Why would 15 healthy chicks just die?

[TheOddOneOut]

So now she has 2 other problems. The top toe pads on her left foot are collecting fluid, and her pinky toe on that same foot is dying. Her foot I think is getting an infection because of the dying toe. Any suggestions on what I should do tho help her. I don’t know what she did to her toe but I think it was something during shipping. I noticed her toe turning black a few days ago but it was really just the very tip and I brushed it off until yesterday when I noticed it had spread. She is favoring that foot a little but she is still getting up to eat and drink. Should I get my nail clippers that I use to take off my mallard ducklings back toe off and clip off chicken nuggets dying toe. View attachment 2846784Also I would just like to put it out there her toe was like this before she was named chicken nugget.

@Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[TheOddOneOut]

2 silver laced Wyandot, 3 whiting true blue females, 1 whiting true blue male, 2 jersey giants, 2 golden laced wyandots, 3 whiting true green females, 1 whiting true green male, 1 Ameracauna, and 1 free surprise chick. I think my only surviving chick is the ameracauna. All were females except the 2 males. None of them normally have a high mortality rate from my experience.

Your “Ameraucana” chickie is an Easter Egger.

 

[Rose Quartz]

So now she has 2 other problems. The top toe pads on her left foot are collecting fluid, and her pinky toe on that same foot is dying. Her foot I think is getting an infection because of the dying toe. Any suggestions on what I should do tho help her. I don’t know what she did to her toe but I think it was something during shipping. I noticed her toe turning black a few days ago but it was really just the very tip and I brushed it off until yesterday when I noticed it had spread. She is favoring that foot a little but she is still getting up to eat and drink. Should I get my nail clippers that I use to take off my mallard ducklings back toe off and clip off chicken nuggets dying toe. View attachment 2846784Also I would just like to put it out there her toe was like this before she was named chicken nugget.

0-0 That's what I would do. Do you have some polysporin on hand that can be used on chickens, or iodine? Rubbing alcohol to sterilize the clippers? You are not having a good time with this baby thing this year! Wow!

her other 2 toes on that foot aren't looking good either. Cant imagine what might have happened though, other than there was already something wrong to begin with.

 

[McChooky]

In the link I just sent it states too high a temperature causes the chicks to become dehydrated. One of the symptoms is dry feet.

 

[chickenpal147]

Thank you!I agree none of these stand out as having any issues I know of.I did a google search of top causes of chicks with high mortality rates .Is this little chicks feet cold with the black toe?

No it feels normal, the black toe however is cold that’s how I know it’s dying.

 

[McChooky]

This is my setup. The side with the lamp is about 85 right now as the room she is in is sitting at around 80. She can run to the other side of the box if she gets to warm but also not get chilled. I put the lamp on a timer on for 2 hours off for one as when I got home it was a tad warm in the room. She has a small water dish for now because I put her water in the dishwasher without soap just in case it was the water container doing something. I don’t think I’m going to lose her as she is extremely active at the moment. I would like to give her a name but can’t think of anything that would suit her any suggestions. Also I have no idea which of the breeds she is that I ordered, I’m thinking she is the free surprise chick mcmurray sends with their orders.View attachment 2840847

I recommend you not turn the heat off for an hour every 2 hours

 

[chickenpal147]

I recommend you not turn the heat off for an hour every 2 hours

Um if I don’t turn the lamp off for an hour her brooder gets way to hot and she starts to pant. She does just fine without the lamp for an hour. Actually the last few nights she hasn’t had the lamp, I’ve kept a close eye on her and watched her behavior, she actually prefers to have the lamp off.

 

[McChooky]

Um if I don’t turn the lamp off for an hour her brooder gets way to hot and she starts to pant. She does just fine without the lamp for an hour. Actually the last few nights she hasn’t had the lamp, I’ve kept a close eye on her and watched her behavior, she actually prefers to have the lamp off.

When I first got my chicks they were in poor condition but because I had to get them out of the box I immediately put them in a brooder in their coop.I was having the same problem so they were too hot and too cold and I couldn't get the temperature stabilized so I brought them in the house and they were fine.I kept them there 10 days and had to use a smaller bulb in the light in their brooder (outside in their coop).It was putting out too much heat for the high wall in the brooder.They didn't have enough room to escape the heat with the 1st bulb.I suspect thats your problem.I did away with the brooder altogether and just sat them in the floor of the coop so heat wouldn't get trapped inside the walls of the brooder.

 

[McChooky]

When your set up is working properly you don't have to keep turning the heat up and down in the house or turning the heat off on the chicks.Baby chicks can't regulate their own body heat in the beginning and can be detrimental to their survival.Its very stressful to have huge temperature swings every hour or so(2 hrs)

 

[McChooky]

The chicks are smart enough to go in and out away from the heat but yours can't.They're trapped in that tall container.I suggest you tape some plastic on the floor.lay some cardboard down over top of the plastic so the chick doesn't get its feet on the plastic. Then shavings on top of that.Take some more boxes and tape them together in a circle to make a fence around the baby chicks then set the light up close enough to heat the temperature gauge to the correct temperature for this baby chicks age then place the chick in this boxed in area.Make sure that you make a fenced in area 3 times bigger than the chicks got down and don't make the walls taller than 18" .Don't keep changing the temperature in the room either.Set it and forget it.