Causes of Sudden Chick Death?

[coopdeville15]

What are the causes and prevalence of sudden chick deaths? We have had our chicks a little over a week, so they are probably two to three weeks old? Had a seemingly healthy chick die, maybe suffocated by others while huddling together? Is this a common occurrence/cause? They were inside in a brooder, temps mostly 80-85 degrees, dry, etc.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If they are piling up then they are too cold. They will sleep in groups but not usually a pile unless cold. By watching the chicks you can tell when they need less heat or more by how far from light they start to get of if piling up and chirping a lot instead of peeping. Keep your heat source to one side of brooder so they can move away from the heat if need be.

 

[coopdeville15]

So if they were too cold and piling up, is it likely the chick died because of suffocating or some other cause? Is this a common occurrence?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

What are the causes and prevalence of sudden chick deaths? We have had our chicks a little over a week, so they are probably two to three weeks old? Had a seemingly healthy chick die, maybe suffocated by others while huddling together? Is this a common occurrence/cause? They were inside in a brooder, temps mostly 80-85 degrees, dry, etc.

I have seen young chicks in large broiler/fryer houses pile up on a wall four feet deep when there was inclement weather coupled with a power failure. Yes every single chick was as dead as a hammer. It is in a chicks DNA to huddle for warmth, but there is also supposed to be a brood hen in attendance who hovers over the chicks to provide warmth.

 

[coopdeville15]

"Piling up" is probably an overstatement. There were only nine chicks, " huddled together" with some overlapping of necks across backs, etc

 

[Fancychooklady]

Huddling can lead to suffocation. Dehydration is also a possibility. What do their poops look like?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/39604/some-causes-of-early-chick-mortality

 

[coopdeville15]

Thanks Fancy, that info is just what I needed. I'm thinking it was due to suffocation secondary to them huddling. At two weeks or so, I thought they should have been OK at an average of 82 degrees. I think the problem was I was not using a proper IR bulb as a heat source. As for their droppings, they seemed normal to me, but I don't know sh*t being a first time chicken owner, LOL! The droppings weren't excessively wet, foul smelling or strange colors. As far as I could tell, the chicks were drinking and were never without water, so I don't think it was a dehydration issue, but I really can't speak to that individual chick's habits.

 

[medic lynny]

They are cold.

 

[Fancychooklady]

They are cold.

More than likely, I would up the heat just a notch. Do you have a thermometer in with them and what are the outside temps ? Overcrowding for the heat could also be a factor.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/03/baby-chick-basics-what-you-need-to-know.html

 

[coopdeville15]

I have indeed upped the heat with a proper IR bulb. Keeping the temp around 90 +/- about 3 degrees. My brooder is on an enclosed sun porch, night time temps have been 60's and lower 70's. I have a good quality digital thermometer in my storage container turned brooder. Initially I had trouble regulating the temp with the 250W IR lamp, temps running too high, I figured out how to adjust the hight of the lamp over the brooder and added a Lutron lamp dimmer to help adjust the temps.