New chick problems

[Leslie CVT]

Hi...I am experiencing a similar problem. I bought 3 chicks from the feed store on Friday and 1 died last night. They developed diarrhea and I fear I may be about to lose another one. I am really disappointed. I have successfully raised chicks the last two years, but have started with week old ones last year and incubated and hatched my chicks the year before. I am trying to increase my flock size (without having to order 15) and am really sad that my baby pullets aren't surviving. Is there something that can help with the diarrhea? I haven't had this problem before and am not sure what else I should do.

 

[Palerydr]

The area around the heater is currently measuring 70 degrees or so. I tilted the heater up and the ir gun says 102 on the bottom side of it and on the floor beneath the heater is says 95.

The ones that remain will wonder around a bit, eat a bit, drink a bit, peck a bit at the bedding and then wander back underneath. Pretty much the same thing that they did from day one. I originally thought they were cold, too, but they don't all always stay under the heater. Could they have gotten chilled to the point they couldn't recover during shipment?

I don't know if the breed mix helps to know, but I had ordered 5 buff orpingtons, 5 australorps, 5 easter eggers and the remainder where assorted cockerals. There appear to be 2 buffs remaining, and of them is literally a head taller than any of the others remaining.

I'm thinking of moving them inside the house for now. We have 2 cats and a dog that I know would "play" with them if given the chance. I know I couldn't fit the 30 comfortably and safely, but I may do that with these until they get a bit bigger and then move them out into the brooder. I don't keep the house very warm, but my grow room seed starting area has heat mats, so I'm thinking of using that for a week or two.

Jamie

Being a newbie I don't wanna sound like wannabe or a bloviator but in my past experience in raising day old chicks I still think it is a warmth issue..JMO

 

[lazy gardener]

Is the brooder made of unfinished wood? Or has it been painted, stained or sealed?

 

[polarbearforge]

Bummer! So sorry.
What is your location, could the chicks have been delayed on the shipping trip in cold weather?

I am in South Dakota. The tracking shows the location for the 13th(when they shipped) and the 15th (when I picked them up) but nothing for the inbetween. I'm wondering if they didn't get chilled on the 14th and didn't recover.

Hi...I am experiencing a similar problem. I bought 3 chicks from the feed store on Friday and 1 died last night. They developed diarrhea and I fear I may be about to lose another one. I am really disappointed. I have successfully raised chicks the last two years, but have started with week old ones last year and incubated and hatched my chicks the year before. I am trying to increase my flock size (without having to order 15) and am really sad that my baby pullets aren't surviving. Is there something that can help with the diarrhea? I haven't had this problem before and am not sure what else I should do.

I wish I could help, but I'm new to this portion. I have usually end up starting with older birds.

Being a newbie I don't wanna sound like wannabe or a bloviator but in my past experience in raising day old chicks I still think it is a warmth issue..JMO

That was my original conclusion as well, but it didn't quite add up. All temperatures were good according to everything I've read online and in books. I ended up moving them into the house just in case, although they're actually in a cooler room than they were out in the shop (not by much, just a little). Some point between last night and this morning, the plug for the brooder heater was knocked free (curious little dog) and the remainder are just find.

Is the brooder made of unfinished wood? Or has it been painted, stained or sealed?

Yes, it is unfinished. No paint, stain, or sealer.

There are only 4 left alive, but they are doing really well. They are very active(it was a little challenging to catch them all). I moved them into the house. The fifth one I had that was closing it's eyes and swaying didn't make it. I will be moving the brooder to the front porch before the replacements arrive. It was the spot I was originally going to place it, but I didn't have it cleaned out in time. It's a little bit of a relief to have them out of the shop, I'm not sure how much stress table saw noice causes little chicks.

Jamie

 

[1muttsfan]

Did you touch your ecoglo to make sure it is warm? I have heard reports that the indicator light can be on and the ecoglo cold. It should also be adjusted down to where the chicks touch it - pretty low with new hatched chicks.

 

[polarbearforge]

Did you touch your ecoglo to make sure it is warm? I have heard reports that the indicator light can be on and the ecoglo cold. It should also be adjusted down to where the chicks touch it - pretty low with new hatched chicks.

Yep, I checked it when I first got it. I had it plugged in the day before I thought they were in and checked it again before putting the chicks in. When I started seeing problems, I checked it again. Heat was there each time.

Jamie

 

[Beekissed]

What kind of red light bulb are you using? Wouldn't be any Teflon on that bulb, would there? I'd check the packaging.

 

[polarbearforge]

What kind of red light bulb are you using? Wouldn't be any Teflon on that bulb, would there? I'd check the packaging.

Led rope lighting. It's beyond their reach. It's more for lighting than for heat. The shop head and the brooder heater provide their heat instead of a heat lamp. I'm a little paranoid about burning down my shop. I'm a blacksmith(bladesmith really, my forging always was towards making knives) too, also known as a professional pyromaniac. When I was growing up, our garage burned down (not from aheat lamp) and that's always in the back of my mind.

Jamie

 

[Beekissed]

I was thinking gas or fumes....but doesn't sound like it if the light was not a funky one. Well...that's a mystery unless it was just weak birds that got chilled somehow...which doesn't seem likely with an Ecoglow brooder handy.

Curiouser and curiouser....

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Are any of the bulbs in the garage Teflon coated? They'll be packaged as "heavy duty" or "shatter resistant". Even regular bulbs come Teflon coated, and birds are way sensitive to the gas Teflon releases. Like, they shouldn't be in the same room sensitive...