Please, help! Emergency, not a joke!!!

[Lokibinian]

Plastic totes (to me) are fairly small.
How are you heating only 1 side of it?
They may not have enough room,.

Can you post a pic of your brooder?

I can't figure out how to post pictures yet, but the brooder is fairly large, I've raised 15 chicks in it without any problems, and there's about 10 Cornish, I know they grow a bit larger, quicker, so I switch to a big box when they're about a week old.

The Eco-Glow is this... lamp thingy that mimics a mother hen, this is a link to it: https://www.amazon.com/Brinsea-EcoG...e=UTF8&qid=1496025712&sr=8-1&keywords=ecoglow

Don't chicks with Coccidiosis have bloody stools and foamy eyes? I don't see other symptoms of Cocci, though...

 

[Granny Hatchet]

pine shavings and slick plastic bottom, try some paper towels over the shavings. Have you seen if they do that on different surface ? Cocci does not involve the eyes and there may or may not be blood in the feces. But other symptoms include lethargy, fluffed up.

 

[Blooie]

When chicks die, they tend to have their legs stretched out stiffly behind them regardless of the cause of death. I don't know, you are there and I'm not, but is it possible that's the paralysis you saw?

 

[Lokibinian]

pine shavings and slick plastic bottom, try some paper towels over the shavings. Have you seen if they do that on different surface ? Cocci does not involve the eyes and there may or may not be blood in the feces. But other symptoms include lethargy, fluffed up.

There's some rubber shelf liner on the bottom, and there's no fluffy feathers or lethargy going on...

When chicks die, they tend to have their legs stretched out stiffly behind them regardless of the cause of death. I don't know, you are there and I'm not, but is it possible that's the paralysis you saw?

This was a bit different, sort of like it was doing the splits...

 

[Lokibinian]

Still, appreciate every answer!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

There's some rubber shelf liner on the bottom, and there's no fluffy feathers or lethargy going on...



This was a bit different, sort of like it was doing the splits...

sure sounds like mereks dont it ?

 

[Lokibinian]

That's what I'm worried about.... but perhaps it is not! I shall look on the bright side...

 

[azygous]

Try not to panic.

It's likely what they are eating or drinking that is causing your chicks to be sick. Chicks that young are not very likely to pick up either Marek's or coccidiosis unless they have come from a breeder or hatchery with tons of health violations. Chilling may also be causing these deaths due to some chicks not getting enough heat.

I'll start with the feed.

Dumor chick feed has on occasion been the cause of baby chick problems here on BYC over the years I've been here. Not often, but enough where I wouldn't buy it for my chicks. The problem with it runs from outdated and rancid feed, which can make chicks very sick, to feed spoiled by mold, which can mimic Marek's symptoms.

Contaminated water can also kill chicks. You may have developed a resistance to contaminants in your tap water, but your chicks could be susceptible. Bad water has also been a killer of chicks here on BYC over the years I've been here.

So what I suggest is to get rid of the Dumor, and give your chicks only bottled water. If Dumor is the only chick feed you can find, you may substitute Purina Flock Raiser for chick feed. It has all of the same ingredients in practically the same proportions as chick feed.

Now, let's talk about the heat.

Since you're not using a heat lamp, I feel it's unlikely a heating problem unless your chicks are getting chilled. Place a thermometer on the brooder floor under the heat plate and if it's not reading at least 80F, your chicks may not be getting enough heat. Also, fifteen chicks is quite a lot. Make sure they all can get under the heat plate without some being squeezed out into the cold, which can cause chilling and death.

 

[jjared]

I would get some Corid.
They probably have cocci.

I am new to chickens and I'm certain a couple of my 9 week old hens have coccidiosis. I bought some Corid, but am unsure how to make my girls drink. They're fairly sluggish and aren't getting to the waterer much, so how can I ensure they're getting the Corid down? Anything else I should be doing for them?

 

[Lokibinian]

Try not to panic.

It's likely what they are eating or drinking that is causing your chicks to be sick. Chicks that young are not very likely to pick up either Marek's or coccidiosis unless they have come from a breeder or hatchery with tons of health violations. Chilling may also be causing these deaths due to some chicks not getting enough heat.

I'll start with the feed.

Dumor chick feed has on occasion been the cause of baby chick problems here on BYC over the years I've been here. Not often, but enough where I wouldn't buy it for my chicks. The problem with it runs from outdated and rancid feed, which can make chicks very sick, to feed spoiled by mold, which can mimic Marek's symptoms.

Contaminated water can also kill chicks. You may have developed a resistance to contaminants in your tap water, but your chicks could be susceptible. Bad water has also been a killer of chicks here on BYC over the years I've been here.

So what I suggest is to get rid of the Dumor, and give your chicks only bottled water. If Dumor is the only chick feed you can find, you may substitute Purina Flock Raiser for chick feed. It has all of the same ingredients in practically the same proportions as chick feed.

Now, let's talk about the heat.

Since you're not using a heat lamp, I feel it's unlikely a heating problem unless your chicks are getting chilled. Place a thermometer on the brooder floor under the heat plate and if it's not reading at least 80F, your chicks may not be getting enough heat. Also, fifteen chicks is quite a lot. Make sure they all can get under the heat plate without some being squeezed out into the cold, which can cause chilling and death.

Very good advice, thank you! However, I do not think it's the water, for I have let other chicks drink the tap water, and they have seemed fine. I do give electrolytes the first two days for stressed chicks, and from then on mix some apple cider vinegar once in a while. Of course, this situation could have been different.

The same goes for the feed, in which I have fed many times without problems, but when they reach about five weeks of age, I switch to Nature's Best Starter/Grower Organic Feed. Is there a way to tell if the feed is rancid/spoiled/moldy? There's no moldiness anywhere, and it smells normal, like all the other DuMor feed I've fed.

And as for the fifteen chicks, I meant that I have raised 15 chicks in the plastic tote without any problems, sorry for not stating that clear enough. I apologize. I currently have ten Cornish Cross in the brooder, four having passed away. I did notice the ones that died were all a bit smaller, but there's quite a bit of room, I don't think it was that... or perhaps they were weaker, immune system wise.

Thank you very much, once again!