Since removing the Brinsea brooder, I’ve lost exactly one chick.

That poor chick was one of the smallest — probably a Bantam — and had gotten pushed down into the bedding in a chick huddle under the remaining brooder. I’ve resolved that by placing something solid for the brooder to sit on.

I’ve not used this crushed corn cob bedding for chicks before, and it does behave a bit differently than pine shavings. Apart from that one death, however, I’ve seen better results from the crushed corn cob than I ever did with pine shavings. Fewer chicks making themselves sick, at least.

When I shipped the Brinsea back to the manufacturer for warranty, I cleaned it up a bit. In the process, I found where there was a previously unnoticed splotch of tissue-and-down — not very visible, but sticky, blech — where the dead chicks had been primarily clustered under the brooder. Just, ugh. Poor babies.

It’s chilly out today. I’m debating switching the chicks over to the red heat lamp instead of the thermo brooder if it gets too much colder. The bigger chicks are already not using their lamp much at all, but that may change. Need to check the forecast, I guess, and decide.