Please help, my 2 day old chicks are dying

[Farmbois]

HI

was after some help please. My chickens which are 2 days old are dying, they go limp, lay on their backs, heavy breathing. I have been breeding chickens for months and months. I have a hoverbator which is great. the last 2 batches of chickens, out of 80 only 10 have survived and i can not seem to find what is going on. I have never had this problem and have a success rate of about 95%. I dont know what to do. we are coming into winter ( its starting to get cool and rainy) here so I have made sure the temp has been correct all the time.

thanks in advance

Greg

 

[artsyrobin]

greg, i am new at chickens- but one thought comes to mind- are they drinking and eating? if they aren't drinking can you dribble water on their beak to get fluid into them? with rescue birds we add a drop of corn syrup to the water, gives them a little energy- hope that helps a little

 

[Farmbois]

Thankyou for your reply.

not really drinking or eating, the ones that survive drink and eat and i have been doing water droplets etc for the ones that havent. I just cant figure out why they wouldnt drink or eat.
im racking my brain as to why 90% are dying.
I havent changed anything since the day i started.
I was advised by someone that its been cold and that will effect the chicks survival rate however i can not see how this could be true as they are for 1. inside 2. they have a temp controlled brooder etc. they have plenty of room to run around etc, and they have plenty of food and water.

chicks (rhode island reds and lowman browns)

Thanks again

 

[ChooksChick]

Can you tell us what conditions are in your brooder? The temperature, and what you have on the floor in the brooder for bedding?

 

[Farmbois]

the brooder is a, i suppose pine hutch, i use lucern grass for bedding. I have a "comfort chick brooder" as the warmer. temp is 36 deg celcius.

Thank you
Greg

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Have you been cleaning your incubator between hatches??? If not it could be a bacteria problem.

 

[hinkjc]

Did you lose any in the hatcher..as they hatch? How do the chicks feel..soft body, normal???

The most common issues for mortality immediately after hatch is omphalitis (infection enters belly button/umbilical) and mushy chick syndrome (wet hatch). Also if you move them to the brooder too soon (before they're dry), you can put them at risk. Breeder flock issues can also affect hatchlings. There's a sticky at the top of the "raising baby chicks" section of the forum on chick mortality as well that may be helpful.

I'm so sorry for your losses.

 

[I'vegotchickenfever]

the brooder is a, i suppose pine hutch, i use lucern grass for bedding.

Are they strong and healthy after they hatch in the incubator? If so, I wonder about the brooder and bedding. Are you sure about the "pine hutch"? I've heard that cedar can kill them.​

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I thought chicks could survive several days without food and water. Since yours are dying within 2 days, maybe it is a bacterial problem as hinkjc mentioned. Sorry for you losses. I see you are a new member here, welcome. I hope you find the cause of your demise.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

Well the way I always did was this
I put 3 tbp of red jello powder in a qt jar od water for the first day
DIPPING each and every chick's beak in the red water
they will then go to it to drink
Did you put the feed and water close to the light in the brooder for them to see and drink and eat
also the temperarure is to be 98 degrees for first week and down 5 degrees each week.
Did they stay in the incubator for several days before being put in the brooder?
you did not put them in brooder still wet did you?

Also did you have the same breeders for the eggs as last yr? Did you have healthy breeders?
Glenda L Heywood
http://www.gkpet.com
click on pet forum