Pine shavings killing chicks?

[BackyardChickener]

Hello everyone, My wife discovered one chick dead with no obvious reason last night while I was at work. No pasty butt, no swollen eyes or enlarged crop (if I’m checking it right), no weird behavior before hand. I have another that I am worried I sent to the grave trying to clean its pasty butt. It actually regurgitated some after it passed.
All of this is after having added the pine shavings for the first time yesterday. I don't know if this is the cause but they had been picking at them since the moment I put them in, when I got home from work at midnight I decided to take them back out and leave them on just the puppy pee pads that they have been on. After searching the forum it seems others have had issues with this but they were only in there for a matter of about 8 hours. I know sometimes chicks just don't make it but want to make sure the rest are fine. Only one other chick is looking a little off but I made a separate post about that chick.

Are pine shavings possibly killing my chicks? I won't be putting them back in until I figure this out.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

How old are the chicks? Do you have a picture of your setup? Pine shavings can be a problem when they're super tiny but I have never lost a chick to consuming them. I usually wait until they're a few days old to put shavings in because it helps them learn where and what the food is if they don't have another option to confuse them but not because I think pine shavings are necessarily a hazard

 

[BackyardChickener]

the chicks are 10 days old. I will take a picture of the brooder now.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Sometimes chicks dont make it... Pine shavings although do have dust, so I open a window after putting pine shavings.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I looked at your other post and im sorry no one helped you with that. I assume that's the chick that died? I do probiotics etc in their water only for the first day before I provide two waterers. They need fresh water at all times even with supplemented water. I will see what your brooder looks like and see if I can help

 

[TooCheep]

It is doubtful that pine shavings are the problem. Pecking at the particles is very common and normal. Cedar shavings are a known problem due to the vapors that they put out.

 

[BackyardChickener]

I looked at your other post and im sorry no one helped you with that. I assume that's the chick that died? I do probiotics etc in their water only for the first day before I provide two waterers. They need fresh water at all times even with supplemented water. I will see what your brooder looks like and see if I can help

That chick is actually still alive, that video I posted if from just a little while ago this morning

 

[BackyardChickener]

Should I put two waterers in there one with fresh and one with the electrolyte/probiotic? or do they not need that electrolyte/probiotic all the time?

I have attached pictures of the setup to the original post

The chick in my other post is still alive, that's why I made it a separate post, sorry if it's confusing.

 

[TooCheep]

Just use a single waterer with the supplements for now. You won't need them in general, but since you are having problems, it is better that they all get the boost for now.

The brooder looks like a good setup. How old are they? Have they been drinking/eating normally? Food and water should be available all day.

The reason I encourage pine shavings is visible in your pictures. The chicks are far less likely to get poo on their feet (not 100%, just less). Also, the pine negates the ammonia vapors from the white part of the poo.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don't see anything wrong with the brooder either. Is the sick chick eating and drinking normally? Is it the one separated in the picture? If you are only having problems with one chick I wouldn't keep supplementing them all but that's just me. I have saved many a chick with a Nutri-Drench mush. Just add a bit of drench to the crumble with water until it has the consistency of oatmeal and put it up to the sick chick's beak so some gets on the beak. Alternatively an egg yolk mixed into the mush works well. This should perk the chick up within hours. The other chicks will want to eat the mush as well so you'll have to make sure sickie gets enough to eat first. If you're going to let the others eat the supplemented mush then a fresh water source is definitely a good idea.