Please help me figure this out, so frustrated!

[azygous]

You have a mystery on your hands, and it behooves you to solve it. It may require a little out-of-pocket expense. Can you consider that?

There are some things that could be killing all these chicks that no one thinks about. If you take a dead chick who has recently died to a lab, it can be dissected and screened for diseases. This is important because some diseases are transmitted through the hen into the egg then to the developing chick, and once they enter your soil and buildings, can be all but impossible to eradicate.

Another source you might consider testing is your tap water. It may not make you sick, but if there are enough of the right contaminants, they can kill tiny chicks. Your health department can have your water tested, maybe for free.

Your brooder may also be to blame. Some plastics, when heated, give off dangerous fumes. The same goes for some types of Teflon heat lamps. If the brooder is too small, the chicks can become heat stressed even though you think the brooder is the "correct" temperature. If chicks have insufficient room in which to move away from the heat source in order to self regulate their accumulated body heat, death can result.

So put on your tweed hat, grab the magnifying glass, and do some serious "sleuthing"! And let us know what your turn up!

 

[RooBeeC]

You have a mystery on your hands, and it behooves you to solve it. It may require a little out-of-pocket expense. Can you consider that?

There are some things that could be killing all these chicks that no one thinks about. If you take a dead chick who has recently died to a lab, it can be dissected and screened for diseases. This is important because some diseases are transmitted through the hen into the egg then to the developing chick, and once they enter your soil and buildings, can be all but impossible to eradicate.

Another source you might consider testing is your tap water. It may not make you sick, but if there are enough of the right contaminants, they can kill tiny chicks. Your health department can have your water tested, maybe for free.

Your brooder may also be to blame. Some plastics, when heated, give off dangerous fumes. The same goes for some types of Teflon heat lamps. If the brooder is too small, the chicks can become heat stressed even though you think the brooder is the "correct" temperature. If chicks have insufficient room in which to move away from the heat source in order to self regulate their accumulated body heat, death can result.

So put on your tweed hat, grab the magnifying glass, and do some serious "sleuthing"! And let us know what your turn up!

I will definitely keep everyone posted. I actually switched the chicks to purified/ boiled water because I was scared it was something in the water. I also switched their feed. The brooder is a metal cage with cardboard around the walls, the lamp as well is steel. There is also room for them to get out of the heat. I used thermometers to check and there is a good 15 degree difference. The hatchery is also looking in to this. I guess my next option would be to take one of the dead chicks to a vet and see if they can run tests.

 

[enola]

A picture of the set up ( which I already suggested ) might help solve the problem.

 

[realsis]

Did you get the chicks from Meyer or a different hatchery? you mentioned your friend got hers from Meyer. I know Meyer is a NPIP (national poultry improvement plan, parent flock tested for disease) Is the hatchery you got yours from a NPIP hatchery? if not, that just might be the issue. parent passing down illness to chicks. Do you know if they are NPIP. it will state on invoices and website???

 

[azygous]

Glad to hear you're already ruling things out. A necropsy would likely solve this mystery, though. The minute another chick dies, not that anyone would wish for that, refrigerate it and locate the lab or vet who can do the tests. They examine the organs, contents of crop, stomach and gizzard, then run tests on those. It's pretty thorough and it will both enlighten you and give you peace of mind.

I don't recommend these measures whenever a new baby chick dies. It's not uncommon for one or two not to make it from time to time. But you're running track record so far, far exceeds the laws of probability. I wouldn't rest until I had some answers.

 

[RooBeeC]

Did you get the chicks from Meyer or a different hatchery? you mentioned your friend got hers from Meyer. I know Meyer is a NPIP (national poultry improvement plan, parent flock tested for disease) Is the hatchery you got yours from a NPIP hatchery? if not, that just might be the issue. parent passing down illness to chicks. Do you know if they are NPIP. it will state on invoices and website???

I went through a different hatchery. I've never heard of NPIP. I actually just looked up the NPIP participants in my state after you posted this and the hatchery I got them from is a member.

 

[keesmom]

I would second a necropsy if you lose more chicks. Maybe an internal exam will yield more answers.

Did you get the chicks from Meyer or a different hatchery? you mentioned your friend got hers from Meyer. I know Meyer is a NPIP (national poultry improvement plan, parent flock tested for disease) Is the hatchery you got yours from a NPIP hatchery? if not, that just might be the issue. parent passing down illness to chicks. Do you know if they are NPIP. it will state on invoices and website???

Being NPIP does not guarantee 100% completely disease free flocks. It means they tested negative for the 2 to 4 diseases the state in which the hatchery resides tests for, not that they are free of all poultry illnesses. Most hatcheries test for avian influenza, and maybe pullorum-typhoid. Most do not test for mycoplasmas.

 

[Jensownzoo]

You can google to find your state veterinary diagnostic laboratory. I think all of them have the procedures and forms necessary for submitting poultry to them for necropsy. Fees vary from state to state. Perhaps the hatchery would be interested in footing the bill?

 

[chicksdontmeow]

You can google to find your state veterinary diagnostic laboratory. I think all of them have the procedures and forms necessary for submitting poultry to them for necropsy. Fees vary from state to state. Perhaps the hatchery would be interested in footing the bill?

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2015/bro_backyard_healthy_birds.pdf

Farm and Fleet had these fancy little brochures out with their chicks today that I saw when I was going to get a bag of grit. There's a toll-free number you can call and they'll put you in contact with someone in your area that can do a disease investigation which is also no-cost.

 

[mika4me]

I had a similar experience the first time I bought chicks from the local feed and seed. Of the 5 I started with, 4 got sick and three died. I couldn't figure out what was going wrong, so took one of my birds to UC Davis Veterinary School for a necropsy. They diagnosed coccidia, an intestinal disease caused by a parasite. I dosed my two remaining birds with Corid, one recovered and the other stayed healthy. I am really glad I found out what the problem was, because it kept me from giving up on chickens, and they really are awesome in spite of some bad experiences. I am sorry you are going through this, but get some answers. It is a terrible feeling when you're trying to do everything right and it just keeps going wrong. If you can put a name to the problem, you'll feel a lot better.