5~8 week old chicks died in one day

[mommaford09]

I have chicks that are 8 weeks old and 5 of them have just dropped dead. They were fine and then I find them laying down with their eyes closed and they get trampled to death. I have already started to introduce these chicks to my flock and now I am worried about my entire flock of 75. What in the world is going on? They were all healthy and thriving.

 

[mommaford09]

To give more details since I just witnessed it. The chick appears to be very tired. So tired it can't move or moves very slowly and then it gets trampled by my other chicks and doesn't seem to care. It just lays there until it is trampled to death.

 

[rebrascora]

I would suspect coccidiosis especially if you have recently moved them onto new ground with your flock and since it is relatively simple to treat, it makes sense to try that first. I would also be a little concerned about space if they are being trampled to death. How big is the area you have them in? If you are introducing young birds to an established flock, it's important to provide them with safe areas that they can run to where the other hens can't get to them and place food and water there too so that they don't get bullied from the existing food stations by the older birds. I have a cage chocked up on bricks that the younger birds can get under but adult hens can't.