Help! Dead Chick with Gaping Vent!! **WARNING GRAPHIC PIC**

[HarrisBrood]

Woke up to two of my 5 week old chicks dead with gaping vents. I am not sure what happened. They are 2 of 15 in a brooder on my porch since the weather is warming up and they aren't needing a heat lamp. They've been on the porch for a little over a week and it's been fine. They get feed and water every day. Anyone have a clue? The puzzling part about it is that they didn't show any signs of a predator since usually a predator will bite off some part of them. Though, I didn't see any bite marks on them.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Woke up to two of my 5 week old chicks dead with gaping vents. I am not sure what happened. They are 2 of 15 in a brooder on my porch since the weather is warming up and they aren't needing a heat lamp. They've been on the porch for a little over a week and it's been fine. They get feed and water every day. Anyone have a clue? The puzzling part about it is that they didn't show any signs of a predator since usually a predator will bite off some part of them. Though, I didn't see any bite marks on them.

Pictures are always helpful.

 

[azygous]

Can you elaborate on "gaping vent"?

 

[HarrisBrood]

Pictures are always helpful.

I uploaded one. Thanks.

 

[HarrisBrood]

Can you elaborate on "gaping vent"?

I uploaded a picture. I hope it helps explain.

 

[azygous]

The most obvious cause of death is overcrowding and brooder boredom and frustration. Chicks confined to a space too small to move around freely and to escape more aggressive individuals will suffer injuries to the vent, which is an enticingly vulnerable part of the body.

Many years ago in the 1950s my uncle ran a commercial chicken farm producing meat birds for a major meat company. I was only ten but I could easily see the overcrowded conditions, and following my uncle around as he gleaned the dead chicks that had died overnight, I could see the wounded vent injuries inflicted by their mates.

At five weeks, chicks should already be living outside in a coop and have a spacious run to move around in. What are the dimensions of your brooder? I bet it's much too small for this stage of chick development.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I uploaded one. Thanks.

Is this actually the vent, or the abdomen.

 

[HarrisBrood]

Is this actually the vent, or the abdomen.

It is the vent.

 

[HarrisBrood]

Is this actually the vent, or the abdomen.

The most obvious cause of death is overcrowding and brooder boredom and frustration. Chicks confined to a space too small to move around freely and to escape more aggressive individuals will suffer injuries to the vent, which is an enticingly vulnerable part of the body.

Many years ago in the 1950s my uncle ran a commercial chicken farm producing meat birds for a major meat company. I was only ten but I could easily see the overcrowded conditions, and following my uncle around as he gleaned the dead chicks that had died overnight, I could see the wounded vent injuries inflicted by their mates.

At five weeks, chicks should already be living outside in a coop and have a spacious run to move around in. What are the dimensions of your brooder? I bet it's much too small for this stage of chick development.

This is a very reasonable explanation. I am in the process of moving them outside to a much larger area.

 

[azygous]

Good to hear. For others who may have chicks in brooders at the moment, a lot of the environmental stress of being in a small brooder can be alleviated by taking the chicks outside during the day for "field trips". This can begin as early as age two weeks. Even if a coop hasn't been readied yet, just being able to have room to run around outside on the grass can make all the difference between healthy, content chicks and tragedy.