Weak and one eye went cloudy

[HeatherinLoomis]

We purchased 16 chicks from Meyer hatchery. They will be 2 weeks old on Mon. 2 have already died (at 2 days old, and 1 week old.)
Another became weak today and one eye is closed. When we pull up the lid, her eye has become colorless and cloudy. It used to be black.
Any ideas what's going on?
I suspect she will pass away tonight.

Don't understand why they are dying with no signs of any issues (except this one.) we have raised chicks before, multiple times, with no issues. So, we know what we are doing.

Any ideas are helpful. I have already contacted the hatchery. They aren't much help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We purchased 16 chicks from Meyer hatchery. They will be 2 weeks old on Mon. 2 have already died (at 2 days old, and 1 week old.)
Another became weak today and one eye is closed. When we pull up the lid, her eye has become colorless and cloudy. It used to be black.
Any ideas what's going on?
I suspect she will pass away tonight.

Don't understand why they are dying with no signs of any issues (except this one.) we have raised chicks before, multiple times, with no issues. So, we know what we are doing.

Any ideas are helpful. I have already contacted the hatchery. They aren't much help.

I'm sorry to hear about your losses.

Do you have photos of the chicks and brooder setup?

Of the chick's eye too, please. Could she have been pecked in the eye and blinded?

What are you feeding?

What's the temperature of the brooder on the warm side and the cool side?

Have you offered any supplements or added anything to their water?

Have you treated for Coccidiosis?

What symptoms do you see before they die? Anything = not eating/drinking, lethargy, puffing up, peeping non stop...?

 

[HeatherinLoomis]

We are feeding

I'm sorry to hear about your losses.

Do you have photos of the chicks and brooder setup?

Of the chick's eye too, please. Could she have been pecked in the eye and blinded?

What are you feeding?

What's the temperature of the brooder on the warm side and the cool side?

Have you offered any supplements or added anything to their water?

Have you treated for Coccidiosis?

What symptoms do you see before they die? Anything = not eating/drinking, lethargy, puffing up, peeping non stop...?

we are feeding Purina unmedicated starter crumble.

Temp is 90 in the warm side and 80 on the cool side. (But that's with a digital meat thermometer- so I don't think it's super accurate.)

They have electrolytes in their water, and they all ate grow gel from the hatchery when they arrived home. We've offered egg yolk, but not a lot of takers.

If anything, the ones that have died will be lethargic and sleepy. Nothing else. Not making noise or peeping a lot.

the one with the weird eye is still alive and seems to have more energy. But now we have another very weak one- out only polish chick. She can barely wake up and won't move. She won't eat or drink.

 

[HeatherinLoomis]

Here are the photos of the one with the weird eye. Pictures of both eyes. One is black. The other looks like it doesn't exist anymore.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We are feeding

we are feeding Purina unmedicated starter crumble.

Temp is 90 in the warm side and 80 on the cool side. (But that's with a digital meat thermometer- so I don't think it's super accurate.)

They have electrolytes in their water, and they all ate grow gel from the hatchery when they arrived home. We've offered egg yolk, but not a lot of takers.

If anything, the ones that have died will be lethargic and sleepy. Nothing else. Not making noise or peeping a lot.

the one with the weird eye is still alive and seems to have more energy. But now we have another very weak one- out only polish chick. She can barely wake up and won't move. She won't eat or drink. View attachment 4119696

You're right, it looks like the eye is blind. Maybe she was pecked hard or could be she hatched that way and it wasn't caught at the hatchery(?)

If the eye is not swelling or oozing, then I'd monitor it. If you notice it swelling, looking infected with pus or a discharge, then clean/flush with saline and put an ointment like Terramycin eye ointment in the eye at least twice a day.

Have you used that particular heat lamp bulb in the past with no issue? If so, no worries. If that's a new bulb, look at the box/packaging it came in and see if it's Teflon coated. Just trying to eliminate some things (Teflon Bulbs can emit toxins and kill chicks).

Cute bunch of chicks btw! I'm not seeing anything that's too alarming with your setup. Almost all are huddling in one corner, could be because humans are looking at them. Or that's the sweet spot of the right temperature plus they can see out at the grate their along with getting a bit of fresh air.

Chicks do huddle, that's for sure, but are they huddling more that you have seen with past batches/broods? If so, move the lamp a little so they aren't all crowding into the corner to avoid the hottest part of the lamp. I wonder if they are crushing/trampling and this is the cause of loss. It's a possibility. You may have to play with the heat lamp a bit, raise it up so it's spread out a little more.



Keep me posted.