amorgan
Chirping
Hi everyone, I hope someone can give me some insight. I'm new to chickens and recently picked up 15 baby chicks from a feed store last thursday. I picked up 8 ameruacanas (specifically said they are NOT ee), 4 RIR, and 3 BR. The guy told me the BR were 3 wks, which I think he either misspoke and meant 3 days, or has no idea what he was talking about. The BR still are all fluffy and just started getting wing feathers a couple days ago. The rest I think maybe just about 2 wks maybe. They all have their wing feathers and some small tail feathers. Everyone was stressed when I brought them home, so I let them rest in the brooder overnight and one of the BRs was dead by morning due to pasty butt. I felt horrible and checked everyone over. Only one of the RIRs had an issue, cleaned her up and she's perfectly fine. However, today another one of the BRs mysteriously died. No pasty butt or any other visible issues were noted. Looking back, she did seem a bit lethargic, but I thought I was just checking in on them at nap time. She would still get up and cower from me, as all the rest do (been trying to establish trust to no avail yet). They are in a very large cardboard brooder so they can stretch their legs and get away from each other if needed. They are on pine shavings with a red heat lamp and have access to chick feed and water 24/7. Everyone else seems happy and healthy running around testing out their wings, but I'm worried about finding another dead baby. She was alive when I checked on them at 4pm and dead by 8:15pm. The chick feed is not medicated and I have given them "save-a-chick" probiotic and electrolytes. Please help me save my fuzzy butts!