Sudden death of healthy chicks

[I am Katsu]

Today I woke up and when I checked my chicks they were all running around playing. I went to go change their water since it had woodchips on it (I always use purified water for them). After I came back I noticed one started falling down to the ground and kicking It's legs uncontrollably. The rest were doing fine and were still running around, but when I grabbed the one that was acting weird to inspect it I looked down again and one by one in a span of maybe 2 minutes they all started falling down to the ground kicking their legs uncontrollably. I have no idea why 6 perfectly healthy chicks would just fall to the ground and die right in front of my eyes. I have no idea what could have gone wrong, they were 3 days old, they had the perfect amount of heat and they have plenty of food and water. I always wash my hands before handling them and always wash their water containers before refilling their water with room temperature purified water. They had a clean place, they didn't have pasty butt and I doubt they were hungry because I witnessed them all drinking and eating perfectly fine on the second and third day. If someone could please help me out and tell me why this all happened. Thank you.

 

[mcdze]

ive never seen that .. i would suspect someone put something in the water if they all just randomly fell out like that .. i wouldnt even get mad, id get even, their favorite poodle would be having an 'accident' lol ...

 

[Ridgerunner]

That has to be some type of poisoning. They don't act that way with heat or cold issues or with disease. The question is what kind of poison.

Chickens have a weak respiratory system so are vulnerable to things like carbon monoxide poisoning or exposure to ammonia gas. Gas leaks have caused problems like that. It is unlikely you would not have had some issues with your breathing if it were that, so probably not anything to do with bad air.

For them all to die that quickly it almost has to be something in the food or water. Think along those terms. How do you purify the water? Did you use a cleaner to sanitize the water or food bowl? Could the food or water have been contaminated?

 

[TSWRA]

ive never seen that .. i would suspect someone put something in the water if they all just randomly fell out like that .. i wouldnt even get mad, id get even, their favorite poodle would be having an 'accident' lol ...

You have issues.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Agree to chemical reaction. When you say "purified," what exactly? Welcome to BYC by the way, so sorry it's starting out this way for you....

 

[I am Katsu]

That has to be some type of poisoning. They don't act that way with heat or cold issues or with disease. The question is what kind of poison.

Chickens have a weak respiratory system so are vulnerable to things like carbon monoxide poisoning or exposure to ammonia gas. Gas leaks have caused problems like that. It is unlikely you would not have had some issues with your breathing if it were that, so probably not anything to do with bad air.

For them all to die that quickly it almost has to be something in the food or water. Think along those terms. How do you purify the water? Did you use a cleaner to sanitize the water or food bowl? Could the food or water have been contaminated?

I don't think it was any of that, I gave my older chicks the same food and water and they were breathing the same air. I have no idea what it could've been. I also meant that I used bottles of water like the ones us humans drink. I really don't know what it could have been.

 

[I am Katsu]

Agree to chemical reaction. When you say "purified," what exactly? Welcome to BYC by the way, so sorry it's starting out this way for you....

Thanks for the welcome! I meant that I give them water from a bottle of water us humans drink.

 

[I am Katsu]

ive never seen that .. i would suspect someone put something in the water if they all just randomly fell out like that .. i wouldnt even get mad, id get even, their favorite poodle would be having an 'accident' lol ...

I don't think they were poisoned, I have them indoors in a room dedicated especially for hatching eggs and keeping hatchlings. It's well ventilated with a good temperature. I wouldn't poison someone's dog even if I knew someone poisoned them and who they were. I wouldn't blame an animal for their owners mistake. Although these chicks were worth more then a poodle. They were Kelso 20k and yellow leg hatch breeds, roosters bred to fight, the best breeds they are. Worth around $500-$800 each depending on how good they were raised.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Are you using Cedar wood shavings? What heat bulb are you using?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Again I'm truly sorry, this would have me really stressed and confused (and doing my best to ignore the bizarre poodle comment.) Can you get a necropsy?