Week old chicks not gaining weight, 3 have died.

Sandstorm

Songster
Aug 4, 2017
168
180
121
Utah
I pre-ordered chicks from a local breeder then waited for about 3 months and finally received 7 of the 8 I ordered. 4 silkies and 3 showgirls. While I was picking up my chicks the lady told me that she had lost some of the chicks. I didn’t think much of it because it happens.

Got my babies home and put them in a brand new plastic tote brooder box lined with paper towels. They have save a chick vitamins in water and medicated chick starter. (Slightly warm water so they don’t get chilled from that) I sprinkled some of their food on the paper towel so they can find it. They have a brand new brooder plate which is about 90- 92 degrees underneath. The rest of the brooder is about 75. They are using a brand new food dish. The water bowl was used with my other chicks, but I cleaned it with vinegar.

Next morning two of my showgirls were really weak with their eyes closed and not moving around. I hand fed them some nutri-drench. One perked up and is doing good. The other one perked up, but never seemed to gain weight. She was hand fed for about 5 days then she refused to eat the last day and died that night. She would scratch the ground, but didn’t seem to pick up the food. I don’t think she ever found the water even though I kept showing it to her.(I feed her water on a spoon and she would drink it but not from the dish.)

The next day I picked up one of the silkies and noticed she was light as a feather (I couldn’t tell how small she was because she was so fluffy.) She was eating and drinking on her own. She was running around acting normal. That night she died.

Two days later the third chick (silkie) died exactly the same way. I have one more silkie that does not appear to be gaining any weight just like the ones I have lost. She is acting completely normal. Eating and drinking on her own but is the size of a day old chick. I’m sure she won’t make it.

They do not have any wheezing, sneezing, labored breathing. No pasty butt. No loud chirping. No discharge from eyes or nose. Don’t show signs of being too hot or too cold. Poop looks normal. It is brown with a white tip. There are some more watery poops every so often but not much.

I have year old hens and about 9 week old pullets outside together in the main coop. All seem healthy and happy. I have 4 week old chicks (in a separate brooder and from a different breeder.) They are eating the same medicated feed and all of them seem healthy and happy.

The two yellow chicks in the first picture have both passed away.
The showgirl in the second picture has passed away.
The black silkie in the third picture has not grown at all but is acting normal.
The showgirl in the fourth picture was weak on day 1, but seems to be gaining weight. She is the youngest. Hatched the day I picked them up.

The white showgirl in the fifth picture is gaining weight and is one week older then other chicks. (Same breeder different hatch.)
The yellow/grey chick in the last picture I think is a also a week older and is gaining weight just fine.

Could their have been a problem while hatching that made multiple chicks not develop properly? Like wrong temps or not enough humidity in the incubator or maybe hatching early? (I have never hatched chicks)

Are they sick even though they look fine except not gaining weight?

I’m scared I’m going to loose them all, but if any survive I’m worried they might be carriers of some disease and will spread it to my other chickens

Any advice will be appreciated I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried so hard and I just keep losing them. I can’t figure out what’s wrong.
 

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Get them started on Corid 9.6% liquid solution immediately. Dosage is 9.5cc's per gallon of water for 5-7 days. If they wont drink it, use an eyedropper and put a few drops on the side of their beak to drink it. Do this frequently during the day until they are able to drink the treated water themselves. Make the solution fresh each day and dont add anything to the mixture. Corid can be found in the cattle section at a feed store.
 
Is it cocci even though they don’t show any symptoms other then not gaining weight?

Can they be on medicated feed while on Corid?
 
Get them started on Corid 9.6% liquid solution immediately. Dosage is 9.5cc's per gallon of water for 5-7 days. If they wont drink it, use an eyedropper and put a few drops on the side of their beak to drink it. Do this frequently during the day until they are able to drink the treated water themselves. Make the solution fresh each day and dont add anything to the mixture. Corid can be found in the cattle section at a feed store.
I started them on corid. I hope I will not loose any more babies. :flThank you!
 

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