# Chicks dying! Help!



## kmay (Jun 19, 2013)

I hatched out nine old English game bantam chicks. Yesterday when they were four days old two died and one doesn't look healthy today. What could it be? I know it gets a little warm in there with the sun so I turn the light off in the day.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

What are you feeding them ?

Brooder temp ? 

Are they panting ? 

Do they have 24/7 access to water ? 

What bedding are you using ? 

What symptoms did the ones who died show before they died ?


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## kmay (Jun 19, 2013)

I'm feeding them chick starter and have water in there all the time with straw bedding. I'm keeping the brooder around 90 but it went up to about 97 in the sun. The chicks would just lay there flat out by themselves not doing anything. One chick died last night and thats the one I seen. The other was dead this morning when I went to check on them, but it looked healthy yesterday.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Much, much too hot if they are laying out flat and inactive. Get them some cooler digs in the day and lay off the lamp at night. I'd put a little ACV in the water to give them some electrolyte replacement and make sure they have plenty of airflow in that brooder.


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## Clearcut23 (Apr 25, 2013)

You taught them how to eat and drink?


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

That's pretty much instinct...they will learn that on their own.


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## kmay (Jun 19, 2013)

Thanks and yes, made sure to teach them that when I first put them in the brooder. Made a second brooder for them in the corner of our shop for them in the day, I'll move them to the other one in the night when it cools off and they might need some warmth.


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## GrammyJean (Aug 29, 2012)

Yes, my 2 day old chicks seem to be perfectly happy at 90 degrees outside during the day. I know there's supposed to be a lamp on them, but they move to the other end of the brooder when it's on, so I turned it off during the day.... as it cools off in the evening, they move to the end of the brooder where the light has been on previously, and huddle together, so I turn it back on. Just take your cues from the chicks... they will have 'tells' that let you know about the correct temp.
The only other thing is that you sometimes have to dip their beaks into the water before they 'catch on' that it's to drink. LOL 
Don't get too discouraged or beat yourself up. There even could have been some bacteria that got to them in the egg, or in the incubator! You can only do the best you can do.


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