Why would 15 healthy chicks just die?

[chickenpal147]

Not going under the lamp means it was too hot.

Yes I know that but they never showed signs of being hot no panting or piling up in corners on the other side of the brooder. They would only really be under it when they slept other than that they were always running around doing normal happy chick things and making happy noises.

 

[chickenpal147]

I hope you don't mind my asking if you had to remove both batches from their heat source to "cool them off " in other locations ? If so did you keep both batches outside all day on the deck so they'd be warm without a light?Just trying to figure out what happened with these poor chicks because I've never heard of so many dyin gin 2 batches.Thanks!

No I never had the chance to put them out on the deck. They were in temp controlled rooms with a heat lamp. After the first batch I got rid of the old lamp and got a new one in case it was that. But no matter which thermometer I used on each lamp they would read 80. The chicks never showed signs of being to hot or to cold which is throwing me off.

 

[McChooky]

No I never had the chance to put them out on the deck. They were in temp controlled rooms with a heat lamp. After the first batch I got rid of the old lamp and got a new one in case it was that. But no matter which thermometer I used on each lamp they would read 80. The chicks never showed signs of being to hot or to cold which is throwing me off.

I'm pretty sure you don't raise chicks this late in the year but to get the chicks you wanted you had to wait. By assuming yours were warm when they moved out from under the light is where this all went wrong in my opinion. I'm still thinking the lights too hot and as a result they failed to thrive and died which sounds crazy...

 

[McChooky]

I have zero experience raising chicks in the summer and know I'd have a problem trying to give them enough heat in an environment where its already warm without overheating them.That tote might have worked good for you before but you need to get a bigger container and smaller light to raise summer chicks sorry.They still need heat when its 80 or 90 degrees outside or in the room seriously.

 

[McChooky]

My summer chicks will be raised in a chicken tractor (if I ever have to do it)so I don't overheat them .They'll have plenty of room to get out from under the light but STILL have a light the recommended temperature beneath it. Especially after reading how many people are having chicks dying on the this summer.I can't handle that and am sorry you're going thru it. I only wish I'd known this before.

 

[Farmlife16]

Placing day old chicks in an unstable environment where the temperatures fluctuates constantly can have detrimental consequences.Food doesn't digest properly and they won't grow

I have zero experience raising chicks in the summer and know I'd have a problem trying to give them enough heat in an environment where its already warm without overheating them.That tote might have worked good for you before but you need to get a bigger container and smaller light to raise summer chicks sorry.They still need heat when its 80 or 90 degrees outside or in the room seriously.

Usually chicks will pant if they are too hot, that makes me think that was not the case. As far as them being to cold, I've put had chicks without any heat all night at only a few days old. I guess it depends on the individual chicks and climate. Do you usually raise chicks in the winter or summer?

 

[McChooky]

The temp always read 80 no matter what thermometer I used. Also they never used the lamp they were always up and about making their happy chick noises.

80 degrees ambient temperature isn't warm enough for day old chicks sorry.After several days of 80 degrees they'll fail to thrive as well as chicks raised in higher temperatures as you can see from the article I posted from research. If you don't follow the specifications the hatcheries recommend and the temperatures they need they won't replace them.I'm sorry.

 

[chickenpal147]

So usually I raise my chicks in the early summer and don’t really use a heat lamp unless the night temps are to cold or I let my broodies do it. But now I hav a Brinsea ecoglow heating plate coming in the mail, so I will be switching to that.

 

[chickenpal147]

Usually chicks will pant if they are too hot, that makes me think that was not the case. As far as them being to cold, I've put had chicks without any heat all night at only a few days old. I guess it depends on the individual chicks and climate. Do you usually raise chicks in the winter or summer?

Usually my broodies do it. But if I do raise chicks in a brooder it’s more at the beginning of summer.

 

[McChooky]

Usually chicks will pant if they are too hot, that makes me think that was not the case. As far as them being to cold, I've put had chicks without any heat all night at only a few days old. I guess it depends on the individual chicks and climate. Do you usually raise chicks in the winter or summer?

I raise winter and spring chicks only due to the heat of summer making it so easy to overheat them.I posted a link to an article that clearly states the chicks that don't die suffer permanent damage and will be smaller and need to eat more food the rest of their lives to regulate their body temperature and get enough food to eat.I'm just bearing a message trying to help.Not trying to claim to be an expert by any means.