# Help



## stoofer (Jul 26, 2014)

I keep losing chicks! it is incredibly warm in the uk atm and i put it down to dehydration or heat stroke! but i am really worried that i have disease in my brooder! the chicks seem very weak but no obvious signs of disease, no mucky bums, no droopy wings just very weak chicks! what am i doing wrong? they are checked atleast 5 times a day and their water is topped up regularly, feed is always available and bedding is good quality and changed regularly.


please help


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Need more info, how old?

What are you observing in their behavior? 

Where is their brooder set up and how hot is it?


----------



## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

also have you had chicks before?

what is the temp inside the brooder?

is your brooder lamp on 1 side of the brooder?

are the chicks under the lamp or far away from it?

are they making loud peep peep peep sounds?

like Robin said more info needed


----------



## stoofer (Jul 26, 2014)

i have lost 5 more since i posted this. they are very weak, their eyes close and they sprawl on the floor. they are cuddling together and are not oving around the coop. out of 17 chicks i have no lost 8 and i am concerned that i now have disease in my brooder! what diseases are there that could wipe out my young birds? i am really disappointed as i have now lost 4 of my 6 sablepoots. 

the brooder is set up with the heat lamp at the side and food an water far enough away that the heat lamp wont affect it. ther is plenty of room for them to move, and we have not had a problem with disease before.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What you've said is much too vague to have any real sense on what is happening. 

Where are they being kept? I'm wondering if they have coccidiosis and need to be treated with amprollium.

Have you spoken with your friend the other breeder?


----------



## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

are they under the heat lamp?

directly under it?

if so they may be cold


----------



## stoofer (Jul 26, 2014)

My friend thought it might be cold too! He gave me a different bulb to try but i still lost another 2 overnight!!

What is coccidiosis and how far will it spread! I am going to treat for it anyway as it can't do any harm but do i need to treat all my birds or does it only affect young stock?

I really can't be any more specific as there doesn't appear to be any thing wrong they are just dying for no apparent reason!

My brooder is in the garage with the heat lamp on 24 hours a day set at about a foot of the ground! I have some other young stock in the garage in a separate hutch off heat and they are thriving! Are they at risk?


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

How long have you kept chickens? Have you had chicks in the past? How different are they from the other chicks you've had, if you had any? Where did you get them if you didn't hatch them?

Like I said, its a shot in the dark. More information is really needed. 

Cocci is a single cell organism that is every where, adults are pretty much immune and can fight off an overload of them. But young chicks are highly susceptible. And it can kill quickly. Normally you see messy behinds and blood.


----------



## stoofer (Jul 26, 2014)

Been to a vet tonight who thinks a bacterial infection is to blame! Because th deteriorate so quickly it is unlikely to be cocci although they have advised i disinfect thoroughly before I take in any more chicks! I think it safe to say i won't be getting anymore this year as my wife already thinks i have too many birds! I will chalk this one up to experience!


----------

