Peeps dying! Help!!!!!!

[peepermom]

I ordered from a major online hatchery- I have always had success and never had a death. This time was different. I ordered 28 chicks of different breeds and when they arrived, one was smooshed dead. Another looked really weak and small- eyes not open yet and died a few hours later even after eyedropping food and water. Two days later, another was found dead with a pecked butt- we thought he was pecked to death by an aggressive. Two more followed and then we found three raw butts. I blue coated them and separated them and they are doing fine. Then tonight, another was acting funny so I just sat still and watched. She kept fluffing like she was burrying herself in the sand, and then would lay sideways and her legs would curl up- like seizuring. eyes would close, peep would go stiff for a moment, then the others would start pecking at it. It then got up and was fine, but the others kept pecking. I then moved to grab her to put her with the other 3, and the whole pack went scrambling and I couldn't grab her. Just out of curiosity, I turned out the lights and they all went to sleep peacefully like nothing was ever wrong.

What is wrong with my peeps??????? They are about 10 days old and have started sprouting feathers and look pretty good for the most part. They are in my "peeper house" which is 5x5 custom box with linolium flooring with kiln dried pine shavings, water, heat lamp, water, the works- they are clean, dry, and at the proper temp. I've done this before and have NEVER seen this before. I'm worried I have a neurologic or something...

They are all alone in my basement and I have not had contact with other poultry.
HELP!!!!!!!!!! I don't want to lose anymore- I have been checking on them every few hours and when the peep dies, it's quick- within two hours.

Peepermom

 

[cjeanean]

have you contacted the hatchery???? I was under the impression that chicks' eye are open right from the start.....maybe that's a clue???

 

[peepermom]

After losing another today- I was going to call them tomorrow morning as soon as they open- just hoping it's something I can do before morning before I lose any more... the seizure thing was really weird and we are in VA- the last thing I want to do is spread something...
Lisa

 

[cjeanean]

which hatchery did you get them from????

 

[cjeanean]

BTW,

 

[peepermom]

I got them from Ideal- they have been great in the past so far for me- never lost a one in all my orders. This time I ordered a lot of different breeds though- tophats, cochins, long tails, cualaya's, faverolles, anconas... My sultan died, as did one of the red cubalaya, buff cochin, and the houdan, as far as I can tell. I wonder if it was a mistake to order such a wide range of breeds in one order...
Lisa

 

[cjeanean]

I don't know if that would cause it.....I've got quite a few different breeds all from my feed store, and all of them were shipped together. The only ones that were shipped separately were the ones that couldn't be told apart. I don't know what could cause this....have you tried giving them anything, like that poly-vis-il stuff? (not sure if that's what it's called)

 

[raindrop]

Do you live in a cold place? Could they have gotten really chilled in transit? Sorry for your losses. I would definitely call the hatchery tomorrow.

 

[chickenlady]

What color bulb are you using for you heat lamp? I've heard that you should use a red one because using a white one will cause constant picking. That has not held true for me but I have heard it being a factor in several cases. Wish I could help you diagnose the problem, best of luck to you and your babies.

 

[SeaChick]

Well, the way you described the one fluffing in the bedding.... that sounds like a regular old dust bath to me...... they do look like they are having seizures when they do it. And the others will often peck the bedding off them. I'm not certain that THAT occurence is anything to worry about.....

But the other pecking is not good. Is your heat lamp a red bulb?