Welp hatchery broiler chicks dying

[U_Stormcrow]

Did you do the sugar water in the beginning?

I only had some issues when I started the feed restriction. They would eat so fast that by the time they would try to drink there was no room for it. A couple drowned themselves before I figured it out.
For that I would put the food in just for a minute then take it out for 5 or so. Gives them time to get some water in them.
Others mentioned giving moistened food.

Offering the food as wet mash helps with that a lot. I'm ambivalent about fermented feed - if it happens, it happens - but I'm big on wet mash for a host of reasons, from brooder to culling.

 

[cassie]

Did you do the sugar water in the beginning?

I only had some issues when I started the feed restriction. They would eat so fast that by the time they would try to drink there was no room for it. A couple drowned themselves before I figured it out.
For that I would put the food in just for a minute then take it out for 5 or so. Gives them time to get some water in them.
Others mentioned giving moistened food.

If you are putting the food in for one minute and then taking it out for five, no wonder they are frantic. For what it is worth, I had very good luck with my broilers. When they arrived, I had warm sugar water available. As I took each one out of the box, I dipped its beak in the warm water and then turned it loose. As soon as they seemed to have drunk their fill I put the feeders out. I never had any trouble with them gorging themselves, or choking, or sneezing or anything else. Most of them would eat a few bites and then go back to the waterer. I did not start food restriction until they were several days old. At that point I started removing the feeders at seven at night and putting them back at seven in the morning and they stayed on that schedule until they were processed. As soon as I switched to regular water rather than sugar water I started putting Broiler Booster in the water. It seemed to help with the health issues the Cornish X are prone to. All I can say is that this worked for me. In the end you have to do what is comfortable for you.

 

[CNJ]

I lost another one, I have 2 left. I'll try wet mash on the next batch.

 

[Mountain Roost]

I am starting to think broiler death is less hatchery related than other factors. I used Myers hatchery this year and I still had first week death problems. I bought 100, they sent 103. 3 died en-route. Then five died in the next 24 hours. I received money back for 5. Awesome.

Then each day we seemed to lose one or two. We lacked a bright light source for each bin when they arrived and had strung Christmas lights over the bins. That was not enough light for them to get to the waterer; and we lost some to dehydration. We bought light fixtures for each bin and the deaths reduced. Then we noticed some had limps. We did some observation and noticed they were getting their legs caught in the slide top feeder holes. We built "bridges' over the feeders to keep them from climbing on them. That helped a lot. We buy all males and there is a lot of pushing and shoving going on so when one gets a leg injury it gets pushed around and then just gives up on going to the waterer. We have the 100 birds split up into 5 brooder bins. So we are two weeks in and down a total of 14 birds.

I have a separate brooder bin for egg layer hatchies and have been bringing the weak meaties over for recouping time in a less push and shove environment. That seems to help them get back to normal. I was surprised by that.

So I think meat bird deaths have so many factors it is really hard to tell whats going on. I heard or read somewhere that the best diagnostic tool is a 5 gallon bucket. For you to sit on and watch what is going on. Observation is your best tool.

 

[cassie]

I lost another one, I have 2 left. I'll try wet mash on the next batch.

You can try wet mash and see if it helps. Personally, I think there is something else going on but not seeing your setup I can only guess. If you do feed wet mash, make sure it doesn't spoil. Fermentation is not the same as spoilage. You might go on the Murray McMurray web site and see how they suggest you start your baby poultry. That is what I did. They even offer a little starter kit which, as I remember, consists of a carboard ring, a heat lamp, and chick feeders and waterers. I am not necessarily suggesting you buy the kit, but it might be helpful to look at it.

 

[CNJ]

You can try wet mash and see if it helps. Personally, I think there is something else going on but not seeing your setup I can only guess. If you do feed wet mash, make sure it doesn't spoil. Fermentation is not the same as spoilage. You might go on the Murray McMurray web site and see how they suggest you start your baby poultry. That is what I did. They even offer a little starter kit which, as I remember, consists of a carboard ring, a heat lamp, and chick feeders and waterers. I am not necessarily suggesting you buy the kit, but it might be helpful to look at it.

I thought they would sleep at night, but the street light is enough for them to see the feeding trough. No wonder one of them died, he ate himself to death. I will take out the feeder in the evening from now on. This type of chickens remind me of dinosaurs.

 

[cassie]

I thought they would sleep at night, but the street light is enough for them to see the feeding trough. No wonder one of them died, he ate himself to death. I will take out the feeder in the evening from now on. This type of chickens remind me of dinosaurs.

Or bowling balls on legs.

 

[B-Goock]

If you are putting the food in for one minute and then taking it out for five, no wonder they are frantic. For what it is worth, I had very good luck with my broilers. When they arrived, I had warm sugar water available. As I took each one out of the box, I dipped its beak in the warm water and then turned it loose. As soon as they seemed to have drunk their fill I put the feeders out. I never had any trouble with them gorging themselves, or choking, or sneezing or anything else. Most of them would eat a few bites and then go back to the waterer. I did not start food restriction until they were several days old. At that point I started removing the feeders at seven at night and putting them back at seven in the morning and they stayed on that schedule until they were processed. As soon as I switched to regular water rather than sugar water I started putting Broiler Booster in the water. It seemed to help with the health issues the Cornish X are prone to. All I can say is that this worked for me. In the end you have to do what is comfortable for you.

Maybe I wasn't clear. I followed the instructions from the hatchery. If I remember right it was the fifth day for starting feed restriction. 12hrs feed available, 12hrs per instructions absolutely no feed. Water available 24/7.
When doing exactly as instructed mine would gorge themselves feverishly causing the drowning issue when they did try to drink.

 

[cassie]

Maybe I wasn't clear. I followed the instructions from the hatchery. If I remember right it was the fifth day for starting feed restriction. 12hrs feed available, 12hrs per instructions absolutely no feed. Water available 24/7.
When doing exactly as instructed mine would gorge themselves feverishly causing the drowning issue when they did try to drink.

My neighbor had that problem with baby ducks. I didn't have it with baby chickens nor have I known anyone who did. Your case is definitely a first. The only thing I can suggest is to wait a few more days before restricting feed. I do not remember now when I started to restrict the feed with my chicks but I can tell you they were older than five days.

 

[B-Goock]

My neighbor had that problem with baby ducks. I didn't have it with baby chickens nor have I known anyone who did. Your case is definitely a first. The only thing I can suggest is to wait a few more days before restricting feed. I do not remember now when I started to restrict the feed with my chicks but I can tell you they were older than five days.

I've never seen any birds that ate like those did. Voracious fuzzy pirrahna would be a good description. Even when they got older they would be waiting at the grow out shed door in the dark for the guy that puts the feeders down. I can't complain about growth. They did better than I expected.