UPDATE: Possibly bad feed. HELP! Chicks are 18 days old, slowly dying

[StormyMoon]

I am wondering what affect Sevin would have on such young chicks and I know many people who won't use it on their fully grown hens much less a small chick.
Chicks scratch their body all the time its a natural thing to do as their feathers come in it makes them itchy.

 

[Missouri Chicken Chick]

I only put a very little bit of Sevin dust in the shavings before I put them in the cage.

As far as their abdomens, I suppose I would describe it as squishy feeling. If it's a bacterial infection, is it something they got possibly in the incubator or the brooder? Can it be prevented? Unfortunately, I have eggs in the incubator that I used for their hatch. I disinfected it before using it, but now I'm nervous. Can it be prevented? Maybe give any chicks that hatch some antibiotics within the first week just to be safe? Any suggestions for an antibiotic?

Thanks!

 

[Missouri Chicken Chick]

As far as mold in the basement, maybe that's the problem. We do get water in the basement once in a while, but in the particular space they stay in, there is no visible mold and there has been very little moisture since they were moved down there.

Also, I used the Sevin dust because I noticed that a few of the larger chicks were pecking at each other, almost as if they were going after something. I didn't actually dust any of the birds, just mixed a very little bit in with the shavings I added to the cage yesterday.

 

[StormyMoon]

Is it possible they were picking like out of pecking order?

My chicks do that to each other all the time.

And is it possible they could have picked some of the Sevin up tasted it off the shavings?

 

[fried green eggs]

Unfortunately damp basements can have mold you can't see, in between walls etc. Have you tested your basement for Raidon Gas?Where I live many houses have it and have to have special venting. I would think that even if level is OK at your height - chicks at ground level would get more.

 

[Missouri Chicken Chick]

I just did the Sevin yesterday and prior to that I had already lost the bulk of the birds. So far since the cage change and added shavings, I've lost just the one. In reading from one of the links that was provided by White Mountains Ranch, they display symptoms of Avian Encephalomyelitis, which sounds awful. But reading the symptoms of that particular "disease", it sounds just like what happens to them. And if that's the problem, I have no clue where it came from, how they got it, etc. I will have to do a little more reading about it. It might also explain why some seem perfectly fine and others aren't able to overcome it. According to the web site, it appears those that live are immune to it. I guess my job now is to determine if that's really what it is and figure out what to do for it. I really hope it's nothing quite that serious, but those symptoms fit my situation to a tee.

 

[debilorrah]

The FIRST thing I thought of was carbon monoxide. Not enough to hurt humans, but if you can, maybe buy or borrow a monitor.

 

[Chickenman420]

Sounds terrible. I just registered to become a member because I read your post (although I have been using the site for months and months). You already answered the question I had and wanted to ask you about the wood shavings. I've heard some say that they have raised birds with cedar shavings, but I almost lost some with them. They would flip belly up and gasping for air. I took the shavings out and replaced them with aspen (no scent) shavings and haven't had any trouble yet.I'll never use cedar for chicks again.
I did have a bad "dusting" experience with a grown bird when I first got into chickens(not sevin,just mite dust). I guess I overdusted or some got in her mouth....the next morning she was lying on the coop floor. I would be careful with Sevin...I use the liquid concentrate in and around my dog kennels and worms crawl up out of the ground to die...that stuff is STRONG!!!!

 

[artathart]

Is there any light or fresh air in the basement? Everything I have ever read about caring for my chicks indicated that chicks need fresh air. Very important. If you have a damp basement with a draft, or no fresh light or air, They can die. Also they should have grit by day three. They need it to process their food. You should sprinkle it on their food like you would salt and pepper. Not too much or they will eat it and not their food. Do they have fresh WARM water? I doubt it if they are in a besment. They also need WARM water. At 3 weeks they should just be swtiching to 85 temps. How long have you had them at 85 degrees? Do they huddle under the light?

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
Cedar is toxic to chicks , Pine shavings are best for chicks.