Need help quickly. Day old and 2 day old chicks in trouble

[Newbie_Chicken_Lady]

I agree. The temp needs to be 95 for the first week. They seem to be cold so I would bump it up another 5 degrees to 100 for about an hour then to 95.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This is a bit of a reach, but .... have you been cooking on any teflon pans in the house? I understand it's toxic to birds. Are any of your chicks doing well, or do they all look off?

Typos

 

[oregonkat]

I agree. The temp needs to be 95 for the first week. They seem to be cold so I would bump it up another 5 degrees to 100 for about an hour then to 95.

This is a bit of a reach, but .... have you been cooking on any teflon pans in the house? I understand it's toxic to birds. Are any of your chicks doing well, or do they all look off?

Typos

Temp has been good until I lifted the lamp. I'm waiting to see if they start to behave more normally before putting it back. I havent had this kind of problem with my chicks ever. But, I havent incubated and hatched in this location either so the variables are many. I had a good hatch 14 out of 18 eggs all very healthy chicks. Until now!!

I dont use teflon pans and the room where the chicks are is at the other end of the house from the kitchen so I dont think it could be anything like that. Interesting idea though! I'm just waiting to see if the 2 sickies get any better with separation.

I've changed over from the old nutri drench to new duravet vitamins with electrolytes to see if that makes a difference.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Same set up I have used before, but not in about 18 months. They have a heat pad on medium which is on all the time and a white light lamp which was not on all night. I have just noticed that none of them seem to be pooping. The 2 day olds are faring better than the chicks born yesterday but they are behaving just like they are all staggering drunk. One day old is very, very listless and I have her separated out with me. Cocci?

Unmedicated feed. I got the organic feed which I have used before with success, could that be the problem? They have Nutri drench in the water.

unable to stand up, some behaving like they are drunk and one with her wings outstretched and eyes closed

The Nutri-Drench may be suspect, does it have a date on it?
I would try to get some plain fresh water into them. The acting drunk (all of them) sounds like a toxin, but hard to know.
I agree with @coach723 1-2 day olds are too young for Coccidiosis.

Are they pooping?
I know you've had chickens for a long time and are experienced, sounds like this method is what you normally use with no problems. Ruling out anything "new" or "different" than you have done in the past would be good.
Bedding, feed, location (garage, fumes from car/lawnmower), mold in the brooder, ventilation...just trying to brainstorm.

 

[oregonkat]

The Nutri-Drench may be suspect, does it have a date on it?
I would try to get some plain fresh water into them. The acting drunk (all of them) sounds like a toxin, but hard to know.
I agree with @coach723 1-2 day olds are too young for Coccidiosis.

Are they pooping?
I know you've had chickens for a long time and are experienced, sounds like this method is what you normally use with no problems. Ruling out anything "new" or "different" than you have done in the past would be good.
Bedding, feed, location (garage, fumes from car/lawnmower), mold in the brooder, ventilation...just trying to brainstorm.

This is such a conundrum. The 2 day olds seem to be better. They have stopped acting like drunken sailors and are behaving like chicks. The day old are lethargic and droopy. I realized that one of the 2 very sick (silver laced barnevelder, if that matters) was my last to hatch yesterday and had a slightly protruding belly button to which I applied some Neosporin (without any 'caines) and called good. The bellybutton is much smaller today and drying up so I assume its fine??? The other very sick is a silver laced orpington and is very weak and sleepy. She'll take vitamin water every now and then, but she is not interested in anything other than sleeping. She isn't getting worse though, so I take that as a good sign, or maybe just hopeful thinking.

In short, I have no idea. I am using the same brooder box as I have always used, pine shavings, I changed the vitamins to Duravet, feed is non medicated feed with no sign of mold or insects.

As this was a slightly staggered hatch, 2 days apart, is there a possibility that the second batch picked up a bacteria from the incubator as the debris from the first hatch was left in there, I removed shells but not the goo???

 

[diamondsilkies]

As this was a slightly staggered hatch, 2 days apart, is there a possibility that the second batch picked up a bacteria from the incubator as the debris from the first hatch was left in there, I removed shells but not the goo???

I think any bacteria present in the debris would have affected the 2-day olds as well, since I don't think it could grow that quickly. I've done similar hatches where I only took out shells in between and never had any issues like this.

 

[oregonkat]

I think any bacteria present in the debris would have affected the 2-day olds as well, since I don't think it could grow that quickly. I've done similar hatches where I only took out shells in between and never had any issues like this.

I have to agree, I cant imagine that a bacteria wouldn't go through them like wildfire.

 

[oregonkat]

Well, I am pleased to report that everyone seems to be better. I can only conclude that it must have been the temperature issue. They got cold during the night, my two last hatchers became the sickest this morning and are still really wobbly on their legs but better than they were. I goosed the temp on the hot pad and put the light down lower and temp at chick height now is 99 degs. All seems to be OK. Thanks for all the input.

 

[coach723]

I hope that's all it was and hopefully they all recover. Fingers crossed!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad they are doing better! Keep us posted.