Need Help!!!

[weebles&wobblesmom]

I aquired 16 bantam chicks (2 days old) yesterday because the people that bought them changed their mind (why would someone pay for them then say No thanks. Sorry sore subject with me.
Anyway, I have lost 4 within a day. 2 over night and 2 more today. Plus I think I may lose at least 2 more. What can I do? I don't know what's happening.

I had seen a couple that had "pastey butt" but I cleaned them off and 2 of those are doing fine. I have them in with my other chicks (which is another story in it's self.......originally ordered 7 - 6 chicks and 1 duckling and ended up with 42 total.) None of the bigger chicks are picking on them and they have plenty of food and I give them fresh water twice a day.

I also have a heat lamp on them. Do they need to heat like "regular" chicks? Could it be that they're too warm? They don't seem to be. They will snuggle with the others.

Can someone give me some ideas on what to try? Should I put them in a container by themselves even though they are not getting picked on?

Help me please!!!

 

[Sorin]

Yes, they need the heat lamp. The two that you think are going to die, what is wrong with them? What makes you think their going to pass. If you could give us some symptoms, someone may be able or help you

is there labored breathing or are they lacking energy? I'm sorry this is happening to you, especially after being so nice to take them in.

 

[weebles&wobblesmom]

It's hard to say really. They just stand in 1 spot, usually with their eyes closed and sometimes they just keep chirping. The ones that have passed are NOT the ones that had pastey butt. Yes I guess you could say they just lack energy. Other than that, there really isnt any signs that they're sick. They seemed fine at first, then bang, they just stopped wanting to move.

I even check every once in awhile to make sure that none of the smaller ones are on the bottom if they all crowd together. Ask my husband, he thinks I'm nuts because I'm always in ther checking on them. Making sure they're not too hot or too cold. Make sure they have fresh water and food, and that nobody is getting smashed.

It's so sad and scarey. I don't want to lose any more of them or my others. Heck even the 1 Barred rock, who's head is tilted and the cornish X that had his feathers plucked down to the bare skin are doing great. It's just my poor little Bantams.

 

[JPHorvath]

Place a thermometer in brooding pen the pen should be around 95 degrees. Temperature too high is not good. If any of the chicks are huddling away from heat lamp move it higher away from chicks. If they are panting you don’t need thermometer to tell you they are too hot. Keep them protected from drafts. Go to feed store or TSC get Electrolytes to add to water. Have you observed them drink or eat? How does there poop look, dark brown and runny or lighter and firmer. Are you providing Medicated Starter Feed for Chicks? They just may be sick right from the hatchery. Do you know if the have received any vaccinations at the hatchery?

 

[JPHorvath]

What do you have all these chicks in sounds like a lot 42 chicks for one brooding pen unless it is really large.

 

[Sorin]

You can try a little sugar water (1 tsp per quart) or also some polyvisol ( baby vitamins ) without iron, 3 drops per day. Like JPHorvath said, sometimes they come sick from the hatchery, I just got 12 chicks two weeks ago, 2 died the day I got them, both bantams. The stress of the journey may have been too hard on them to recover.

 

[JPHorvath]

If you haven’t seen them eat or drink, sounds terrible, but dunk their beak into the water. I do this with new chicks that are removed from incubator as I place them in brooding pen this way they know where the water is. If it is too crowded they may be getting snuffed out from getting to the food and water. If they are cheeping like crazy they are telling you they are stressed something is wrong, Mommy help me, like a baby crying. Once they get what they need they will calm down.

 

[weebles&wobblesmom]

I actually have 2 totes for the brooders. I have been keeping a very close eye on the temp. It's about 90 degrees. I am feeding them non medicated chick starter because I also have a duckling in with them, plus that is all we sell at the farm store I work at.

I did buy some ViTal but I wasn't sure if I could give it to them at such a young age. The bag says 1 week of age. I had actually put some in their water AFTER they started dying but it was recommended that I NOT give it to them.
As far as them eating and drinking, yes they all were. Their poo is actually hard to tell because they was (I just put them in the smaller container by themselves) more than just them. The couple that had pastey butt had brownish poo that was, obviously, pastey.

Should I or shouldn't I give them the Elctrolytes?

 

[Sorin]

I have never needed to use the electrolytes, but from what I understand it is fine to give it to them.