New chicks--0ne died yesterday - this afternoon one more- please help

[ejstoner]

Maybe yes and maybe no. These were from cutting logs for firewood, some of which can be quite small. It could have been the fumes from the wood.I dont know, thats why I asked for help!!

 

[Guitartists]

Your losses, if they were just the couple and no more since could have been just about anything. Failure to thrive, eating what they shouldn't, maybe they got chilled, maybe they couldn't find the water. It's hard to say with certainty what caused them to die. It sounds like things are ok.... if you don't lose anymore, then it was probably something outside of your control. What breed were they? Did you show them where the water was... dip their little beaks in it? 2 days is about the time it takes for them to absorb their yolk, sounds like maybe those two were unsure about where to find food and water. At least, that is my guess at this point.

 

[ejstoner]

I pretty much blame alot on myself. tnhe wood chips may have been giving off gases that were harmful. On top of that my ventalation was horrible. I have cats in the house and was so afraid that they would bother them that I had the top too closed. I put newspaper on the floor and covered the 55 gal aquarium with screen. the humidity is now down to 30%. The cats have pretty much ignored them, and everything appears to be fine. Thanks to all who posted, I appreciate it -ED

 

[ruth]

I use our old white towels for brooder flooring. When dirty, I just hang them on the clothesline, hose them down with the pressure hose, and throw them in a bleach wash. It eliminates any issues of eating shredding or chips and eliminates the spraddle leg associated with newspaper and also eliminates the dust that they seem to generate which is especially important since baby chicks are usually in a bin in the tub of one of my bathrooms. You can buy a stack of cheap white towels at the dollar store and they work great.

As you have found out, ventilation is very important or they can get too hot and die. I never use a lid except for when I'm setting the box outside in the sunshine, then I use a wire top.

 

[ejstoner]

The only reason I have to have some kind of lid is because I dont trust the cats. An old adjustable window screen seems to work fine. Everything seems to be well. Im keeping my fingers crossed. I like your idea for towels though.

 

[LadyShred]

I keep my baby chicks in a back room with the door closed to keep my cats away from them. That way, I don't have to use a lid at all. I know how that is - having a predator in the house and my cats can't be trusted at all!!