My chick passed away, was it my fault? Please help

[Nervous_mama]

For the past few days one of my chicks has had a very fast heart beat and was making a strange noise..today I noticed she hadn't moved much at all, so I picked her up to check on her and she started screaming, I got scared and (carefully) put her back down but when I did she couldn't move her legs and was just flailing. I completely panicked so I picked her up again and put her on my couch to call my parents for help (they know nothing about chicks but I just needed someone with me because I was frightened). But by the time my mom had walked over the chick had passed away on the couch. Is it my fault? I've been crying for an hour and I can't stop blaming myself

 

[LaFleche]

I am sorry you lost your chick.

Chicks will die for a multitude of reasons and sometimes they are just doomed from the start failing to thrive without us ever finding out why.

What makes you think that you could have caused it?

How old was your chick and how many others are in the brooder?

What are you feeding and what is the temperature in the brooder?

What kind of bedding?

 

[Nervous_mama]

I am sorry you lost your chick.

Chicks will die for a multitude of reasons and sometimes they are just doomed from the start failing to thrive without us ever finding out why.

What makes you think that you could have caused it?

How old was your chick and how many ithers are in the brooder?

What are you feeding and what is the temperature in the brooder?
What kind of bedding?

Its scary how fast they can just..die

I'm convinced me picking her up is what caused her to die maybe from the stress of being carried?

She had turned 3 weeks old today, there was only three chicks in the brooder (now two,,)

Pine shavings and layer crumbles

 

[LaFleche]

Its scary how fast they can just..die

I'm convinced me picking her up is what caused her to die maybe from the stress of being carried?

She had turned 3 weeks old today, there was only three chicks in the brooder (now two,,)

Pine shavings and layer crumbles

How do you pick the chicks up usually when you have to move them out of the brooder for cleaning etc?

Where did you find her when you noticed her unusual position, in a corner or under the heat lamp or with the other two on top of her?

Was the a big difference in size between her and the two others?

 

[Nervous_mama]

How do you pick the chicks up usually when you have to move them out of the brooder for cleaning etc?

Where did you find her when you noticed her unusual position, in a corner or under the heat lamp or with the other two on top of her?

Was the a big difference in size between her and the two others?

I make sure they see my hand first and then sliding my hand under them to pick up so I don't suprise them

She was laying down near the other chicks under the heat lamp, she wasn't under them just near them

They were all the same size

 

[nuthatched]

Its scary how fast they can just..die

I'm convinced me picking her up is what caused her to die maybe from the stress of being carried?

She had turned 3 weeks old today, there was only three chicks in the brooder (now two,,)

Pine shavings and layer crumbles

Your babies are too young for layer feed, there's not enough protein and too much calcium. They need chick feed.
But that didn't cause death, sometimes they just die, I'm sorry.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry this happened to you, I can only imagine how upsetting this must have been. But it was not your fault. Your chick was already in distress and you were just trying to help her.

 

[LaFleche]

I make sure they see my hand first and then sliding my hand under them to pick up so I don't suprise them

She was laying down near the other chicks under the heat lamp, she wasn't under them just near them

They were all the same size

Your handling was not the cause of death, rest assured.

But it would be better for your remaining two to eat chick starter crumbles instead of layer just like @nuthatched already mentioned.

 

[Nervous_mama]

Your babies are too young for layer feed, there's not enough protein and too much calcium. They need chick feed.
But that didn't cause death, sometimes they just die, I'm sorry.

I had no idea oh my gosh, the employee at tractor supply said it was for chicks thank you so much for letting me know, I'll buy proper chick food asap.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Get chick starter grower feed. The layer is only for laying age hens around 20 weeks old and up. Layer has too much calcium for chicks. If you have chicks and adults mixed together, it is best to have all of them on Flock Raiser or chick grower. Put out some crushed oyster shell for the laying hens in a separate pan to get their extra calcium to lay eggs.