My birds are still dropping like flies. PLEASE help me!

[casportpony]

Sounds like they are getting too warm or too cold. Are they drinking?

 

[LaynaDon95]

They are drinking regularly. I have had a bit of trouble getting the heat lamp positioned correctly, but they seem to be fine. They still walk around and eat and drink and look comfortable. They aren't huddling under the light or trying to get away from it.

 

[casportpony]

Are their crops full or empty?

 

[ChckenBoy13]

I'm sorry for your losses and I, like Jarrett, didn't catch that they were babies until you mentioned it. You might want to check with the hatchery to see if they have given the chicks any vaccinations or not. I hope they stop dying and everything turns up okay!

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Try putting a thermometer in the brooder under the lamp. I suspect they are dieing of heat stroke. They die quickly from that.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Temp should be 90 the first week and 5 degrees less every week after until fully feathered, then no lamp.

 

[LaynaDon95]

Are their crops full or empty?

Most have full crops. They are eating like fluffy little pigs. The ones that have died have had empty crops, though. That's something I noticed immediately but don't know what to make of it.

I'm sorry for your losses and I, like Jarrett, didn't catch that they were babies until you mentioned it. You might want to check with the hatchery to see if they have given the chicks any vaccinations or not. I hope they stop dying and everything turns up okay!

They are not vaccinated. They only vaccinate against merreks and something else, but I don't remember what now. I opted not to have them vaccinated.

Try putting a thermometer in the brooder under the lamp. I suspect they are dieing of heat stroke. They die quickly from that.

I check the temp and it's 93-ish under the lamp. They have plenty of room to move away from the lamp as well. I don't see how it could be heat stroke.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I, personally, would lower the temp to around 88 under the lamp. That is what I have mine at the first week and they do fine

 

[LaynaDon95]

I, personally, would lower the temp to around 88 under the lamp. That is what I have mine at the first week and they do fine

When I move the heat lamp any further away from them they start to huddle and lay on top of one another. We have a cold front coming through and it's getting down to freezing temps at night right now, so I can't do that. They seem comfortable with the temp it is at.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

So are they outside?