Day old chick died suddenly!

[CaptainCupcake]

I had 3 day old Bielefelder chicks, and I just found one dead! It had some funk coming out of its mouth. What could have happened? Should I worry about the other 2? They all seemed to be eating and drinking fine. I cleaned out the brooder box they are in.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Did it drown? We're they shipped? What's their hot and cool temping at?

 

[nao57]

When you found it in the morning, was it away from the heat source?

 

[CaptainCupcake]

They were all Seemingly fine this morning.

Hatched them myself from shipped eggs. (Got 3/10 to hatch)

temps in the brooder box from 97 high, down to the 70s.

found this chick in the middle of the box , halfway between hotspot and food/water next to the wall.

 

[CaptainCupcake]

Now one of the other chicks looks like it has labored breathing!!

 

[CaptainCupcake]

and the 3rd one just started sneezing.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I'm so sorry.

 

[CaptainCupcake]

Someone suggested to me the chick that died could have been from mushy chick disease, and that made sense to me. Still not sure on the other chick seeming to gasp for air. I know it’s not hot and has good ventilation. On paper towels, changed twice daily, and the feed is not powdery.

 

[CaptainCupcake]

Here’s an update, the female chick seems completely healthy. But the male is still breathing weird. Pretty much non stop. He is not hot, and there is adequate ventilation. Most of the time he sounds like a ceiling fan that’s wiggling because it’s loose. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak...

But he’s eating and drinking. Doesn’t appear to be very weak. Other than his breathing difficulty, he seems normal. I do have rooster booster on order. Think it could be something genetic? I’ve looked up all the chicken illnesses I could find, but this one doesn’t seem contagious since the other one is fine.

 

[2 many chickens]

These chicks don't happen to be located in your kitchen? I only ask because if you happen to use non stick cookware or use oven cleaner/self clean the oven, it can be toxic to birds and cause sudden death.