Sudden Chick Death Problems

[Self sufficient chickens]

The next batch of chicks is here!!!! Hope they survive

 

[Wezdin]

What kind of heat source are you using, a teflon coated heat bulb will kill chicks.

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

So it sounds like something environmental if they are healthy one minute and dead the next. What are you cleaning your equipment with (brooder and incubator)? Harsh chemicals like bleach or lysol can leave behind chemical residue that can kill the chicks.

Is your incubator losing heat or humidity at all during the incubation period? This can cause all kinds of issues even after they hatch.

Heat source is another thing to look at. They may be either too hot or too cold. Heat lamps are good but you need to keep a close eye on the temps using a thermometer and have a place for the chicks to get away from the heat. I used a brooder plate and I haven't had any problems with them. They may be a little more expensive than a lamp but sometimes you get what you pay for.

The plastic bin may be too small for your heat source to work properly so it might be overheating them or if you don't have good air flow it can be suffocating them. I'd try to see if you can get an old rabbit cage second hand or use something that has a bit more air flow to it. Maybe poke some holes in the plastic bin.

Maybe look at the feed you're using, it could be old and moldy. Or maybe switch to another brand.

Pasty butt can sometimes be hard to see. Maybe check them thoroughly.

Bedding - if you are using something small they can eat this could also cause a problem. Wood shavings that have cedar in them can kill them too.

Hope this helps!!Good luck with your next batch!

 

[Self sufficient chickens]

Could it be a chemical in the plastic container?

I don't know how that could be, they all died at once

 

[Self sufficient chickens]

Are these chicks just recently shipped? Or from your flock

We incubated them, not from our flock though.

Also do check the chick starter, and make sure it's fresh by the mill date on the bag.

They died so suddenly, 30 seconds

We now think that it was a pan in the oven that started flaking off what could be Teflon ☠


This is the new brooder setup

We stopped using the oven but are hoping for another broody hen.

 

[Self sufficient chickens]

Do you think this was the cause of the other(how many)

2 others(18 chicks)

failed batches....which were also hatched by you??

Yes, both in my brinsea incubator.

 

[aart]

2 others(18 chicks)
Yes, both in my brinsea incubator.

So do you think the heated teflon pan was the cause of the other deaths?

@Datdobazan
What is that supposed to mean???

Ignore it, think it's a troll.....I'm not clicking that link.

 

[Self sufficient chickens]

Update #1
Update #2

 

[Self sufficient chickens]

Have you checked for pasty butt? Sometimes it isn't so obvious and you have to take a good look at their vents.

Yes we checked, No pasty but

 

[Self sufficient chickens]

Have 8 Columbian Wyandotte x Barnyard mix set to hatch on the 17th, 4 Columbian Wyandotte x BO and Black star set to hatch on 20th and 45 Araucanas set to hatch the 23. Hoping the fixes to the brooder environment worked

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...for-baby-wheaten-marans.1346877/post-22296042
This post shows the progress with the 2 Marans survivors.