Please help 16 chicks lost :(

[lozzy1]

Please let me apologise for the info wanted to get everything in incase anyone can help me

hatched 16 chicks exactly 2 weeks ago today. half welshsummer half rir. they were eggs from ebay. Incubated and nothing spectacular to report. Chicks kept indoors (front room!) under heat. Fed chick crumb and odd treats such as meal worms/cabbage/sweetcorn occasionally. Fresh water always availible and kept very clean.

Have existing coop outside with four adult hens. Last thurs (1 week old) moved chicks to coop. Partly due to the fact that it was roasting in the house as we are going through a terrible humid spell up in the north east. Also none were under the heat ever and were laying as far away as possible. In coop set up two heat lamps in one of the compartments. Its the sort of coop raised from ground with a ramp. Chicks been fine. All were strong and healthy. On monday I awoke to one dead chick. It was the smallest and weakest of the lot. Gutted but just took is as maybe too weak as it looked like it had been squshed by the others. same thing tus and wed morning. one chick dead. away from others and no sign of anything to suggest cause of death. Yesterday for the first time all the chicks left the coop and were outside in run. When i went out at 10pm they were huddled together outside. worried they couldnt get up the ramp into coop i moved them back into coop and closed door. This morning i came down to 10 dead chicks and three cromatose. All in one compartment together. huddled together (not under heat) all dead. The three alive i actually almost binned as they were unresponsive. but i noticed slight breathing. One was moving and a little more alive.

Had brought three into house and put into heated box and siringe fed sugar water. two were laid breathing but no movement and unresponsive to touch. basically dead but breathing. one sitting up and chirping very loudly and struggled a little when i syringe fed. came back from school run and two dead remaining chick looks a little brighter but not great. Its chirping very shrill and loud. Please what can have caused this? I am gutted as they are more like pets than just hens. All had names and the kids are going to be gutted.

I just cant understand how I had 16 healthy chicks a few days ago. And yesterday I had 13 big stong chicks i had to chase to put into coop at 10pm last night and this morning I have 1 left (which to be fair is possibly going the same way) ive heard that temp dropped very low in the night but none of the chicks were under the heat lamp when i found them? and at 2 weeks surely they would have had the sense to move or huddle. The adult hens have paid no attention to the chicks and actively avoid them so although a possiblilty I cant see them having killed them all. Not when they have been out a week. No sign of injury on any bodies.

I am worried its a disease due to how quick they have all gone and the fact they the two were cromatose and have ultimetly died. Any advise appreciated. Thanks

Heartbroken

Lauren and Bag (remaining chick, kids names her!)

 

[Phage]

I suspect they got cold, either could not get to the (heat hens in way at night) or not enough sense to do so.
Also if not on medicated chick starter coccidia could be a possibility/contributing factor.

 

[lozzy1]

thank you for your reply. i thought as much ive found out that temp went from 24 during day to -2 in just a few hours. the bigger hens ignore them but if the chicks do get too close they sometimes peck at them. I am guessing the larger hens may have either been under the heat themselves or prevented the chicks from getting to it the remaining chick bag is a bit brighter and has eaten some mixture so im keeping her in the house and hoping. Best get some more eggs ordered and another coop to keep new chicks seperate from the older hens. A sad lesson to learn. One which i feel responsable for. RIP little chicks. two weeks is no age to die.