When we moved to Portland, I wanted to bring out 5 chickens along with us. I had a concrete floor poured, about 10x12 feet. We added walls, which I just recently found out were made with strand board. We also fenced in an outdoor run - about 14x14 feet. I'd had chickens for the past 5 years without any issues. In April I added 6 chicks to the flock. I build a "nursery" for them with an added run so that the older girls could see them as they grew, but not have the opportunity to peck at them. Eventually we opened the dividing gate and all mixed in happily together. (Chicks arrived in April, mixed in in August). then as it got colder, in November I turned up the heat a little. Within one week, all 11 girls were dead. Remember, I had strand board up.
In 2019 I got 8 chicks. Had them in the house in a tub for three weeks, then put them into the big girls coop, which had been previously cleaned so that it was pristine. The first night I put them into the big coop, I was worried (April) that they would get too cold, so I divided the coop by half, put in plenty of pine chips, and had about 3 heat lamps going. To my fault, I added a big waterer that had nipples. The babes had never had that, so I checked with two or three that they could get water from it. I failed to add their old waterer. The next morning, all were dead, spread out over the coop. We sent three bodies to OHS for necropsies. After 4-5 weeks, nothing was found to have caused their deaths. This April I brought in 10 chicks - same pattern, except that I put in fewer heat lamps, and made sure they had plenty of water.
three days later, all died.
I now suspect that the strand board and heat are the source of some toxic fumes that killed the chicks. I have a new batch, 10 1 week old chicks in my house. I plan to seal the stand board. Is this enough, assuming that this is the culprit, or should I cover the board up with ply wood as well. Most of all, does anyone have an idea of why all this has happened. I really would appreciate help on this before I put this batch of chicks out in the big coop.
Many thanks.
In 2019 I got 8 chicks. Had them in the house in a tub for three weeks, then put them into the big girls coop, which had been previously cleaned so that it was pristine. The first night I put them into the big coop, I was worried (April) that they would get too cold, so I divided the coop by half, put in plenty of pine chips, and had about 3 heat lamps going. To my fault, I added a big waterer that had nipples. The babes had never had that, so I checked with two or three that they could get water from it. I failed to add their old waterer. The next morning, all were dead, spread out over the coop. We sent three bodies to OHS for necropsies. After 4-5 weeks, nothing was found to have caused their deaths. This April I brought in 10 chicks - same pattern, except that I put in fewer heat lamps, and made sure they had plenty of water.
three days later, all died.
I now suspect that the strand board and heat are the source of some toxic fumes that killed the chicks. I have a new batch, 10 1 week old chicks in my house. I plan to seal the stand board. Is this enough, assuming that this is the culprit, or should I cover the board up with ply wood as well. Most of all, does anyone have an idea of why all this has happened. I really would appreciate help on this before I put this batch of chicks out in the big coop.
Many thanks.
