URGENT - Chicks dying each night

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Amy

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I had 4x 7wk old chicks but over the last couple of nights I have lost 1x per night.
But when I checked on them all before bed as I do each night they were perfect fine and acting normal.
The first morning I found 1x chick still alive but cold and sprawled and the 2nd chick which I found today was dead already.
They have been housed in our shed since birth but I’m now concerned that some bug has been breeding as the door is always closed?!?!?!
I have moved the mother and remaining 2x chicks into the outdoor broody pen as the weather seems ok at the moment but the other two are not looking well. They are still active, eating like piglets and drinking (the ones that died did this also) but after awhile they will stand still, close their eyes and drop their heads as though they are waiting to die.

I don’t know if this has contributed, but I have been collecting rain water and giving them this to drink rather than fresh tap water?

The first chick I found was sprawled on the floor but still alive so I warmed her up on the aga then put her on a hot water bottle in a warm linen cupboard and got sugar water down her...she lasted several hours but she still died.

I have noticed that the mother also seems to be standing on them alot (the sick/dead chicks are found where the mother sleeps and the chicks try to get under her) so I don’t know if she is squishing them?? Should I remove her now as she has even got a little snappy with me which is unlike her. I put my hands in and she pecks me till I go away!

I don’t know what to do as I don’t want to lose anymore. One of the ones that is left and poorly is lavender coloured silkie with the palest lilac eyes ever...she is gorgeous, my pride and joy.

This morning, righly or wrongly, in desperation, I have put 0.03ml of Baytril into their water and made them all have a drink so they have got a bit in them at least. Other than that, I am flumaxed!

Please can you advise.... :?
 
Difficult to tell, but two common possibilities that come to mind are coccidiosis and redmite. With cocci you will need to treat ASAP with coxoid in their water, this you can buy from any good feed store eg: Countrywide.

Make sure the bedding is absolutely spotless and dry and clean out every day, replacing with fresh, clean shavings. Symptoms include watery droppings often containing blood, sleepy chicks, fluffing up and pallor.

Similar symptoms with redmite but droppings will probably look more or less normal. Symptoms of red mite infestation, pallor, lack of appetite, fluffed up chicks with listlessness.

Also for now switch to tap water.

Couple of links:

http://poultrykeeper.com/digestive-system-problems/coccidiosis

http://poultrykeeper.com/red-mite/red-mites
 
I have put Coxiod in another water in their broody pen. So they are currently getting Coxoid in one and Baytril in the other.
Am I ok to dust the chicks with Red Mite Powder??

I have moved them to a different pen that definitely does not have red mite...Am I right in thinking red mite does not live on chicks like it doesnt with hens?

Many thanks
 
Just a suggestion, but do you have facilities to move them away from the hen into a clean brooder? Easier to keep everything spotlessly clean, maybe, if she isn't there, and you can test and control the temperature easier. I think you are right to have separated the poorly ones from the other two . I hope they'll be OK.
 
I have put the mum back in with my other silkies. The 2 poorly chicks are together in a different broody pen (just the 2 of them) and they have 2x waters, one with coxiod in and the other with 0.03ml baytril in. They have both drunk from each water but still look just the same. How long do baytril and coxoid take to work?
Their poops are very watery and light tan in colour with the normal token white bit but there are the odd squishy lumps in (sorry to be graphic) but no blood that I can see.
I have no electrics to the broody pen so I have put a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel but they are sat in the outside bit of the pen...should I move them indoors in case they are getting cold???
 
As Foxy says Amy the two likely reasons are Coccidiosis or Red Mite. It takes several days for them to replenish their blood loss, if it is red mite. Trouble with a hot water bottle is it goes cold and takes heat out of them. So I wouldn't use one. At 7 weeks they should be out of the coccidiosis danger zone (at that stage they will be going onto unmedicated rearer pellets anyway), the droppings are blood free so I would say red mite -won't take many to kill a chick. They do travel on the birds -we've had several come in for the night and leave red mite in the bedding in the morning, even though the coop is free of them. However they are not in sufficient numbers to cause much harm.
 
Thanks Chris...can I dust them with red mite powder? Will that kill the red mite? Can I also use dichotomous powder?
 
I have been out and dusted them with Barrier Red Mite powder. When I opened their wings to dust under, there were lots of little grey/ligh brown mite things running around...subsequently on me which is rather irritating.
Is there anything else I can do? A friend has told me that if they have these mites, there is probably an underlying infection/issue also so Im carrying on with the Baytril and Coxide in the water.
:?
 
I think you ought to bring them inside for now, they need extra warmth at the moment as they do sound poorly. Can you find a large cardboard box maybe, shouldn't think 2x 7 week old chicks will take up much room.

What are you feeding them on? I presume chick crumb but is is a new bag or new supplier? The watery droppings do indicate a digestive problem and that the gut is not working properly, this could indicate coccidiosis or a problem with their diet.

I am not sure antibiotics are a good idea right now, stick to one treatment at a time and focus on keeping them warm, dry and hydrated at the moment. If you bring them in then you won't need to dust for redmite, keep inteventions to a minimum right now to reduce stress. You could try a little chopped boiled egg which is easy to absorb.
 
If you haven't got a proper heat lamp, maybe you could use a flexible table lamp like an Anglepoise, if you have an old fashioned bulb that gives out heat? If theres room In the box for them to move away, they'll soon let you know if they're too warm. It's been a bit chilly at night down here in Hampshire, back to the bedsocks last night (me, not the hens!)
One of those times where an electric hen comes in handy as part of the emergency kit!
 
Hi Amy. The grey brown mite things sound like lice, but they could also be unfed red mite (which turn red when full of blood). If they are jumping off on you sounds like red mite which are newly hatched. The difference is the size and that the much smaller red mite will bite!
I agree with Foxy about the Baytril, can't see it's necessary at the moment. There is no underlying infection issue with either lice or mites. The healthiest of birds will get them.
 
It's not a good idea to give Baytril and Coxoid at the same time as the chances are they will not get enough of either. Both these medications need a good level in the body. They are very vulnerable at the moment and you need to sort out a consistent heat source for them, even if it's low. It's not a good idea to give them water from a butt to drink, stick to tap water.
If you can see mobiles on them, the chances are it's lice rather than red mite. Keep an eye to see if the lice/mite medication is having any effect and be prepared to try something different if not.
 
My beautiful little chicks died this morning :( very sad. I hope it was nothing I did wrong. It is so hard to determine if you are doing the right thing or not. Thank you guys for all your help.
 
Very sorry to hear that Amy. It's an unusual occurrence to lose all the chicks at such a late stage.

Guess you need to reflect on what went wrong now. As Chuck says water from a water butt can contain all sorts of nasties. We have wriggling larvae in ours and snails, which have a lot of internal parasites. Perhaps the lice or mites are just a side issue and it was due to internal parasites from the water?
 
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