Death of chicks in their first days of life is in most cases inevitable. 1 to 5% death is normal but anything higher than that is abnormal.
To minimize deaths, buy chicks only from trusted suppliers because the problem usually begins when you buy poor quality and unhealthy chicks. Problems affecting chicks can be due to low genetic background. After buying the chicks, inspect each bird‘s health status and also provide adequate brooding temperatures because too high or too low brooding temperatures leads to mortalities.
Management of chicks
Protect your flock from cold weather. This is achieved by providing the chicks with heat during very cold weather.
Keep drinkers and feeders clean. Clean them every morning and discard left over water and feed far away to prevent soldier ants from invading your farm.
Minimize the risk of suffocation of the chicks by centralizing a heat source, avoiding sudden noise around the farm and keep predators away from the farm.
Guard the birds against infection and diseases and also do not feed your chicken on mouldy feed.
Serve your birds with water before feed to minimize the chances or your birds from stampeding since birds are more attracted to feed then water hence the water acts as a diversion.
Keep your birds against predators, maintain good hygiene of the poultry house and supply sufficient water and feed to the birds.
Follow medication and vaccination schedules by vaccinating birds against contagious diseases like Newcastle, fowl typhoid, Gumboro and others. Also consider regular veterinary checkups.
