Pippy1
In the Brooder
- Mar 2, 2017
- 10
- 3
- 22
On Friday 24th, I bought tiny chicks that I was told were a couple of days old from IFA.
I bought 2 buff orpingtons., 2 black australorps, 1 barred rock, 1 Rhode Island Red, and 2 Ameraucnas.
One ameraucana died a short time later that day and the "warranty" was still good and so I went back and got another ameraucana. They have all been doing great and growing and very active until today. Had a little pasty butt with both of the Orpingtons, but gently removed and fed scrambled egg and they have been good. Today one Americana was dead this morning when I got up. I couldn't see anything wrong with her, just lying there dead. Now, I just found the second Ameraucana laying there dead and a whole bunch of her intestines were outside her body and the other chicks were pecking at them and eating them. So both Ameraucanas are gone! I don't know what is happening! Help! They were very active and growing and eating great and looked fine! Feathers starting to grow etc.! I think the first one that died during the night had probably the same thing,but the others had eaten the intestines and so I didn't see them. Please help! What is wrong? Could it just be this breed- one died the first day, now the other two! So sad! I don't want to loose the rest if I can do something!
I bought 2 buff orpingtons., 2 black australorps, 1 barred rock, 1 Rhode Island Red, and 2 Ameraucnas.
One ameraucana died a short time later that day and the "warranty" was still good and so I went back and got another ameraucana. They have all been doing great and growing and very active until today. Had a little pasty butt with both of the Orpingtons, but gently removed and fed scrambled egg and they have been good. Today one Americana was dead this morning when I got up. I couldn't see anything wrong with her, just lying there dead. Now, I just found the second Ameraucana laying there dead and a whole bunch of her intestines were outside her body and the other chicks were pecking at them and eating them. So both Ameraucanas are gone! I don't know what is happening! Help! They were very active and growing and eating great and looked fine! Feathers starting to grow etc.! I think the first one that died during the night had probably the same thing,but the others had eaten the intestines and so I didn't see them. Please help! What is wrong? Could it just be this breed- one died the first day, now the other two! So sad! I don't want to loose the rest if I can do something!
It could may well be an underlying issue with just those chicks as from what you have said you are caring for them well. The intestine issue could have easily been caused by the other chicks after death had occurred. It would have only taken a few pecks to draw blood and therefore send the other chicks into a pecking frenzy so to speak and for it turn into a mess with the chick that passed. Alternatively it could have had a hernia in the umbilical area which caused the intestines to come out. 
