Silkie chicks dying

[Matilda Belle]

I've had day old silkie chicks at 85/90 degrees and mine were fine.

Exactly how old are these chicks?

 

[Folly's place]

Were they shipped with a heat pack? How long in transit?
Mary

 

[Jdutton24]

These were day old shipped Monday received Wednesday morning. Was immediately transported home and in brooder. Had a heat pack but it wasn't very hot. Like I said they aren't and didn't huddle under the light as if they were cold. The water was heated on day 1 and has been on the edge of the light to keep it above room temp. Even when I made a mash with water and food, I actually used a bowl of warm water to put the bowl of mash in to keep it warm as I fed it to them.

 

[Punkybrewster]

Sounds like they are just weak chicks. Lost all my polish except 1 that survived. All 21 other chicks of various breeds were fine and healthy. These were shipped chicks too.
You never know what your getting with hatchery ordered chicks. Shipping conditions, parentage etc makes a big difference in survival.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Shipping chicks is pretty stressful. That may play a role in what's happening. Can you snap some pics of the brooder set up and some of the chick's poop?

 

[rlhagan56]

When I would lose some, and it was always the Silkies it was alway coccidosis, I used Corid and medicated feed and they were fine. It gets mighty cold here and the Silkie adults just didn't handle the cold well either so I sold them all. I've never had a problem with all the other breeds, but Silkies are prone to coccidosis and not as able to thrive here.

And yes, all mine that died were shipped, chicks and adults!

 

[Blooie]

YES!!! Folly is spot on! And I would add this. I’m not new at raising chicks. I’ve been at it awhile. Without fail any Silkie chicks I lost were shipped chicks. The ones I hatched at home, kept in the same environment, fed the same food, given the same heat source, and in two cases hatched within a day of the shipped chicks arriving and raised together thrived. The shipped chicks were dropping like flies. Silkies just do not always handle shipping well.
I’m sorry you are losing so many. It stinks to be pumped about getting them and have it not work out.

 

[Jdutton24]

 

[Jdutton24]

 

[kimandmark3]

The set up is fine. I'm telling you, I lost 11 until I used Corid. The medicated feed cancels out the Corid. I never use medicated feed anymore. I just dose any new chicks with Corid for 5 days and I have not lost any more chicks. Silkies are horrible with that coccidia. Even at 1 day old. Just try it. You've got nothing to lose. Corid will not hurt them but do not use medicated feed with it as it cancels it out. I guarantee you this will work.