My flock is slowly and one by one dying - gasping for air

[cwulf86]

I brought my 8 chicks home Saturday. Today is Friday and I am down to just 3 (well maybe two now) chicks. There is something going through them and killing them.

I have a heat lamp on them that is not too hot. I started them on puppy pee pads and paper towels and changed that daily along with their food and water. Their food is the medicated kind and I have only done one round of electrolytes and probiotics in their water. Their poop looks normal until the gasping starts, then it is runny with some white in it.

On Tuesday I lost the very weak one/runt. On Tuesday night I noticed one was gasping for air, she died Thursday morning in my hands. I wake up Friday morning and now 2 chicks are dead and one is still gasping for air barely hanging on.

Their main symptoms are gasping for air and weakness.

I am headed to the vet once they open up to get some antibiotics but I just don't know what to do. I bought these chicks from the local farm store and got attached to all of them and now they're dead, this has been traumatizing for me. I don't know if I can put myself through this again.

Any input on what this is?

 

[MasAhora]

Hopefully an expert will chime in....but just a thought, I have read here that some heat lamps can give off a poisonous gas from the protective coating on the glass.

sorry you're going through this.

 

[chickens really]

Is your brooder set up so they have a warn area and a cool area to get away from the heat?.....If they got chilled at all chicks suffer...They will starve out and die.....

Sorry this happened.....I recommend buying chicks from a local breeder and not from a store.....

Best wishes....


Cheers!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you please post several photos of your brooder set-up and the chicks?

What type of heat lamp are you using - check to see if it says anything on the bulb about being shatter resistant or teflon coated.
What type of bedding are you using? are you using cedar by any chance?
Are you feeding only chick starter - do the chicks have grit?

Where did these chicks come from? I see by looking at your other threads that it looks like you had atleast one suffering from possibly mushy chick disease/omphalitis.

What I'm trying to do is help you determine whether these chicks are dying because of genetic/developmental disorder, illness or disease vs. something that you can correct in your brooder set-up or care of the chicks.

 

[snow5164]

I'm so sorry you have to witness this ,
Call the store right away and tell them
Perhaps they will replace them for you??

Pictures please , sounds like over heating maybe.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Can you please post several photos of your brooder set-up and the chicks?

What type of heat lamp are you using - check to see if it says anything on the bulb about being shatter resistant or teflon coated.
What type of bedding are you using? are you using cedar by any chance?
Are you feeding only chick starter - do the chicks have grit?

Where did these chicks come from? I see by looking at your other threads that it looks like you had atleast one suffering from possibly mushy chick disease/omphalitis.

What I'm trying to do is help you determine whether these chicks are dying because of genetic/developmental disorder, illness or disease vs. something that you can correct in your brooder set-up or care of the chicks.

I'm so sorry you have to witness this ,
Call the store right away and tell them
Perhaps they will replace them for you??

Pictures please , sounds like over heating maybe.

i agree with these posts

Can you get a picture of the complete brooder setup?

 

[cwulf86]

Unfortunatley, I lost 3 chicks to basically a "cold". When they were shipped from the hatchery to the store they were shipped when it was snowing here. By the time I figured it out, I went to the local vet and bought the Terymycin antibiotic that you put in their water for 7-10 days so I was able to save one baby chick. The store is replacing the chicks as well and sending me home with the antibiotic for the future. I now have 4 healthy and happy chicks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Unfortunatley, I lost 3 chicks to basically a "cold". When they were shipped from the hatchery to the store they were shipped when it was snowing here. By the time I figured it out, I went to the local vet and bought the Terymycin antibiotic that you put in their water for 7-10 days so I was able to save one baby chick. The store is replacing the chicks as well and sending me home with the antibiotic for the future. I now have 4 healthy and happy chicks!

I'm sorry for your loss.

It's good to hear the lone chick is doing well and you will be getting replacements.

FWIW chickens do not get "colds" the get respiratory illnesses - there are many causes - fungal and bacterial infections as well as respiratory diseases. They may have been suffering from Brooder Pneumonia or one of many respiratory illnesses that effect young chicks. Without testing there's no way to know for sure what the cause was. If any of your new chicks develop symptoms, I recommend that you ask your vet for further testing/necropsy.

Good luck with your babies, I wish you well.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/aspergillosis/overview-of-aspergillosis-in-poultry