We decided to get some more hens to round out our flock so we ordered 9 chicks from My Pet Chicken. I let each of my 4 kids pick a breed as we were getting an assortment. Unfortunately on Monday morning we were contacted and told that breed my daughter chose was no longer available. She picked a white Sultan as her second choice. Everyone arrived safely on Wednesday and the kids were thrilled with the chicks. We ventured outside with them briefly yesterday and the chicks had a great time scratching at the grass and eating bugs with the exception of Dixie the Sultan. She spent the time curled in my daughter's hand sleeping. All of the chicks were tired when they went back in the brooder and immediately went to sleep as far away from the heat lamp as they could get. I decided they were probably too hot and raised it a bit so the temperature was about 85 degrees. I checked on them a few times before bed and everyone seemed okay. This morning I awoke to find Dixie dead in the corner of the brooder flat on her stomach. My daughter is devastated that her poor baby only lived 3 days. I'm wondering if I did something wrong that caused her demise. She was the smallest of the bunch, maybe she got too cold overnight? Or perhaps she was sick and I didn't know it. Everyone else seems okay. Thoughts?
