Newly hatched chicks dying

[birdmandan]

Hi all. I've had a good hatch with about 4 dozen strong chicks. I have 1 which died already (first to hatch on day 15). 3 others today seem to have collapse, away from the heat for unknown reasons (day 18). I have dunked their beaks into water, have 2 safe waterers and have scattered feed near the heat and a big pile away from the heat. I put the cold chicks in a container near the heat so they could warm up but unlike the other chicks, they are weak and lethargic. I am wondering if these chicks are just inferior ones due to being late hatchers. The only thing i can think of to help is to get a second 100w lamp as it is a fairly big hatch. 2 lamps would reduce the chances of trampling as the weaker ones would almost certainly get trampled by the stronger chicks. I still have around a dozen eggs which have yet to hatch... then again, perhaps i should let nature take it's course since these birds will be my future breeders...

 

[ChickNanny13]

Are you sure on your hatch dates? Chicken eggs hatch in 21 days, go into "lock down" on the 18th day. Hopefully someone with more experience with incubating/hatching will peep in soon to help/advise you. Sorry to hear of your loss

 

[birdmandan]

All the chicks are huddled on the left, under the light. The 3 stupid ones all crawled to the top right corner of the brooder. I drag their chilled bodies under the lamp but they always end up away from the warmth....

 

[birdmandan]

Are you sure on your hatch dates? Chicken eggs hatch in 21 days, go into "lock down" on the 18th day. Hopefully someone with more experience with incubating/hatching will peep in soon to help/advise you. Sorry to hear of your loss

Yeah, these are quails... from my experience, their babies are a lot more fragile than chicken.... can't save them all, i guess. Maybe it's just natural selection at work. Survival of the fittest...

 

[Wickedchicken6]

They shouldn't be piling like that under the light. They will squish each other and you'll could have more deaths. They should be spread out under the heat evenly if it's warm enough for them. Did you measure the temperature under the light at chick height? What size is your light? I believe quail require good steady heat.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

You're second picture is closer to what they should be looking like. How big is your brooder? Perhaps closing off part of the brooder so the chicks can't "get away" from the heat so far? If they are freshly hatched...they may not know enough to enough to realize they are away from the heat.

 

[birdmandan]

It's the same pic, different angles. Brooder is only 2 foot by 1.5 foot. Will.hold 50-60 chicks

 

[007Sean]

It's the same pic, different angles. Brooder is only 2 foot by 1.5 foot. Will.hold 50-60 chicks

They are definiately gettig chilled. Check for drafts, measure the temp with an accurate thermometer, should be around 98-96deg. Reduce the temp by 5deg/week. Sorry for your loses.

 

[birdmandan]

They are kept in house with ducted heating on though and 100w heat bulb... might need a hotter bulb...

 

[007Sean]

I keep all my newly hatch chicks in an 80deg room(central air/heat) but I have 250w red bulb heat lamps over the brooder at a height to allow a 98-96deg temp at the chicks level.