ugh 2 chicks dead already

[dragonmorgan]

I dont know what is happening to my chicks. We picked then up last week and have already lost 2. I know it happens sometimes but i wish i knew what was wrong. They've been drinking electrolyte water since they got home and the 2 seemed fine. Next thing ya know they ate all weak and floppy and 10 mins later they are dead. Am i doin something wrong?

 

[MainePoultry]

I am by no means a chicken expert, but Ive read recently you can overdose your chicks on the electrolyte water. ( not to say that is the case) It might just be so mething you can watch out for. Im getting my first chicks on the 12th so good luck to us both!

 

[jak2002003]

Yes you don't need to give electrolytes in the water for 2 weeks. They are only to be used if they chicks are recovering form illness or sometimes people use them for the first couple days when the new chicks arrive (to help them recover from the stress of transport).

Have you checked the temperatures are correct day and night? Also do any of the other chicks seem ill or acting strange?

You only need to feed chicks starter crumbs and give fresh water every day - several times if it gets dirty.

Sorry to hear about the chicks that died.

 

[sumi]

What is your brooder temperature? What are you feeding them? Have you checked for pasty butt (poop stuck to and clogging up their vents)?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Agree with the above posters. Good advice. If you find them dead in the mornings, one suspects suffocation. That means they are likely a bit too cool at night and could be piling up on each other. If you find them dead at other times, I would review all of the above posts. Too warm is also deadly.

We do not put anything in chick's water, save a splash per gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar, now and then. Good nutritious chick starter crumble and that's it.

 

[dragonmorgan]

sorry it has taken me so long to respond. The electrolyte was only in the water for the first day or 2 to help with traveling stress. I don't know the exact temp of the brooder. I just set the light up and then checked back every couple mins and adjusted it until they seemed comfortable. Right now they mainly just lay all over the place, not really in a pile or on the edges. The first one died it's first night home and the second one did have pasty butt the day it died. I had checked them that morning and was changing their food and water and I cleaned a couple that had poop stuck to them and it was one of them. By the time I got done cleaning it off it was acting very weak. It was only another minute or 2 before it couldn't hold it's eyes open and was limp.

Right now they all seem ok. They are flighty, eat and drink fine, nap alot. I just know how fast they can go from good to dead and I wanna make sure that nothing is causing them to get sick. I figured we would lose a few but not in the first couple days of bringing them home. Thank you all for the advice. I am a little more confident now that it was just one of those unfortunate things that can happen sometimes.