Everything had been going good with batch of 80 broilers, only one lost day 1 which was small and had a gimpy leg. Now after a week I go out to check on them tonight and feathers look rough, lots of chirping, many with messy poop and eyes closed. One chick found gasping on floor and was a goner in minutes. I'm think cocci? They were in a kiddy pool inside a mobile brooder 7x8 foot closed in trailer, two 200w heat lamps, roofing felt over pine shavings. Electrolites and vitamin booster in water Medicated chick starter. I don't think there is any sulmet to be had local. Corrid could be had in the morning. Any thoughts on treatment. So far I dropped the lamps a little as they were huddling, pulled out the pool to give them new bedding and more space and cleaned out and refilled food and water. Thanks
First off if they have pasty butts, they need to be cleaned off right away. Second, what kind of ventilation does the trailer have? It is good that you took them out of the plastic pool, with that many poop machines going, the ammonia level was probably getting high in such a small area. What is the purpose of the roofing felt over the pine shavings. I would remove that as well. Roofing felt has tar impregnated in it. Not good for them to breath. Also, put a thermometer under the lamp to see what the temp is. Good luck.
All happy chicks today, found the problem last night. Not cocci (though it sure looked like it to me) or any other health issue, simply someone had dialed back the dimmer switch on the heat lamps and they were chilled. I had been checking the temperature with IR gun, and had things set nice and stable in the mid 90s, but did not notice that the lamps had been dialed back on me. Soon as the temp came back up and they rewarmed the eyes popped open, poop firmed up and unhappy chirping calmed within an hour. Venting is not the problem, actually I reduced how much was open to gain a little more warmth. Only had a one or two poopy buts in the first couple days and they had been cleaned. The roof felt was used to cover the shavings for the first few days to prevent them eating the bedding, was a tip I got from someone local that raises batches of 100 plus broilers several times a year. Works very well for the first few day as they get good traction, it warms up nicely from the heat lamps, stays intact and is cheap and easy to replace. What little tar it has in it does not appear to transfer to their feet and was used from an old roll that was kicking around so not much volitiles.
