Need info/ help ASAP!

[Livinwright Farm]

We started out with 17 cute little freshly hatched fluffy butts(3 had leg/foot issues- splayed, double splayed, & club feet) ... over the course of a week we have lost the 3 that had the leg issues, plus 2 others that seemed perfectly normal(one was just a little runt-ish). Each one seemed active and healthy 12-24 hrs before their untimely demise... this most recent one (Runt), looked absolutely fine before we headed off for church at 9:30am. By the time we got home at 11:30am it was laying on it's back "gasping". I gently rolled it onto it's tummy(legs under), it waddled a bit, then it rolled onto it's back again.
I have no idea if this is a disease, mites, or what. I have been washing religiously with antibacterial soap before touching them or their food/water. I made sure the brooding tote was clean and sanitary before they went in it. I even have one of those mite deterrant things hanging on the side of the brooder(out of the chicks' reach).... Is there anything that can be done to save the remaining 11 chicks?!? We need the remaining 11 to live, and if it is a disease, we need to get rid of it ASAP, there are potentially 36 new chicks hatching out Feb 12-14...

 

[NoseyChickens]

Are they warm enough? I think I would take the mite thing out. If they are in a brooder and away from any outher fowl, the likely hood they would get mites is pretty slim. Are you giving them vitamins in their water? I have found this can make a huge difference. You can get powdered vitamins at the feed store for pretty cheap. I hope you figure out what is going on. Best of luck

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Quote:
The meat thermometer that we have in with them is reading between 88- 93 F... so I am pretty sure temp is not the issue. Okay, on the mite thing.. I just wanted to make sure, cause I saw a few of them scritching their heads regularly. We have not been giving them vitamins, just plain water & medicated starter. I didn't even think of doing the vitamins, as we didn't "need" it for their parents. And I hope that we can find out soon also... This is the first time we have hatched our own, so having this many die from our first hatching is a bit ... shocking & depressing.

 

[Judy]

4 of the 5 who died had obvious problems, and might well have had other, internal problems that caused their deaths.

Have you had a respiratory or other disease in the rest of your chickens? Did these hatch from your own eggs?

 

[purpletree23]

What is a mite deterrant thing?

 

[chickerdoodle]

So sorry about your chicks.

These are some questions to rule out that are common issues:

What bedding are you using? Splayed legs can be from slippery footing such as newspaper. Do not use hard wood shavings--only pine or aspen or even paper towels until their legs are strong. If you have newspaper or cedar shavings -get rid of it.

Do they tend to stay under the heat lamp, away from, it or use the entire brooder? The temp should be 90 degrees at one week of age and decrease by 5 degrees each week. They should have the heat lamps on one end of the brooder only as they need their feed and water at the other end to keep the water and food it from being too hot which they don't like. They all do though need to fit nicely under the heat when needed.

Be sure NO drafts hitting them yet decent ventilation. I agree--get rid of the mite deterrent.

Physically check them for mites.

Is the feed fresh? Did it get damp at any time? Do you use fresh feed daily? I completely change the feed daily if the chicks can walk all over it and get it dirty. Are they eating and drinking?

What do their droppings look like? DO they have any blood or diarrhea? Are they getting pasty butt? that means that some of their droppings gets stuck on their hind end and can block waste from getting out--that will kill them fast. If that the case--use warm water and hold it on the waste and gently rub it off. Then dry them off with a paper towel and keep them warm.

Keep us posted.