Chicks all died within 5 minutes on day 2

[Ruby's Mom]

Hello, 2 days ago I hatched 6 Millie Fleur d Uccle bantams. Hatch was on time and no issues. All chicks were out of their shells within about 5-8 hours of pipping. All up, walking, busy, normal. I kept them in the incubator for 16 hours each, then transferred them to a brooder in the house with save a chick water, chick crumble, chick grit and a Brinsea heater set on the middle height. Brooder floor was covered with paper towels.

This evening, I went to check on them after dinner (30 minutes earlier and they were all eating crumbles) and noticed one chick laying down on its side. No sooner had I picked up this chick and another one went down on its side in spasms, and then another, and another, until all the chicks were gasping, having spasms and rolling, flailing around. Within 10 minutes, all chicks had died, one after another. There was nothing I could do for them.

This happened so quickly and there were no symptoms. No pasty butt, no bloody poop, no mold (new bag of crumble). I'd post a photo but its too depressing. Could this have been Sudden Death Syndrome - change in the balance of phosphorus and potassium? A post from 2013 on this site described a similar situation with the same outcome.

Any ideas on what happened? I'm pretty sad to have lost all of them.

 

[MamaGer8ty]

I’m sorry I don’t have an answer for you but I am so very sorry for your loss. Sending hugs and prayers your way.

 

[Neggative]

thats crazy!!!

 

[2 many chickens]

I know this is going to sound weird but did you cook with anything that's teflon coated or non stick cookware? Did you use any oven cleaner? Its toxic to birds, including chickens. Sudden fast death like that sounds suspicious, not natural deaths.

 

[kelseyk]

I'm sorry I do not have an answer for you either. I am so sorry for your loss. That would be very tough!

 

[Ruby's Mom]

I know this is going to sound weird but did you cook with anything that's teflon coated or non stick cookware? Did you use any oven cleaner? Its toxic to birds, including chickens. Sudden fast death like that sounds suspicious, not natural deaths.

Oh no. I put my oven on self clean after dinner tonight. I didn't use any cleaner or chemicals or anything like that, just high heat where the oven door locks and the temp goes up to 500 degrees to burn off the crud. I have the hood fan on to vent any fumes but I can't smell any right now. The brooder is about 40 ft away from the oven in a different room.

I feel awful if this is the reason they died. Gosh.

 

[BGcoop]

I agree that it sounds suspicious of some type of exposure to something for them to all have died in such a short time. What that exposure could have been I can’t fathom though. I’m sorry for your loss!

 

[2 many chickens]

Oh no. I put my oven on self clean after dinner tonight. I didn't use any cleaner or chemicals or anything like that, just high heat where the oven door locks and the temp goes up to 500 degrees to burn off the crud. I have the hood fan on to vent any fumes but I can't smell any right now. The brooder is about 40 ft away from the oven in a different room.

I feel awful if this is the reason they died. Gosh.

☹ when the oven self cleans, gasses are emitted that are toxic to birds.

 

[springvalley123]

Bad food? I mean, some people have told me that they lost all but 1-2 of a clutch of birds to a bag of bad food, where the feed store had been spraying for bugs, and it got into the bag. The bird owners figured it out (or guessed it) in time to save just two babies.

 

[Ruby's Mom]

Self cleaning ovens are usually teflon coated. ☹ when the oven self cleans, gasses are emitted that are toxic to birds.

I feel awful.