Necks breaking!!

[Misterpigeon124]

I agree with everyone else. Your brooder is not ideal. A box with solid sides will not have a cool side (a crate or cage is better with a heat lamp) but a heating pad or plate is a much better option. It looks like you have the food and water under the heat lamp, which is the wrong way around. The food and water particularly, should be in the coolest part of the brooder. Did you check the chick that was cheeping for pasty butt? If we are right about them overheating, pasty butt is much more likely due to dehydration. Once they get too weak, their necks will go limp.

Can you tell us what you are feeding them? Chick crumbs are normally small enough for chicks to eat without further processing. What is it that you are grinding up?

I also think it may of just been the breeder. Only my white chicks died and I got them from the same breeder, and the same age. Maybe they were mire susceptible to getting wry neck? I'm not sure if that's how it works though.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would make a larger brooder. They double and triple in size at this age within a week’s time. I use plywood to construct a box, 2 feet by 4 feet by 2 feet high with screws which can be disassembled after use to store. A screen of hardward cloth helps to keep them from jumping out when they are a couple of weeks old.

 

[Misterpigeon124]

I

I would make a larger brooder. They double and triple in size at this age within a week’s time. I use plywood to construct a box, 2 feet by 4 feet by 2 feet high with screws which can be disassembled after use to store. A screen of hardward cloth helps to keep them from jumping out when they are a couple of weeks old.

I have a lot of old plywood laying around, would it be ok to use that? Or should I purchade new wood?

 

[Eggcessive]

Old is fine, just spray it with some 10% bleach water to clean it a bit, and let it dry and air out.

 

[Misterpigeon124]

Another one of my chicks died today. I was giving them vitamins for wry neck, the temperature was at 85 and their food and water was full. Same cause of death, broken neck. I am thinking of sending the body to be analysed. I noticed she was a bit lethargic this morning but she was fine besides that.

 

[Misterpigeon124]

Nevermind! Wasn't a broken neck this time. My grandma wrongfully thought she was dead and seperated her. When I got home she was still breathing through her beak (barely). I picked her up and put her under the lamp again but she died in my hands.

 

[imnukensc]

IMO, it's the lamp that's killing your birds.

 

[Misterpigeon124]

IMO, it's the lamp that's killing your birds.

The temp has been fine though. Its not even pointed directly at them. Since I got them I've been constantly watching them and adjusting everything to their liking its just hard to believe that's whats been killing them. I guess I'll find out for certain when I get the test results

 

[townchicks]

Could it be a teflon bulb in your heat lamp? Those give off toxic fumes. Check your bulb asap.

 

[Bunnylady]

Crested breeds (like Silkies and Polish) have vaulted skulls; there are gaps in the bones that leave the brain highly susceptible to injury. If another bird lands a peck in just the right place, the injured bird will display the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (staggering or inability to walk or stand, head held to one side or over the back, etc).

Could it be a teflon bulb in your heat lamp? Those give off toxic fumes. Check your bulb asap.

Heat lamps intended for use in the food industry may have a teflon coating on the bulb. As @townchicks said, this coating gives off toxic fumes that can kill your birds.