Sebright chicks dying

[Spruceroost]

Hello all. I started out with 13 sebrights, now I am down to 6. I don't know why so many are dying and I even asked a vet when I took my snake in and he didn't really have any advice for me. So I am pleading to the experts out there to help me save my remaining chicks. Here is the breakdown:

They are currently 3 and a half weeks old. I had many die the first 2 weeks, one had a breathing issue and I searched far and wide into the night hour looking for anyone to help. It ended up dying that night.

Then a week and a half of went by and my chicks were as happy as could be. They chirped, ate, flew around, etc. The lady at the store I purchased them from said at 3 weeks to kill the red light, so I did. All the chicks appeared fine with no breathing issues. Next morning one of them had died.

They have a red 250 watt bulb, have been indoors in the house at all times with chick starter food and water available and changed frequently, a large cage with room to move around. The coldest it could have gotten in the room was 68 degrees due to the A/C. I will upload pictures shortly. Any help is appreciated.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hello all. I started out with 13 sebrights, now I am down to 6. I don't know why so many are dying and I even asked a vet when I took my snake in and he didn't really have any advice for me. So I am pleading to the experts out there to help me save my remaining chicks. Here is the breakdown:

They are currently 3 and a half weeks old. I had many die the first 2 weeks, one had a breathing issue and I searched far and wide into the night hour looking for anyone to help. It ended up dying that night.

Then a week and a half of went by and my chicks were as happy as could be. They chirped, ate, flew around, etc. The lady at the store I purchased them from said at 3 weeks to kill the red light, so I did. All the chicks appeared fine with no breathing issues. Next morning one of them had died.

They have a red 250 watt bulb, have been indoors in the house at all times with chick starter food and water available and changed frequently, a large cage with room to move around. The coldest it could have gotten in the room was 68 degrees due to the A/C. I will upload pictures shortly. Any help is appreciated.

Mercy, seems like some problems. You can go back to that store and tell the "lady" that you do not go from a heated brooder to a possible 68 degree's at one time---chicks can die. The chicks Might survive but weaning(a few degree's a week) them off the heat works best.

When you had so many dying the first 2 weeks Did you ever use a thermometer to check the temp in the brooder? Giving you the answers you want, is not possible because we do not know how you had things set-up, feed, water, bedding, heat, vents, experience, etc, etc. I would love to have helped you get it all set-up but its to late this time.

 

[junebuggena]

Brooder is too small, they have no room to move around with those huge feeders. And that heat lamp is not only overkill, it's angled wrong. Should be pointing straight down, only warming directly underneath, not angled to heat up the whole space. Chicks need to be able to cool down if they need to. A 250 watt bulb puts out too much heat indoors. Switch to a lower wattage bulb.

 

[Spruceroost]

Thanks for all the replys. I have a thermometer which registered the cage between 75-80 degrees prior to cutting the lamp. Everything shown was installed prior to arrival of the chicks. I tried to be super careful about keeping a suitable habitat, but I failed, resulting in dead chickens. I can't stand it.

During the first 2 weeks I had positioned the lamp to provide 95 degrees of heat, reducing it by 5 degrees each week. Yet I would wake up and find one dead every other day. I thought maybe the one with the respiratory issue that died had maybe passed something on, but I honestly have no idea. This can't just be a Sebright thing, I must be doing something wrong.

I have a 100 watt bulb available to swap out since it is indoors. Would that work? I will look for a larger habitat for them and re-position the lamp as well.

I have been using brown paper towels for bedding with wire underneath. I have no prior experience with baby chicks, but I want to learn and keep the ones I have left from dying. I appreciate all the advice.

 

[junebuggena]

To understand how to provide heat for chicks, it helps to know WHY chicks need heat. Down is a poor insulator, so chicks need a heat source to warm up. As they feather in, the better they can retain their own body heat, and the less supplemental heat is needed. Equally important is a cool zone so they can rid themselves of excess heat. You need to be sure you are only heating one small spot, and the rest of the brooder is at room temp. A 100 watt bulb might even be too much. Try it and see. Watch the chicks. If they cluster under the heat lamp in a tight pile, they are chilly. If they are spread out as far from each other and the heat as they can possibly get, they are too warm. If they are panting, they are seriously overheating.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thanks for all the replys. I have a thermometer which registered the cage between 75-80 degrees prior to cutting the lamp. Everything shown was installed prior to arrival of the chicks. I tried to be super careful about keeping a suitable habitat, but I failed, resulting in dead chickens. I can't stand it.

During the first 2 weeks I had positioned the lamp to provide 95 degrees of heat, reducing it by 5 degrees each week. Yet I would wake up and find one dead every other day. I thought maybe the one with the respiratory issue that died had maybe passed something on, but I honestly have no idea. This can't just be a Sebright thing, I must be doing something wrong.

I have a 100 watt bulb available to swap out since it is indoors. Would that work? I will look for a larger habitat for them and re-position the lamp as well.

I have been using brown paper towels for bedding with wire underneath. I have no prior experience with baby chicks, but I want to learn and keep the ones I have left from dying. I appreciate all the advice.

OK, glad you were weaning them off the heat. Something could be wrong with yours causing them to be sick---but Raising seabrights is usually no problem--well not here. Let me tell you what I do or would do for future info. I would want my floor to have 1/2x1/2" wire---yours appears to have 1/2 x 1"? They have small feet. Yes I do put a piece of news paper down for sea brights for the first few days. I would want my brooder where there is minimum air movement under the wire floor---close off those big gaps around the sides/ends. I want my brooder set-up where they have room. I would not use those big feeder/waterer in that small of a brooder. I would use the ones that screw on a quart jars ( I step-up to 2 quart jars when they need more )to start and have them on one end with the heat on the other end. I personally Hate those big red heat lamps and after raising 1000's know they are Not needed in a brooder----maybe a big barn where you got several hundred chicks that need to be warmed. I show this pic which belongs to one of our members on here---some say the light is to low, and it might be----just check the temp under the light for correct temp, but these chicks in his pic seem to be happy laying around the edge of his """40 watt"'' light set-up, yep 40 watt----I even use 25 watt bulbs some time but mainly 40/60's---75 and 100's in a lot bigger brooder.

I am NOT saying this is the best or only way to set-up a brooder----again this is How ""I"" set-up my over flow brooders and I raise 1000's of chicks with very few deaths. Good Luck

 

[Spruceroost]

OK, glad you were weaning them off the heat. Something could be wrong with yours causing them to be sick---but Raising seabrights is usually no problem--well not here. Let me tell you what I do or would do for future info. I would want my floor to have 1/2x1/2" wire---yours appears to have 1/2 x 1"? They have small feet. Yes I do put a piece of news paper down for sea brights for the first few days. I would want my brooder where there is minimum air movement under the wire floor---close off those big gaps around the sides/ends. I want my brooder set-up where they have room. I would not use those big feeder/waterer in that small of a brooder. I would use the ones that screw on a quart jars ( I step-up to 2 quart jars when they need more )to start and have them on one end with the heat on the other end. I personally Hate those big red heat lamps and after raising 1000's know they are Not needed in a brooder----maybe a big barn where you got several hundred chicks that need to be warmed. I show this pic which belongs to one of our members on here---some say the light is to low, and it might be----just check the temp under the light for correct temp, but these chicks in his pic seem to be happy laying around the edge of his """40 watt"'' light set-up, yep 40 watt----I even use 25 watt bulbs some time but mainly 40/60's---75 and 100's in a lot bigger brooder.

I am NOT saying this is the best or only way to set-up a brooder----again this is How ""I"" set-up my over flow brooders and I raise 1000's of chicks with very few deaths. Good Luck

I'm sure you're right, the wiring does seem a bit large for them. You've had continued success with your chickens so I will make the recommended changes. I appreciate everyone's help. I just couldn't believe so many died.

 

[brandymulvaine]

I use a large Rubbermaid storage container. Maybe two foot tall? Then I have a section of wire shelving over the top to clamp the lamp to. You can fit 10-12 newly hatched chicks for a day or two. Then I switch to a washer/dryer box.

 

[Spruceroost]

What's a washer/dryer box look like? I tried looking it up but I got some odd results.

 

[chickentomtom87]

Hello all. I started out with 13 sebrights, now I am down to 6. I don't know why so many are dying and I even asked a vet when I took my snake in and he didn't really have any advice for me. So I am pleading to the experts out there to help me save my remaining chicks. Here is the breakdown: They are currently 3 and a half weeks old. I had many die the first 2 weeks, one had a breathing issue and I searched far and wide into the night hour looking for anyone to help. It ended up dying that night. Then a week and a half of went by and my chicks were as happy as could be. They chirped, ate, flew around, etc. The lady at the store I purchased them from said at 3 weeks to kill the red light, so I did. All the chicks appeared fine with no breathing issues. Next morning one of them had died. They have a red 250 watt bulb, have been indoors in the house at all times with chick starter food and water available and changed frequently, a large cage with room to move around. The coldest it could have gotten in the room was 68 degrees due to the A/C. I will upload pictures shortly. Any help is appreciated.