When the one died in front of your wife, did it curl it's head back as it was dieing?
*Update* (No longer) Losing broiler chicks!
- Thread starter dltc96
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It was listless and would move a couple of steps and flop down. She tried gently dipping it's beak in the water, and it would drink it, but it would not do anything on it's own. That's when we thought that it may be too hot and turned off one of the lamps. After that, all of the others seemed fine, but perhaps it got too chilly last night and they were crowding. We may need to turn on the second lamp, but leave it higher so that the temperature stays nice and warm on that end, but they still have a place to get cooled off if needed.
It was listless and would move a couple of steps and flop down. She tried gently dipping it's beak in the water, and it would drink it, but it would not do anything on it's own. That's when we thought that it may be too hot and turned off one of the lamps. After that, all of the others seemed fine, but perhaps it got too chilly last night and they were crowding. We may need to turn on the second lamp, but leave it higher so that the temperature stays nice and warm on that end, but they still have a place to get cooled off if needed.
- Sep 1, 2008
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My first thought was "starve outs"
The problem is well addressed at this site-
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/103/nonstarter-and-starveouts
The problem is well addressed at this site-
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/103/nonstarter-and-starveouts
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I'm at my wit's end. We added another waterer, turned the other lamp back on, raised them both, and monitored the temperatures. The temp. is averaging 95, and in the corner, away from the lamp, it is averaging 70. They were fine last night and this morning. My wife checked on them around 11:30 and they were still all fine. She had to leave for the afternoon. When I got home at 4:30 one was dead with blood coming from it's beak! When I took it out of the brooder and removed all of the bloody bedding (and bedding surrounding the area) there was a putrid smell coming from the chick.
The chick did not look like it had been smashed from the other chicks. All of them were fairly well spread around the brooder. It had a full crop.
The impression I am getting is that I need to change my management practices, but I don't know what to change. That's why I'm here. What am I doing wrong?
The chick did not look like it had been smashed from the other chicks. All of them were fairly well spread around the brooder. It had a full crop.
The impression I am getting is that I need to change my management practices, but I don't know what to change. That's why I'm here. What am I doing wrong?
well it sounds like you are doing everything the same as me. the only thing different is the feed. I would pull it for a few days and give them some commercial chick starter and see if that make a difference. I also give mine PolyViSol in the water. sorry your having this struggle, but it's just a learning curve and we are here with you so don't feel alone. Your heat/space/water seem fine to me.
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- Apr 9, 2011
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PolyViSol is a baby vitamin - I found mine at the grocery store. Apparently there's one without iron, and that's the one to get. I bought it and Pedialyte for a sick hen and that led to the following conversation...
Cashier: "Oh, is this for your children?"
Me: "No, chicken."
Cashier: "Yes, children?"
Me: "No, chicken - bock bock?"
No language barrier, just enunciation issues!
PolyViSol is a baby vitamin - I found mine at the grocery store. Apparently there's one without iron, and that's the one to get. I bought it and Pedialyte for a sick hen and that led to the following conversation...
Cashier: "Oh, is this for your children?"
Me: "No, chicken."
Cashier: "Yes, children?"
Me: "No, chicken - bock bock?"
No language barrier, just enunciation issues!
yes it is a human infant vitamin in liquid form with a dropper.
walgreens, walmart, kmart, rite aid etc. comes in a small box kind of hard to spot, usually inthe baby section or the vitamin section.
I use it for EVERYTHING. Chickens seem to run high in the vitamin deficiency department with vitaminthreapy helping a lot.
For meat birds, I put one dropper full per quart water bottle for the first week, then one dropper full per 2 gallon waterer through the second week. Then anytime someone looks droopy the get awhole dropperfull in their beak.
This is why I feed Purina Flock Raiser, it does cost more but I really like their vitamin mix. I believe in small custom mills and the job they do, but I never quite trust that all the vitaims don't wind up at one end of the load. I have heard stories just like yours several times, where the problem ended with the switch to commercial feed.
Now I know a lot of people won't agree with that . . . I am just sharing my OPINION.
walgreens, walmart, kmart, rite aid etc. comes in a small box kind of hard to spot, usually inthe baby section or the vitamin section.
I use it for EVERYTHING. Chickens seem to run high in the vitamin deficiency department with vitaminthreapy helping a lot.
For meat birds, I put one dropper full per quart water bottle for the first week, then one dropper full per 2 gallon waterer through the second week. Then anytime someone looks droopy the get awhole dropperfull in their beak.
This is why I feed Purina Flock Raiser, it does cost more but I really like their vitamin mix. I believe in small custom mills and the job they do, but I never quite trust that all the vitaims don't wind up at one end of the load. I have heard stories just like yours several times, where the problem ended with the switch to commercial feed.
Now I know a lot of people won't agree with that . . . I am just sharing my OPINION.
Hi - I am having similiar troubles with my batch from Murray McMurray. The farther away from me main post office called Sunday morning and I ran and got them right away so they did not set about any longer than necessary . They are properly heated, in a refridge box, heat lamp at each end and trough feeder under one lamp, waterer between. Everyone appears to be comfortable temp wise, drinking regularly, eating regularly, about a gallon of fresh, clean water a day between the original 32. I had them on paper towel first few days, switched to pine shavings after that. I lost just one the first night, then all were fine for afew, and as of yesterday I started losing them at what feels like an alarming rate, 1 yesterday, 2 more today. They just seem to lose all energy, get very lethargic and slowly fade away, lying on their stomachs. I have tried helping them eat and drink to no avail. Is this how it is with yours and where did you get them? Could these have a catchy desease? I have laying chicks coming next week who will be in the same garage space (seperate brooder) - should I transfer my free "eotic" chick with the new laying chicks or keep him with the meaties in case he's got something catchy?
Edtied to add: Also, thanks so much for the link to starve out - perhaps this is indeed what is happening - they are about 7 or 8 days old and are smaller than the other birds. It states that this occurs because they cease to eat - would this be because of illness or ingested litter or because of feed type? I use Poulin Starter Crumbles, have watched them all munching at once>>>?
Edtied to add: Also, thanks so much for the link to starve out - perhaps this is indeed what is happening - they are about 7 or 8 days old and are smaller than the other birds. It states that this occurs because they cease to eat - would this be because of illness or ingested litter or because of feed type? I use Poulin Starter Crumbles, have watched them all munching at once>>>?
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I must say the last two batches I have gotten from my local hatchery I have lost 25 to 40% by day 5 depeding on the batch. I am not sure what the deal is. I start my batches in 4 x 4 x 2 closed top boxes. temp is 88 degrees with paper towel. Normally have lost 1 or 2 in delivery. Normally next day or same day as the hatchery is 2 hours away. Then all is good. Day 4, 5, and 6 deaths in large numbers then all good after that. I normally check them 3 to 4 times per day to make sure no crowding. And they normally all sleep spread out all over the box. So definitely not that. In the last 7 weeks I have have 300 chicks arrive and a grand total of 110 die within day 5. I am not doing anything wrong.
I hard boil dzn eggs run them through the bullet food processor and mix on top layer for first day. Third day I take maybe 1/4 lb of frozen/raw beef livers and do the same and mix with top layer of feed. After that I am on 28% gamebird feed. Same process last 2 years and have never lost as many as this year.
I hard boil dzn eggs run them through the bullet food processor and mix on top layer for first day. Third day I take maybe 1/4 lb of frozen/raw beef livers and do the same and mix with top layer of feed. After that I am on 28% gamebird feed. Same process last 2 years and have never lost as many as this year.
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