Need advice pls!

[Bellaru]

Hi all! I'm no stranger to raising animals however this is my first time raising silkies and I need any advice I can get please! I purchased 4 silkie chicks from a local farmer here in Pennsylvania on April 14. All seemed to do great the first week but then one of them got very lethargic this past weekend and died on Monday morning. It was eating and drinking normally but not nearly as active as the other chicks. Chic seemed to sleep alot and was very disoriented and would fall over. It happened so fast! Now, one of my other chicks is starting to look lethargic as well. Still eating and drinking fine but not nearly as active or playful as the other two. He seems to be sleeping more too. I have them in a three-by-three tub, on pine chips that I chabge every few days. I have them on the chick starter crumbles. And give them fresh water three to four times a day. Have red bulb heat lamp on them and keep the temp at 92. Is there anything I'm doing wrong that I need to change? Should I separate the one that seems to be somewhat lethargic from the other two? Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[RatchetRev]

I stay away from pine for chickens, it's bad for there respiratory system and messes with there lungs because when it gets wet it releases stuff that effects smaller animals.
Switch to Aspen of you can. Also make sure it is well ventilated and there is a cooler spot because they need to get away from the heat when they get to warm or that can cause problems.

Have you noticed how the eat? Can they handle the size of the food or do they seem to struggle with it. I have bantam chicks and I had.to wet there food to make it easier, and chick geit may help if they can't get the food down well. Make sure to watch out for pasty butt to.

and I would also put a supplement booster in there water that you get from tractor supply to help boost them back up.

 

[Bellaru]

I stay away from pine for chickens, it's bad for there respiratory system and messes with there lungs because when it gets wet it releases stuff that effects smaller animals.
Switch to Aspen of you can. Also make sure it is well ventilated and there is a cooler spot because they need to get away from the heat when they get to warm or that can cause problems.

Have you noticed how the eat? Can they handle the size of the food or do they seem to struggle with it. I have bantam chicks and I had.to wet there food to make it easier, and chick geit may help if they can't get the food down well. Make sure to watch out for pasty butt to.

and I would also put a supplement booster in there water that you get from tractor supply to help boost them back up.

 

[Bellaru]

Thank you! I have not seen Aspen bedding and any of our local farms stores here. Any other recommendations for something I could try for bedding? I keep the food and water as far away from the heat lamp as I can. It's far enough away that the water stays cool throughout the whole day. And there is some shade in the tub for the chicks to get out of the heat. Sound okay? they seem to be eating and drinking well. the crumbles are really really tiny almost dust like. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I possibly can for them. I will be devastated if I lose another a little one :-( Thanks again for your help!

 

[RatchetRev]

Thank you! I have not seen Aspen bedding and any of our local farms stores here. Any other recommendations for something I could try for bedding? I keep the food and water as far away from the heat lamp as I can. It's far enough away that the water stays cool throughout the whole day. And there is some shade in the tub for the chicks to get out of the heat. Sound okay? they seem to be eating and drinking well. the crumbles are really really tiny almost dust like. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I possibly can for them. I will be devastated if I lose another a little one :-( Thanks again for your help!

Check walmart for Aspen pr a store like that in the small animal/pet section, it can be hidden there, they are smaller bales but will help until you can find bigger ones, that or call the store and ask because they may be able to ship it in. I think ceader is ok but I'm having a brain fart. If you can't get any of that yet or soon I would use newspaper, you just have to clean it more and it's not a long term bedding.

I would still get the immune boosters from the store, save a chick is the brand and its cheap.
Once again how are there bits and poop production?

 

[Bellaru]

Check walmart for Aspen pr a store like that in the small animal/pet section, it can be hidden there, they are smaller bales but will help until you can find bigger ones, that or call the store and ask because they may be able to ship it in. I think ceader is ok but I'm having a brain fart. If you can't get any of that yet or soon I would use newspaper, you just have to clean it more and it's not a long term bedding.

I would still get the immune boosters from the store, save a chick is the brand and its cheap.
Once again how are there bits and poop production?

Check walmart for Aspen pr a store like that in the small animal/pet section, it can be hidden there, they are smaller bales but will help until you can find bigger ones, that or call the store and ask because they may be able to ship it in. I think ceader is ok but I'm having a brain fart. If you can't get any of that yet or soon I would use newspaper, you just have to clean it more and it's not a long term bedding.

I would still get the immune boosters from the store, save a chick is the brand and its cheap.
Once again how are there bits and poop production?

 

[Bellaru]

Their poop production seems to be okay. One of them had a bit of pasty butt but I've been keeping an eye on it and cleaning it regularly. The poop seems to fluctuate between being semi-hard and somewhat of a loose Brown. I did change their bedding and started them on the chick vitamins/ electrolytes recommended. The chick I was worried about earlier this morning seems to be doing a bit better. My strongest chick however now seems to be having issues. This afternoon he started going through spurts where he shakes his head from side to side then drops his head so that the top is upside down on the floor and pushed it around. Is this something that can be helped??

 

[RatchetRev]

Hmm I would keep up the vitamins and what I do I make a scrambled plain egg and give them to my chicks or half of or it one day the rest the next. I never tried yogurt but they may just be deplenished of vitamins or something . Hard telling just keep trying what your doing and good luck.

 

[ChickenDog0421]

Their poop production seems to be okay. One of them had a bit of pasty butt but I've been keeping an eye on it and cleaning it regularly. The poop seems to fluctuate between being semi-hard and somewhat of a loose Brown. I did change their bedding and started them on the chick vitamins/ electrolytes recommended. The chick I was worried about earlier this morning seems to be doing a bit better. My strongest chick however now seems to be having issues. This afternoon he started going through spurts where he shakes his head from side to side then drops his head so that the top is upside down on the floor and pushed it around. Is this something that can be helped??

Hi! For your bedding I would recommend pine shavings, ever since I have gotten my first batch of chicks I’ve used West Coast Pine Shaving and they work awesome! But for the chick that’s moving his head funny I’ve never heard of anything like that. Is he acting normal other then the head shaking?

 

[Ducksandchickens]

I use bedding you use for hamsters and bunnies and other small pets