Dying bob chicks

[Ron]

I have a real problem this year with my bobwhite chicks. They are dying one every other day. They seem fine one day, the next they're dead, they all are found with one of their feet that looks like it was pecked at until it is almost off. Anyone have any ideas? This is my third year with bobwhites but this is the first time I have seen this.

Ron

[jchiar]

where are they?
how old are they?
how many are together???

[Ron]

They are about 2 Weeks old. I have them a brooder in the basement it's 4 foot square. I had 20 in there but now I'm down to 6, lost 2 more today.

Ron

[jchiar]

what are they eating ? food may be too big and they are starving.

[Ron]

they were eating chick starter, they have no problem eating it. The last of thas died this morning.

Ron

[sp2207]

Hi Ron. It could also be that you had other birds in the brooder and it wasn't cleaned .  Next time clean it out properly  and start new. Iam sorry to hear about your birds.  But try again,  and i know   i lost a bunch when I first  started out myself
Scot

[jchiar]

chick starter does not have enough protein about 16 % bobs need at least 28% could be your problem

[CharlieHorse]

I feed a 30% or 28%.   Makes huge difference in growth rate and development.  I also grind the crumbles up into practically powder for first week or so. I think they'll eat the crumbles, they just don't seem to eat as much and don't waste as much from pecking thru it, if I grind it for them.

Other problems:

-Not enough heat......they will stack on top of each other and kill themselves,   etc.  Should be about 95 degrees for about first week.

-Too much heat.

-Cold drafts.

-Not eating or drinking.

-Bad food......molded, fungus, etc.?

-Cannabalism.........Too much light, try red or blue, maybe even a dimmer. 

-a damp basement, etc. will promote bacteria, mold, etc., etc.


If nothing was apparent, I would clean and disinfect, and then move brooder to different location for brooding the next time around.

[Ron]

This is the first time I have had this problem, temp is good, not damp in the basement, no draft. Only thing I can think of is perhaps the food was bad, or the brooder wasn't disinfected enough. I'll go over it again do a couple times this time, make sure I get it all.

Thanks guys
Ron

[CharlieHorse]

Or........the obvious,  they maybe brought it home with them?

I also worm mine with Wazine 17, the few I have left that is.   

Just food for thought.

Hope things go better next time around, keep us posted on your next batch.

[quailacres]

Trailbossusa asked all the right questions. You brought up bad feed and this is another possibility. Years ago I lost a lot of quail to mycotoxicosis. Many producers don't realize that all feed contains a certain amount of mold or mold spores and that growth of toxic molds in the feed can be a serious threat to the birds consuming it. Just a possibility... Of course, the chicks may have also contracted some other kind of disease, but I assume you have kept everything very clean, including the incubator in which the chicks were hatched.

[CharlieHorse]

Speaking of bad feed, I raise Boer meat goats for 4H and have gotten a top quality feed from the same supplier for past 2 years. I dump it all into Rubbermaid plastic garbage cans with a good fitting lid out in the barn (very dry). My boys tended to the goats a couple days in a row, then I went to feed them and noticed a "concrete" looking substance in the feeders. I immediately investigated and upon opening the feed can, there was alot of it (concrete) in there, plus a piece about the size of my fist. It had been wet at one time and was dry now (after molding). I set can aside and opened a fresh sack, within 2 days the entire inside of can and about 100#+ of feed left in it was covered with mold. Luckily I caught it in time. I found the sack that it came in and could see that it had been wet only on the bottom and when I dumped it in can, the moldy part went in first and got covered up, so I didn't see it. Kids are too young to know any better, they know now! Feed supplier replaced it......no problem. Sister-in-law buys same feed from same supplier and her goats have became very ill in last couple of weeks., but we could never find any bad feed.

My point is............the whole sack may not show signs of mold or fungus, but can contaminate the whole thing.....beware!

[Ron]

I'm beginning to think that the food was at fault. I tossed it, I will be sure to check the and the pellet it comes off for any signs of moisture.