Chick died unexpectedly! HELP!

[olijo123]

I had 11 chicks in the brooder. 7 of them were ones I hatched from my own eggs, along with 2 silkies and 2 seramas. They are all bantams. I got the new ones from a local person 2 weeks ago. I have gotten chickens and eggs from her before. The silkies were 3 weeks, the ones I hatched were 5 weeks, and the seramas were 6 weeks old. They were all healthy and fine until I found the 6 week old Serama hen dead this morning. She died unexpectedly! I have even been putting corid in their water to prevent coccidiosis. Their poop is also solid and normal. But, I noticed yesterday when I picked her up she had raspy breathing. I am so upset over this because she was a beautiful chick and she wasn't cheaply priced either. Help!!!

 

[aquagolda]

im not sure I would call some chicken expert or go to a near tractor supply or Agway and ask them, I would remove the chicks or any chickens that was in the coop with her incase it was a spreadable disease and I would disinfect the coop or housing remove the bedding and put some new bedding down and maybe spray some mite and bug spray so bad mites and bugs wont make homes in your hens house.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

It sounds like mulberry heart. Their hearts don't grow large enough so when they get too big for the small heart they get raspy and then die suddenly. I have not found literature on this, but I was told about this by a 30 year chicken farmer.

 

[cafarmgirl]

The hen that died may have brought along a respiratory problem from the breeder she came from. There is no way to know what killed her without having a necropsy done and anybody you ask can only make a guess. I wouldn't bother asking anyone at a Tractor Supply or feed store, you may get somebody who knows something about chickens or you may get somebody who knows nothing and tries to give you an answer anyway. In the end it's all just a guess. A necropsy by a state lab would give you the exact diagnosis.

At this point about all you can do is keep a very close eye on the others.

 

[olijo123]

Thanks for the help!! I appreciate it! So far all the other chicks have been fine and none others have died. If it happens again I am definitely sending it to a lab to see what happened.