Unusually high mortality rates in chicks for 2013

[RoseMarie1]

I've noticed mine drinking much more water now that I have changed the vitamins and elect. to avc and only using 1 T. of that for a gallon of water. BUT I change out my water every day to make sure it's not sour because it's 80 plus here now.

I'm sorry I forgot to tell you how sorry I am about your chicks! I did lose one of my rir's before I changed the water to ACV water but I'm wondering if it got grass stuck in it's throat and couldn't get it out although there was grit in there.

 

[Cknldy]

With so many that have beak and leg issues I'd really look into the parent stock or reconsider using the same hatchery if that's the case. So many people just see guys and gals instead of sisters and brothers when they first get into chickens- I just started selling chicks this year and when a person says "I want 5 girls and a boy" I can pretty much tell they are wanting chicks from the ones I sell. I'm not selling chicks as a main source of money, it's just a great joy to be able to do it, so I will tell the buyer that they shouldn't be bred together because they all have the same parents. If I lose the sale of a chick or two because of that it's fine with me to stop inbreeding and problems.

 

[Cknldy]

Btw- sounds like you are doing everything you can to figure this out! Good job

 

[casportpony]

Do some research on calcium depletion and ACV use.

-Kathy

 

[starlingdaly]

RoseMarie1, I wonder if my vitamin and electrolyte powder can go bad? It's about a year old, but I haven't stored it in an air tight container or anything (just the bag rolled up) and it is pretty humid in my house because our floor is a concrete slab.

Cknldy, I do think that most of my problems are the hatchery problems. I just had another stop walking around (with no visible injuries on legs) which makes two chicks now with that issue.
Some other chicks do a weird waddle thing, especially my Australorp with the slightly malformed head and major underbite beak.
I bought some Australorp chicks from a different feed store who buy from a different hatchery with so far much better results.

casportpony, I am getting conflicting conclusions in my research on the acv vs calcium.
Some sources say that it leaches calcium, while others say that it draws calcium out of food and makes it more absorbable. Some say the benefits outweigh the negatives.
I would guess that I wasn't using enough acv to create a major depletion of calcium. I would find it odd, especially since I've been using 1oz per gallon acv in ALL my chickens water for as long as I've been keeping chickens, with no problems (until possibly now?)
It would be especially odd since I have added sesame seeds to my chick feed as they are high in calcium for a plant food. This is something my last batch of chicks did not have access to, yet they grew and developed fine with constant acv in their water.

I don't have anything in anyone's water right now (except the big chooks outside still have acv and vitamin supplement). I like what someone said in a different thread about not forcing their chickens to drink anything, but providing supplements free choice beside clean fresh plain water. I will be trying that and if I need a sick chick to take something badly enough, I will make it desirable with honey and offer or hand feed.

I am pleased that the chicks from my own flock are still healthy and problem free.

 

[seminolewind]

Are/have you treated them for Coccidiosis?

 

[RoseMarie1]

RoseMarie1, I wonder if my vitamin and electrolyte powder can go bad? It's about a year old, but I haven't stored it in an air tight container or anything (just the bag rolled up) and it is pretty humid in my house because our floor is a concrete slab.

Cknldy, I do think that most of my problems are the hatchery problems. I just had another stop walking around (with no visible injuries on legs) which makes two chicks now with that issue.
Some other chicks do a weird waddle thing, especially my Australorp with the slightly malformed head and major underbite beak.
I bought some Australorp chicks from a different feed store who buy from a different hatchery with so far much better results.

casportpony, I am getting conflicting conclusions in my research on the acv vs calcium.
Some sources say that it leaches calcium, while others say that it draws calcium out of food and makes it more absorbable. Some say the benefits outweigh the negatives.
I would guess that I wasn't using enough acv to create a major depletion of calcium. I would find it odd, especially since I've been using 1oz per gallon acv in ALL my chickens water for as long as I've been keeping chickens, with no problems (until possibly now?)
It would be especially odd since I have added sesame seeds to my chick feed as they are high in calcium for a plant food. This is something my last batch of chicks did not have access to, yet they grew and developed fine with constant acv in their water.

I don't have anything in anyone's water right now (except the big chooks outside still have acv and vitamin supplement). I like what someone said in a different thread about not forcing their chickens to drink anything, but providing supplements free choice beside clean fresh plain water. I will be trying that and if I need a sick chick to take something badly enough, I will make it desirable with honey and offer or hand feed.

I am pleased that the chicks frmy own flock are still healthy and problem free.

It may have lost it's potency especially since it's been opened and damp etc.

 

[starlingdaly]

Are/have you treated them for Coccidiosis?

No, I never treat my birds for cocci preemptively.
None of the chicks have symptoms of it (no blood in poop) so I have seen no need to treat for something they will build immunity to gradually and naturally.

RoseMarie1, I will be replacing it next time I'm in town (possibly tomorrow) in case it is part of my problem. I haven't used it in the water this whole week just in case it could be bad and harming more than helping.

 

[casportpony]

Why do so many people think that there has to be blood in poop for it to be coccidiosis?

-Kathy

 

[ten chicks]

Why do so many people think that there has to be blood in poop for it to be coccidiosis?

-Kathy

I don't know ,but i think there should be a thread on nothing but the signs and symptoms of cocci. There is so much confession about this. So many people don't understand,and are under the impression that if their chicks are on medicated feed,they will not have any issues with cocci. The result of this is so many dead chicks, that may have been saved if owners were more informed.