Why do my baby chicks die?

[Littlefrenchyinbigtexas]

Hello!
I had three chicks (buff Orpington) born out of the incubator two weeks ago. They are now in a big tub in the garage with two older chicks (6 weeks old) with a normal lamp close to them to keep them warm. It is not a heat lamp, as I am kinda scared of the fire hazard with these lamps.
We are on the Texas gulf coast, so going down to low 70’s now at night. Probably a few degrees warmer indoor.
This is my second baby chick dead in a few days.
Any idea why? Do you think they are just two cold?
It broke my heart to discover that little dead body this morning.... she was not under the lamp. Half way towards the food.
any advice please let me know.
thank you!

 

[The Happster]

A normal lamp?

Chicks easily die from the cold. Sounds like that's your problem.
I would try and get my hands on a good heat source immediately.

How old are the younger birds?

 

[TwoShepherds]

If you are worried about fire risk, you might want to consider a heat plate or making a mother hen heating pad. I love my heat plate rom Premier One, but there are other brands on Amazon and elsewhere. You'll want to make sure the chicks have a warm place about 90 degrees the first week. It might be helpful if you post a picture of your set up. I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean by normal lamp, but if it doesn't emit as much heat as a heat lamp that might be the problem. Sorry you lost chicks. That is always hard.

 

[Aapomp831]

Get a real heat lamp, and place it so there is a warm spot as well as a spot to go to cool off. Observe your chicks - if they are too cold, they will let you know. They will be huddling together and chirping very loudly. Too hot and they spread out around the brooder and hold out there wings and pant. At 6 weeks, I highly doubt heat was your problem. Maybe for the 2 weekers, but still not likely unless you live somewhere northern where it gets really cold.
Have you checked for pasty butt / bloody poops? It wouldn’t hurt to put everyone on Corid just in case it’s coccidiosis... if it’s not it won’t hurt them.
But yes in the first few weeks of life they need a real heat lamp; it’s not a fire hazard unless you don’t secure it properly and allow it to fall over into something.

 

[ladybrasa]

Second a heat plate. It costs more, but definitely worth the ease and ease-of-mind.

Heat could be an issue And is a major factor in brooding, but other things that could happen. I had a dead chick from what appeared to be eating the bedding and probably choked or impacted or something. There was another that as far as I could tell, might have gotten suffocated in the nighttime sleeping pile. There was one or two that were simply failure to thrive after shipping (those were purchased from TSC, not hatched). Then another that as far as I could figure had a vitamin deficiency but it was too late starting concentrated vitamins. And of course you’ll never know if there was something internally that just wasn’t quite right.

I’m assuming they are on chick feed only? No poopy problems?

 

[ladybrasa]

PS: If you get a heat plate, invest in glade press-n-seal!!!! They will poop all over the top and that stuff makes it sooo easy to clean!

 

[Littlefrenchyinbigtexas]

A normal lamp?

Chicks easily die from the cold. Sounds like that's your problem.
I would try and get my hands on a good heat source immediately.

How old are the younger birds?

They were two weeks old exactly.

 

[Littlefrenchyinbigtexas]

If you are worried about fire risk, you might want to consider a heat plate or making a mother hen heating pad. I love my heat plate rom Premier One, but there are other brands on Amazon and elsewhere. You'll want to make sure the chicks have a warm place about 90 degrees the first week. It might be helpful if you post a picture of your set up. I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean by normal lamp, but if it doesn't emit as much heat as a heat lamp that might be the problem. Sorry you lost chicks. That is always hard.

Thank you. Looking at heat plates... I am afraid that was the problem....

 

[Littlefrenchyinbigtexas]

PS: If you get a heat plate, invest in glade press-n-seal!!!! They will poop all over the top and that stuff makes it sooo easy to clean!

Ok. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Littlefrenchyinbigtexas]

Second a heat plate. It costs more, but definitely worth the ease and ease-of-mind.

Heat could be an issue And is a major factor in brooding, but other things that could happen. I had a dead chick from what appeared to be eating the bedding and probably choked or impacted or something. There was another that as far as I could tell, might have gotten suffocated in the nighttime sleeping pile. There was one or two that were simply failure to thrive after shipping (those were purchased from TSC, not hatched). Then another that as far as I could figure had a vitamin deficiency but it was too late starting concentrated vitamins. And of course you’ll never know if there was something internally that just wasn’t quite right.

I’m assuming they are on chick feed only? No poopy problems?

Yes chick start kind of feed, that is it. and their bedding is made of wood chips.