why are my chicks dying?

What kind of shavings did you use? Cedar can be toxic, and much so if they were on a a whole month. If they were standing, sounds like they do not feel well, possibly due to the smells, or if they were too cold for some reason. If they did not contact soil, I would have no idea how they would have gotten cocci, so that probably didn't do much other than give them a short burst of thiamine deficiency, since coccosidants are thiamine blockers. Could you tell us more about the brooder set up? Sounds like that wood shavings might be a source of your problem if it's the common link here. Hope the rest can make it.

 

This scares me because I'm getting my flock from Ideal on May 23! I hope I don't run into this problem. I was told too never to use ceder..only pine but not when they are first brought home...they say to use paper towel for the babies for the first 3 days to a week or they will eat the wood chips.

 

im betting your brooder is infected with some sort of diease.an that you need to stop using it pronto.get a need brooder an put all the non affected chicks in it.do not put sick an healthy chicks togather.to answer the person thats panicing relax.your chicks coming from ideal or healthy.just make sure you put them in a clean brooder.an that you change their litter every 3 days.i use the toats from wal-marts as brooders.an when i get the chicks out of them for good.i scrubb them with bleach an water.an let them air out for a few days.

 

Are they all using any food or sustances in common? If they are, you might want to buy new.