my chicks are Dieing

[space40023]

My 26 Isa-Browns arrived wendsday in apparent good shape.In the 30 hrs or so i've lost six chicks,i'm doing everything by the book,any ideas..?

 

[gritsar]

I'm sorry you are going thru this. Can you give us a little more info. so we can try and help you?
For instance, what is your brooder like and where do you have it set up?
What kind of temp. readings are you getting in your brooder?
What are you feeding them?
Have you noticed any symptoms before they die or do they just lay down, as if they were sleeping and pass away?

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

You may want to post in the emergency thread. Also include where they came from and what sort of brooder set up information you have to include: bedding, heat source, temprature, are they drinking water, eating, what kind of enclosure you have. Show pics if you can and describe what is happening with the dying chicks...seeming to lose balance or wheezing or head bobbing up and down. The more info you give the better chance you have to get help and deal with this. Good luck.

 

[space40023]

2x4 by 2ft high wooden box/pine chip bedding. light used for heat/monitoring temp at 95 degrees. water and vitamin supplements changed twice daily. replenishing feed-chick starter- twice daily/never runs low. chicks appear healthy/moving about box. kept in basement. the dearly departed appear smaller than survivors. unsure of the normal mortality/survival rate. /thanks for any input.

 

[Laskaland]

They may have gotten too chilled in the delivery. It takes several days to actually die sometimes if they got too cold. I am sorry. I would call the hatchery and let them know. It sounds like you are doing everything right, though.

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

In my experience normal mortality rate would be to only lose one of twenty-six in first 48hrs unless they were really banged around by post office, then none after that so there has to be something else going on.
You might want to try removing the bedding and putting down paper toweling for a few days just incase it is too dusty for them or they are eating it. Like you said, you are doing everything by the book.

 

[space40023]

Thanks, I'll put down paper towels and by the way the as I recall the was somewhat dusty. the chjcks came from town line farms in zeeland michigan,I don't think it was anything they did but i'll call them anyway..Stan

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

I bought from them last year and didn't have any problems. On the other hand, we had some wicked bad cold here earlier this week and they could have gotten hit with that during transportation. Good luck.

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
I agree, sounds like they got chilled. I had a batch of 4-H chicks come from a large hatchery last year, were fine for the first two days, then started dropping like flies. When I asked my PO guy about it, he sheepishly admitted that they came in in the back of the truck with a new guy who didn't know any better.

Out of a box of 200 only 36 lived past a week. Very distressing.