WHAT AM I DOING WRONG??????

[PD-Riverman]

I got a question, that I wonder about often----why can I hatch and brood 1000's and 1000's of chicks sometimes in 20 to 25 brooders(some factory) at a time and I have never used a red 250 watt heat lamp and all my brooders are in a un-heated place/room/bus. If I am only brooding 10 to 15 I rarely use over a 60/75 watt bulb. I never have a "problem" with chicks dying---one once and a while. I see so many on here that has 3 chicks, 10 chicks with a 250 watt heat bulb, some times shinning inside a little 18 gallon storage tote. I just do not get it???

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for posting photos.

It looks like you recieved some helpful tips from @junebuggena

How are they doing now that you have moved the water and feed?

 

[cowboyclayt]

None of them are dying as far as I can tell. They seem to be doing fine. We will see if I lose any more! :/ goodnight everybody!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

None of them are dying as far as I can tell. They seem to be doing fine. We will see if I lose any more!

goodnight everybody!

I'm glad to hear they seem to be doing ok!

Please keep us posted.

 

[cowboyclayt]

One of the chicks is starting to act a little tired and isn't moving around much. The others seem to be doing okay.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of the chicks is starting to act a little tired and isn't moving around much. The others seem to be doing okay.

Is this an older one or one of the youngest?
What does her poop look like?

Watch to see if she is drinking. If you only have the one nipple water station you may want to consider adding another.

She may also benefit from some extra TLC, drop a little water beside her beak to see if she will take it in - add some poultry vitamins to what you give her. Once she's hydrated, offer wet chick starter.

 

[cowboyclayt]

It was one of the newer ones. It died Saturday night or Sunday morning. I don't know. Her droppings looked fine. She wasn't drinking. I am not using the nipple system right now. I was using two though. What is TLC? Out of the 19 chicks that have died, I have always dropped water on the side of their beak. Or Nutri-drench. I am not using a 250 watt heat bulb anymore. I switched to a 60 watt light bulb. It is somewhere between 82-86* directly under the heat lamp, about the size of a pie plate.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It was one of the newer ones. It died Saturday night or Sunday morning. I don't know. Her droppings looked fine. She wasn't drinking. I am not using the nipple system right now. I was using two though. What is TLC? Out of the 19 chicks that have died, I have always dropped water on the side of their beak. Or Nutri-drench. I am not using a 250 watt heat bulb anymore. I switched to a 60 watt light bulb. It is somewhere between 82-86* directly under the heat lamp, about the size of a pie plate.

I'm sorry to hear that she died.

What are you using for water container?

TLC= Tender Loving Care

Are the chicks huddling under the light - acting cold or are they active running around eating/drinking?
How many chicks did you start with? Having 19 die, that seems like quite a few - did they all come from the same place?
Where is the brooder located - garage, house, coop, etc.?

Watch to see that they are drinking well. Try to encourage them and see that they are eating their chick starter.

 

[cowboyclayt]

I am just using a little cream cheese container (the kind that you get from Panera Bread) with a lid laid over the top with holes cut in it. I have seen them drinking out of it. I might get a chick waterer next time I go to town. They sleep under the light. It is 65* at the edges of the brooder. They run around a lot but they are mostly under the heat lamp. I might try keeping our garage a little warmer so that it is warmer outside of the heat lamp. They are in the garage. I had ordered 15 from Cackle Hatchery. They shipped 16. A couple died, they shipped me 6 replacements. I am now down to three. So a total of 22. They are eating their food. I might take them outside for the first time today! Oh yes, they all came from Cackle.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am just using a little cream cheese container (the kind that you get from Panera Bread) with a lid laid over the top with holes cut in it. I have seen them drinking out of it. I might get a chick waterer next time I go to town. They sleep under the light. It is 65* at the edges of the brooder. They run around a lot but they are mostly under the heat lamp. I might try keeping our garage a little warmer so that it is warmer outside of the heat lamp. They are in the garage. I had ordered 15 from Cackle Hatchery. They shipped 16. A couple died, they shipped me 6 replacements. I am now down to three. So a total of 22. They are eating their food. I might take them outside for the first time today! Oh yes, they all came from Cackle.

I recommend that you get a chick waterer or fill the cream cheese container up with water and add some rocks or marbles to it so they can't drown or find a shallow dish to give them water - just make sure they can't drown.

IMHO, I feel that your biggest problem is your chicks are suffering from dehydration - they are not able to get enough water. If they are huddling most of the time under the heat lamp, then they are too cold - lower the light or put back the heat lamp - get one spot close to 90F - let the rest be cool - 65F at the edges should be fine.