My Broilers are dying

[SKILLET]

Ok, so i decided to try to raise some broilers...

Got 14 last week from a hatchery, put them in a large holding crate 4X4 with a broiler light

I feed them 20% chick starter for food and have a gallon font with vita pack supplements in the water, i recieved the broilers with some barred rocks and RR hens, i had a few casualties upon arrival but nothing major... For the next few days i seemed to to have around 1 loss a day with the broilers i am down to 7 the remaining broiler chicks seem lively and healthy...

is this normal? what is the mortality rate with broilers, is it normaly this high?

Am i doing anything wrong?

 

[scubaforlife]

Does the crate have open sides? Breezes will kill them in the early days.

Make sure you are following the temp profile given the week they are in (95 the first week, 90 the second, etc...)

Give them ample food, water and chick grit.

Are you feeding medicate feed?

 

[SKILLET]

The crate has closed sides (old shipping pallet/crate)

Im not feeding them Medicated food just plan chick starter...

if anything the temp is a little warm...

thanks

 

[blueskylen]

check their bums for pasty butt - that will kill them, as they cannot poo and needs cleaned off asap.

 

[LeghornJosh]

Do your birds have a way to get away from the heat lamp if it gets too hot? If the area is too small there may not be a place the birds can go to cool down if they want to.

 

[mike67909]

expect at least 10% loss with the cornish X

 

[SKILLET]

thanks for the replys...

I did check to see if they were pasted up, cleaned the ones that were...
the heat light is in the corner so they can move away from the heat lamp...

I havent had a problem with the other chicks (Barred rocks and RR's) just the Broilers...

I will check the last 7 later today to see how they are doing...

keep yall posted

 

[jaku]

No, that isn't normal- up to 10% loss is normal (on the high end,) 50% isn't. Honestly, it's hard to diagnose problems- could be anything that has been mentioned, or it could be bad birds. Don't give up though, they're well worth it.

 

[Jkioneil]

i just recetly lost 2 broilers i did not like them either. i will never raise them again. use multi purpose birds for meat. i like the barred rock and rir better anyway they just seem like a lot more trouble and die too easy poor fat things dont even stand right. it was sad

 

[SKILLET]

out of 14 broilers i have 6 left, hopefully ill be able to process them all in the next 5 weeks...

All my other birds seem to be fine i started with 12 Barrded rocks and have 11 and like wise with RIR's started with 3 lost 1

All and all i have lost around 10 or so dayold chicks out of my 30...

This was my first time ordering from a hatchery, kinda disapointed witht he hartyness of the broilers but the others seem good...