Silkie chicks dying off 1 by 1 ......5 dead now!!!! **Update**

[Half-a-dozen]

I had 18 silkie babies....over the last 5 days another one dies. Each day there is another one dead.
They are just 1 week old today. They are mixed colors and I have lost one of each color. They are seperate from the other chickens, in their own cage with plenty of food, water and heat via a light bulb (because it has been so hot. I do have them in the garage, so it is cooler in there than outside. There is no bad drafts but I do make sure I open a door/window throughout the day for air circulation. Some have died before being in the garage, the others died out in the brooder. They have always seemed a little ho-hum....weak, sluggish, not-peppy....but I thought this was maybe just bantam and silkies since they were soooo tiny and small.

After they are dead there are no signs or symptoms of obvious illness. Everything looks normal. There has been no loose droppings, blood etc... nothing!!!
I bought them from a feed store, where I have bought all of my chicks over the years and this is the FIRST time I have ever had chicks die.
Could it just be a bad batch??? Could they be diseased??

I am guessing I should keep them seperate now from the rest of the flock for obvious reasons. Any other suggestions????

Any suggestions on what this could be??? I know asking this question is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack but I am wondering if I am going to loose all 18 of them eventually....

Thanks for any help/suggestions....
Cindy

 

[NewChickieMommy]

I wish I could be more help but I am having the same problem. I have emailed my state vet. I had 29 4 week olds (3 Ameracaunas, 4 Cuckoo Marans, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 20 barred rocks) I am down to 16 and the ones that I thought were going to make it are now succumbing one at a time. I have had some show no signs and they were just dead and the others are clearly ill with losing use of one or both legs, using their wings for balance, lethargy, not much interest in food or water and eventually death.

I THINK it's an acute strain of Marek's but I am not 100% sure.

I was just about to put up a post about it. I am trying to figure out how to sanitize the brooder outside now that I think I'm going to lose them all. Peroxide? Vinegar? I don't want to spend $100 to get more birds just to have them slowly die off one at a time.

We are trying to do things as naturally as possible over here so I did apple cider vinegar in their water. I am now giving them super silver and raw milk vitamins in their water, raw beef liver for extra nutrition. I am rather at a loss.

I will keep up with this thread to see if any one offers advice for you that may be of benefit to me also. Especially how to sanitize before buying more chicks.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Are you feeding them medicated feed?

It is too hot for them?

Could be a disease or just a fluke. Best of luck. I lost a few out of my recent hatch.
It stinks and I feel for you.

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:
Yes, medicated feed and I have adujsted the temp/ heat lamp hot/ cooler and have lost some both ways....

Keep on changing things and to no avail they keep dying. I hope it is just a fluke but none the less very odd...

 

[PurpleChicken]

I really wish there was something I could say to help. Sometimes wierd deaths
just happen. I would call the feed store and see if they getting any other reports.

Are they in pine bedding?
Are they exposed to toxins or cedar?

Grasping at straws here...

 

[McGoo]

Maybe you don't need a heat lamp? It's really hot. Are they out of the direct sunlight?

I clean everything with Bleach and water.... then rinse and dry thoroughly.

Are you seeing them die or could they be suffocating in a pile up?

Just trying to help....

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:
Hey, New chickie mommy-
IDK ....I know it is not usually reccomended, but I sterilize with bleach.... 100% bleach in the coop. I have been doing this periodically throughout our chicken years now and have never had a problem with the flock, have never had any of our birds sick etc.... (the silkies are new chicks and I bought them and they have never been in the coop....so they don't count!

Anyway, Like I said, I have read its a no no someplaces on here. I kick the girls out for a day, start early and bleach everything. Air it out well and send them in at night. Tho I don't do it when it is very hot out...as this just adds to breathing difficulties....ya know fumes and humidity....don't work together for the lungs...

Sorry to hear you have lost so many... It is very frustrating!!!

Good luck to you too!!!

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:
I see them weak, and then they just fall over and die... (never get up) I think they are sleeping and then....

I would loose the heat lamp but I was thinking if they were too hot they would crowd to the opposite did of the cage....away from the light....

but no, some are still going under the heat.

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:
Yes, Pine shavings. No toxins (changed out the litter too- Twice) and no cedar...
And yes, Planned on calling the store in the AM....

If I loose them all I'll be wanting some compensation...Replacements....

What else can ya think of????

 

[McGoo]

100% bleach in the coop

No straight bleach! Fumes from the bleach could be doing it! I'd rinse everything really thoroughly with water....

Also no cedar. Is there any mold or mildew around ...under anything?​