Piling and smothering

[Poodlemum]

I’m so crushed today. One of our WTBs was likely smothered during the night, it’s the only thing I can think happened. They’ve been outside for at least a month and have been fully feathered for ages. Our temps swing from 20° to 70° and I moved the lamp to a new brooder after weaning them off it over the past few weeks. It hasn’t been turned on for quite a few days now before I moved it. I bought a new lamp and installed it just in case, but what else can I do to prevent it from happening again? I was so excited about this chick and it’s the fourth one my husband has named, then had die. So we’re really broken up about little LJ

 

[chrissynemetz]

How old are they?

 

[Poodlemum]

How old are they?

10 weeks

 

[Poodlemum]

I had nightmares all night I was going to go out to dead chicks, the partially feathered Polish and Welsummers are preferring to roost instead of staying under the lamp. But I didn’t think it would be the bigger babies

 

[The Moonshiner]

How many are there?

 

[SilverBirds]

You said it has been 20° in F? Was it recently that it got that cold?

 

[Poodlemum]

My Govee says it hasn’t been below 35° at all, there’s 13 ranging from 8-10 weeks

 

[chrissynemetz]

I've never had that happen with chicks that big. How much room do they have?

 

[Poodlemum]

The lad I went in on the order with had some of his smother each other last week too, it’s so weird! He added a small white bulb and they haven’t had issues since. They’re in a triple panel hoop coop covered with greenhouse plastic, with an area to have a windbreak just in case. I’ve got it snugged down really well, but we get super strong winds and I worried about drafts

They have had the fencing and crate moved so they can have full range of the coop