sudden chick death

[nismo]

hello i am new here i have been hanging around and reading and searching and decided to register after i lost a chick last night suddenly. no symptoms. i checked on them and left. i returned 3 or 4 hours later and had one dead chick so i removed it and cleaned the brooder out and put the birds back in. this morning i went in to check on them and i have a chick acting weird. it is acting like one of its legs hurt and wont put much weight on it when it lays down it lays to the one side. whats going on here? this is my first batch of birds and my first chickens ever. i bought them on wed about noon and it is now fri 8 am. they are cornish rocks by the way. they have plenty of food and clean water (i change it atleast twice a day) they dont seem to be too hot or too cold. please help

chase

 

[nismo]

i just went and checked them again and he is alert and perky and eating, he doesnt act sick. he will do a little dash across the brooder if he has to but i dont think he necessarily wants to.

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

If you have not done so already, I would highly recommend adding electrolytes and vitamins to your water - you should be able to by a 4 or 8 oz package where ever you bought your chicks or at a Tractor Supply, Rural King, Farm & Fleet. Generally speaking - you would add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per gallon.

This boosts their immune system, helps with vitamin deficiencies and gets them back on their feet from the stress of hatching, shipping and being shuttled to a new location (yours).

Also, get a thermometer you can place inside your brooder - you wouldn't want your temp to be much more than 90-95 degrees the first week and then lower by 5 degrees per week until they are fully feathered.

 

[nismo]

i just got back from the feed store where i bought my chicks and they dont have poultry vitamins/electrolytes. is there something i can use thats lying around the house?

 

[nismo]

came home from work(my work is literally 4 blocks away) to check on the chicks and to put some sugar in there water. my injured bird is eating from the feeder on his own and i dipped his beak in the waterer after i put the sugar water in and he drank on his own. i dont think he is sick personally i think he either got run over by the other birds or they were screwing around on the feeder and he hurt his foot. i really dont want to have to nurse him back to health because i bought them to eat and if i play nurse and fight death off i will feel really bad when it comes time to cull him.

 

[I'vegotchickenfever]

i dont think he is sick personally i think he either got run over by the other birds or they were screwing around on the feeder and he hurt his foot.

Sounds like you're getting it all under control. Good job. And, I agree with you, sounds like injury, not sickness. Hope he continues to do well.​

 

[nismo]

he's all better now. he is running around with the rest of his brooder mates. if he wasnt the smallest out off all the chicks i wouldn't know which one had the problem. im happy now. thanks for all the help.

chase