So sad... Silkies... (pic)

[GallowayFarms]

Ok. It sounds like she is cold, esp since the others died also.

They need 90 - 95 degree temps for the first week they are alive then you step down 5 degrees each week after. I have a digital thermometer in my little brooder house at chick level so i know what the temp is at the floor in the brooder house, where the chicks are. This is the most important part. Bc if you have your box sitting on a cold floor or something like that the chicks could be freezing even though you say you have lamps.

My brooder looks like a little doll house with doors on two sides. It has a roof to hold the heat in. I use two 100 watt light bulbs in it. My thermometer shows it to stay about 90 degrees in there at chick lvl and they love it.

The suggestion about the sugar in the water is right on. A good table spoon full to a glass is best.

Good luck and keep those new babies nice and toasty. And also if the person you got them from didn't keep them warm when they sold them to you could have caused it.

 

[kees]

I have baby Silkies too and don't really know what to tell you except that positive thoughts are being sent your way!

 

[equine chick]

I'm sending you positive thoughts kelly. So sorry to hear about the silkies. Keep them warm, the vitamins and water is good. I heard pedialyte is good to give them.

 

[KellyGwen]

I just checked the temp in there and it's just under 90 in the warmest spot. The 2 chicks in there are sitting about 6 inches away from the center of the light. But it is really warm out today... I'll keep a closer eye on the temp.

The mini-brooder they are in is up on a table-sh thing in the coop and there is a good inch or 2 of shavings under the paper towel. (The bigger brooder where the first one died is on a wooden floor in the coop with about 6 inches of sawdust/shavings). The breeder had them in nice warm rubbermaids in her kitchen... so I don't think it was her fault.

She looks ok today... still a little wobbly... she wasn't interested in the scrambled eggs... but when I gave the leftovers to my older chicks they DEVOURED them.. once they got over the fear of the evil plate! I am still dipping her beak in the water (now non-sugar) 3-4 times a day.

Thanks for the help... I'll make sure the temps stay up there!

 

[GallowayFarms]

I got in a batch of cochin partridge chicks, that i was keeping in my office at work. My dad saw I had a heater on full blast near the box i was keeping the chicks in and turned it off thinking the office didn't need to be 90 degrees. The water got spilled in the box and the chicks got wet. Next thing I knew I had 3 dead babies and several that were doing what you are describing.

It was so sad, I know how ya feel on this one.

Sounds like you have a nice warm spot for them. SO keep up the good work.


Cheers and best wishes.

Nick

 

[KellyGwen]

Well, I checked on them this morning and the last tiny one... the splash silkie... was dead.

The temp was nice and warm.. there was food.. water... I don't know what happened! I put the australorp who was in there with her back with the other 2 weekers... *sigh*... this has really bummed me out. At least I have one (older) silkie left... I'm scared to try them again... but I really want a few in my flock! I just don't know what happened...

 

[GallowayFarms]

call the person you got the chicks from and make sure she didn't have any problems with the ones they kept/sold. That way you can tell if it was something you did or if they had a bad hatch. I believe you said you got them when they were a day old?

 

[KellyGwen]

Those three little ones actually hatched that morning when I picked them up.. I probably should have gone for some of the older chicks (I did get one older one) but they were all white... the only black and grey ones were just born.

I have contacted the breeder and she said all of her babies are doing fine. She has also offered to replace mine... It's over a 2 hour drive for me and with gas the way it is... argh...

I think I will get replacements from her... I'll just ask her to keep them for a little while to make sure they are strong... and ask for some COLORS...

Other than the 14 dead in the box from my hatchery order (that was HORRIBLE) these are the first babies I've ever had die... I even saved one that was half dead in that box (that was Dum-Dum the runt Australorp who was the company chick for the last silkie tiny). I must be doing SOMETHING right since I haven't lost any from my first batch...

Are silkies more delicate than a "normal" chicken? I have EE's and Australorps (I think) that are 2 weeks old and ACTIVE!

The older silkie and the cochin I got from her are doing great... but they are at least a week old (probably closer to 2 weeks).

Sigh... my poor little fuzz butts...

 

[GallowayFarms]

The smaller the breeds the more you have to make sure you have the temps right.

So when you drove back from the ladies house you had 5 chicks with you? How small of a box where they in? Did you drive with the ac on?

I heard from Ideal Hatchery out of Texas, (where I get most of my chicks), that they had whole shipments of chicks die bc the post office set them on counters underneath the A/C vents.

That sounds like what might have happened to that one shipment of yours.

When you have an order coming in. Call the post office to let them know to keep them in a warm place.

I have had my share of bad. So I know how you feel. If mother nature wasn't invovled farmers would be the riches people in the world.

Cheers

Nick

 

[KellyGwen]

Thanks Nick.. you've been great...

I really think the deaths from my big shipment from the hatchery happened in transit.. I live in a SMALL town and know the post office lady well. I was pestering her for over a month letting her know my babies were coming.. haha... We get chicks here all the time and EVERY box other than mine has been LOUD!

I used the box I got my 25 chicks in to transport the 5 little ones home... I didn't have the AC on.. but I did keep looking at them... they might have gotten chilled... I just couldn't stop peeking and making sure they were ok...

I am really crossing my fingers that my next shipment will be louder