(6) dead chicks; 14 weeks old

[possumblossum]

In the last two days I have lost (6) chicks. They are 14-week-old BR and RIR pullets. They are hatchery birds that we got through 4-H; all received Marek's vaccine at the hatchery. They have died onesy-twosey, but all with the same pattern. When I went out to feed, they were laying on one side as if they were sunning themselves. When I returned in the evening to shut everyone up, their heads were stretched backwards as if they were trying to turn a flip. I found three like this yesterday, one this morning, and two this evening. The two I found this evening weren't dead when I went to the coop, but died within about 15 minutes. They appear awake and alert, but unable to move their upper bodies. One leg is drawn up, and they are laying on their side, again as if they were out sunning themselves.

Any thoughts?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. I would contact your state vet's office tomorrow am to report this and ask about any diseases locally that could have caused this. Could they have been poisoned? They are showing wry neck symptoms which in this case are probably due to a very contagious disease such as acute fowl cholera or possibly Newcastles disease, which normally is not found in the US. Equine encephalitis apparently does not affect chickens, but other fowl with these symptoms. Please follow up on this thread if you find out what it is. If you can refrigerate any of the bodies (don't freeze them) in plastic bags, a necropsy can be done. Here is some info including a link for your state vet:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/states/tennessee.pdf
http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/publications/labguide/laboratoryguide.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/fowl_cholera/overview_of_fowl_cholera.html

 

[Eggcessive]

Botulism is another possibility that I could think of. It is a toxin from decaying animal or fish carcasses, maggots, or vegetation that causes paralysis that goes from the legs wings, to the neck and head. I wound not think their leg would be drawn up though. They usually are said to be paralyzed with the neck drooping on the ground. Has anyone been spraying insecticide or other poisons? Look for any poultry ticks on your chicks in case of spirochetosis.
Here is a link about botulism: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/19/botulism
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/187/botulism

 

[KendyF]

I lost 2 four week old chicks in the same manner in the last two days. You described it much better then I could have, but when I read yours I was like... That is it! The other chickens all seemed fine. I wondered if my Rooster had beat them up.

 

[KendyF]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your chicks by the way. It is heart breaking.

 

[possumblossum]

After further investigation, I found several puddles of dark diarrhea. In addition, we went nearly two weeks without rain and then had over four inches in a two days. Couple all of that with the fact that all the birds that died choose to sleep on the ground instead of on roosts, and I believe I ran into a sudden outbreak of cocciodosis. I started the whole flock on Amprolium and have not had any further deaths. We'll see how it goes.

This leads to a new question...which I will post on behavior and egg laying (how do you get ground sleepers to roost off the ground). This questions could also get a good discussion on predators, but I don't want to double dip.

 

[Eggcessive]

As far as roosts go, I would put some very low roosts near where they like to sleep. I usually start me little ones roosting in the brooder, and my broody raised chicks are taught by their Mamas to roost. Some breeds like silkies may not like to roost, but the ones I had always roosted on some 2 feet high.