The same thing happens every time...

[MISS MILLIE]

Hi, what kind of light? My friend who already owned chickens years before I did was using two 60 watt light bulbs, thinking they were warm enough and he couldnt understand why he lost 30 of his 60 chicks within a week. IMO they should be on a 250 watt red light. I almost lost two babies within a day of receiving (two separate purchases- one from the feed store and one from McMurray) - they seemed to have your similar symptoms, and I ended up separating them from the rest, putting them in a separate brooder and hand feeding them chopped scrambled eggs with a little sugar water mixed in to hydrate them many times a day. I swear by the eggs and sugar water, plus if they get just the least bit cold, it will take them days to recover. My two cents, I'm a newbie, but I nursed two death bound chicks back and I'd do the same treatment again. Also, some other BYCers suggested to me, and I did it, that you put the chicks in your bra or shirt to keep them warm. Good luck!

 

[redrocketrooster]

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If I read right, she has a thermometer.

 

[Daidohead]

Could the heat lamps be releasing fumes of some sort from the cardboard box ? A fridg box may have been exposed to all kinds of things. Just a thought.

 

[Katy]

New day and morning......and the thing I still keep coming back to is the space per bird issue. Like Rafter 7 said......to me I would really look hard at the size of area that you're brooding them in. When I compare it to the amount of area I allow for my chicks it just not seem like very much room at all. I too think that too many birds in that space, not enough ventilation at ground level and ammonia build up could be causing them to die.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

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Only thing I can add is fresh water and feed 24/7. Sounds like they are overheating from not enough space.

 

[chauqg]

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Additional information relative to Rafter 7 Paint Horses comment: My 26 birds had 12 cuft .5 cuft per chick for one month then, I opened the brooder into the chicken tractor (outdoors) in September, this gave the birds 27 cuft or 3 cuft per bird plus they were able to sleep in the brooder with appropriate heat. This continued until the birds were two months old when the brooder was removed. The birds were living in the tractor free ranging daily; at three months they were too large for the tractor and were moved into their permanent coop. I had no losses do to environment, lost one bird to a neighbors cat.

The point being, I agree with Rafter 7 Paint Horses who hit the nail on the head - too little space and not enough airflow. I made a similar mistake with the coop in the winter. There was an overwhelming smell of ammonia(which is a lethal gas) even with 4" deep bedding; I added another 2" of wood shavings and there was no change in the level of ammonia.

A great member of this forum kept telling me I had too little ventilation, so I swallowed my pride and opened two 1'x 4' screened windows in late December. The smell is gone, the birds are happy and as I was told, "The cold is nothing more than an inconvenience, ventilate, ventilate, ventilate". The birds survived a brutal winter here in Pennsylvania without a frostbitten comb. There was 24" of snow on the ground for over 2 months - the ventilated birds were laying 19-22 eggs per day without fail.

Hope this revelation helps you along your way!

*** Corrected error quoting RedRocketRooster and not Rafter 7 Paint Horses ***

 

[mypicklebird]

I also think this could be the problem- a refrigerator box would have very little ventilation at the bottom few inches. Ammonia build up could easily sicken a large number of chicks kept in a high sided container like this. Ammonia is heavier than air I think, and will settle to the bottom.

The other issue that jumps out at me is the mention of Marek's in some of the earlier posts. If the environment is contaminated with Marek's, this virus can cause illness in future chicks for years. As you are bringing in unvaccinated chicks, their risk is greater.

You have a poultry extension here:
http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/


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[ranchhand]

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She said in the first post that these chicks are in a brand new brooder.

After much though overnight, I have to agree that they need more space and ventilation. Any way you can split this batch into smaller groups?

 

[mypicklebird]

A brand new brooder- made out of half of a refrigerator box.... read more of the posts.



Quote:

She said in the first post that these chicks are in a brand new brooder.

After much though overnight, I have to agree that they need more space and ventilation. Any way you can split this batch into smaller groups?

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
She said in the first post that these chicks are in a brand new brooder.

After much though overnight, I have to agree that they need more space and ventilation. Any way you can split this batch into smaller groups?


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