here's a link from McMurray with a little more info. http://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/20...nt-bulbs-a-potential-danger-to-your-chickens/ Hope it helps.

 

[Bullitt]

It's not cedar, just regular. I have noticed them eating at it and wondered that as well.

Use a warm rag to clean the chicks if they get what is called pasty butt. That can be an indication that they are not warm enough.

I think you should not use sawdust. Just use pine shavings.

 

[Chicago chick]

I found that the starter food for my bantams were too large of pieces..it looks like they were eating but couldn't consume the larger pieces..I then broke it down to powder in a blender...they all feasted heavily on it....& then took a quiet nap finally satisfied!! A happy chick is a quiet chick!! I believe this may be the problem with other lost bantam chicks..worth a try.

 

[moocow]

Hi just cleaned mt hens out plus chicks sadly one died don't know why sum of the other hens were eating it but opened it and it wad died but lucky the eight are ok just waiting for the last two to hatch then thats it.