Buncha meaties just died . . . what gives?

[Mortimer]

We bought 125 Cornish X this year from Welp . . . about 40 more than last year. Been keeping them inside the coop for the last couple weeks, they are 4 weeks old now so I'm moving them outside to the tractors. Got half of them done last night. The tractors are 12' square and 2' tall with heavy tarp over about 1/3 of the top & sides.

We had some heavy rain last night, first night in the tractor. Not stormy or windy, just lots of rain. Went out to check them this morning and about 20 birds were huddled in a sopping wet pile in one corner of the tractor, NOT under the tarp. At least a half dozen dead and probably 12-15 more barely alive, shivering.

What gives? Never seen this happen before, chickens aren't the smartest animals but usually have sense enough to come out of the rain.

 

[Mortimer]

Update -- 3 definitely dead, 11 barely alive (eyes closed, totally limp on their sides, barely breathing) and 10 that have seen better but probably will make it (eyes open, but very cold & lethargic)

We moved all the ones that had any sign of life into brooding boxes with heat lamps on them (good thing I have several of them!)

Surprisingly, after just an hour in the brooding boxes most of them are looking much better! Three of the ones I was sure would be dead in an hour are perking up. Maybe this isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!

 

[yakibert]

Yikes. Glad it's turning out a bit better than you originally thought! Good luck!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Heavy rain on a tarp is very loud and I suspect it would be frightening to a bunch of chicks who were accustomed to being indoors. They moved as far away from teh beating noise as they could.

My opinion: I would have moved my chicks back indoors for one more night if the weather had been nasty.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

What was the temp outside? At four wks, they would still need a heat lamp especially if it was below 65 degrees. I would put a piece of wood over the top than the tarp. Good luck with the rest.

 

[Mortimer]

Well, just got back to the house and checked on them again, all appear to be survivors! Still a few that are weary-looking but all have eyes open and are standing or sitting in the brooding boxes. Amazing how quick they came back around, I'd have written at least 12 of them off as dead 3 hours ago. So, three dead total, heckuva lot better than what I was expecting when I first saw them this morning.

My daughter mentioned that about 20 birds in that tractor (60 total) were huddled up in a corner near the entrance (not under the tarp) right before she went to bed last night. I think for whatever reason they decided they were going to sleep there, then once the rain started they couldn't find shelter since it was dark and they were in a new environment.