8 chicks fall over dead

[oaker8323]

We have been raising chicks for a few month now. I have an 4by 8 brooder on the ground in the back yard put chicks out at 3 weeks since weather is upper 80's to mid 90's in the brooder I had 20 chicks from 4 to 6 weeks old today my wife opened top to check on them. She said before her eyes some started falling over dead 8 in all not sure what's going on. It happens in a span of a couple min and that was it.

 

[Judy]

One guess is cocci, since you had just put them on the ground, especially if they were not on medicated feed -- but even if they were. It could also be heat if they were suddenly a lot hotter than wherver they had been, especially if they did not have much shade or breeze/ventilation.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/792579/just-found-a-dead-chick/20_20#post_11436103

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/775739/blood-in-older-chicks-stool/0_20#post_11087272

 

[oaker8323]

They been in it about a week and half with the other ones that been in it about 3 weeks it was just the one month olds that died not the 6 week ones they didn't show any signs of sickness she opened the lid they were walking and in about the span of a min. All eight died oh there in a 4x8 2 foot tall with plenty of vent entire backside is open with a 2 by door way on the other side and access to a 4x4 outside small run cause onece they get bigger they go in one of my several 20x50 runs

 

[junecleavage]

Have you used any type of fertilizer, herbicide or insecticide? I had never used any of these things so did not think of it when I left my chicks with my in-laws to chick sit. When my father-in-law brought them back to our house six of them where dead by the time he got the 6 miles down the road to our house. He thought it was his reckless driving. When some more of them died, though, I realized he had probably treated his yard. Even though it had been about 2 weeks since he fertilized and we had a lot of rain, it still did in most of my chicks. Some survived and had no ill effects at all.

 

[oaker8323]

Hmm I don't think just those 8 were affected but we live next to several fields including 14 acres I farm next to my house I had the beans sprayed last week. It just freaked me out that all 8 died within a min in front of her eyes can you scare them to death maybe by opening the lid she startled them too much

 

[ten chicks]

Hmm I don't think just those 8 were affected but we live next to several fields including 14 acres I farm next to my house I had the beans sprayed last week. It just freaked me out that all 8 died within a min in front of her eyes can you scare them to death maybe by opening the lid she startled them too much

No,they were not scared to death,something is/was going on. Guess would be heat or cocci related.

 

[junecleavage]

Hmm I don't think just those 8 were affected but we live next to several fields including 14 acres I farm next to my house I had the beans sprayed last week. It just freaked me out that all 8 died within a min in front of her eyes can you scare them to death maybe by opening the lid she startled them too much

Not all of mine were affected by my in-laws lawn treatment. Some died pretty much instantly as it sounds like yours did. A few held out for a little while. Then some were completely unscathed. Maybe they did not eat as much as the others, maybe they were just heartier birds, who knows. The ones that made it through are doing fabulous. If there is no other explanation, I would keep the rest away from the beans that you had sprayed. Hope you don't lose any more.