Help PLEASE!

[OkieB]

I had 25 chicks (6-7 weeks old)! I've lost 11 in 48 hours. I put them on Corid right after I found the first 2 dead. No signs of respiratory, mites, lice. Most of them were perfectly spry thr night prior to death. I am at a loss! For instance, i watched them for 2 hoyrs yesterday evening, they were ALL running around chasing grasshoppers and dirt bathing. No signs of lethargy. They are all healthy, even the dead ones have good breast volume. I haven't changed feed. I have another pen 10 feet away that are thriving, no deaths.

The only thing is that we have received about 2 inches of rain over the past week. Before that we were extremely dry.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I had 25 chicks (6-7 weeks old)! I've lost 11 in 48 hours. I put them on Corid right after I found the first 2 dead. No signs of respiratory, mites, lice. Most of them were perfectly spry thr night prior to death. I am at a loss! For instance, i watched them for 2 hoyrs yesterday evening, they were ALL running around chasing grasshoppers and dirt bathing. No signs of lethargy. They are all healthy, even the dead ones have good breast volume. I haven't changed feed. I have another pen 10 feet away that are thriving, no deaths.

The only thing is that we have received about 2 inches of rain over the past week. Before that we were extremely dry.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Where are you located in the world?

Losing that many so quickly, it would be a very good idea to send a couple for necropsy/testing.

What type of birds are these?
How are they housed?
What do you feed?
No signs of injury at all?
Any chance they got into something toxic, moldy (no feed has gotten wet right?), rotten, etc.?

If you can share some photos of the birds, their poop and housing that would be good.

 

[OkieB]

Where are you located in the world?

Losing that many so quickly, it would be a very good idea to send a couple for necropsy/testing.

What type of birds are these?
How are they housed?
What do you feed?
No signs of injury at all?
Any chance they got into something toxic, moldy (no feed has gotten wet right?), rotten, etc.?

If you can share some photos of the birds, their poop and housing that would be good.

SW Oklahoma

Lemon Frisian Gull
Orpington
Ameracauna
Cochin
Spitzhauben

They are housed in a typical 4×6 hen house that you would find at your local farm store. Bermuda grass hay for bedding.

Purina Medicated Starter (same as I am feeding 3 other batches of chicks)

NO sign of injury whatsoever.

Their feed got wet 4 nights ago because of the rain, as did all the other chicks as well as my grown chickens.

I will send pictures later. As I am at work now.

I have called my vet, she is out of the office til Monday. I am freezing 4 chicks that I found this morning to take for necropsy.

 

[LaFleche]

Do not freeze but refrigerate the chickens you want to send in.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

SW Oklahoma

Lemon Frisian Gull
Orpington
Ameracauna
Cochin
Spitzhauben

They are housed in a typical 4×6 hen house that you would find at your local farm store. Bermuda grass hay for bedding.

Purina Medicated Starter (same as I am feeding 3 other batches of chicks)

NO sign of injury whatsoever.

Their feed got wet 4 nights ago because of the rain, as did all the other chicks as well as my grown chickens.

I will send pictures later. As I am at work now.

I have called my vet, she is out of the office til Monday. I am freezing 4 chicks that I found this morning to take for necropsy.

How old?

I would look around to see if any of the wet feed spilled and got moldy. I don't know about OK but here in NC feed on the ground can mold overnight, I've also had feed mold in the feeder in a couple of days as well - I'm not kidding. Moldy feed can take a chick out quickly.
If you find any moldy feed, get rid of it - shovel it up and throw it in the trash if it's on the ground.

I would continue with the Corid and see how it goes.

Refrigerate, don't freeze the bodies. Check with your state lab - you may be able to ship directly to them instead of going through a vet.
https://vetmed.okstate.edu/oaddl/index.html

 

[OkieB]

Will do. Thanks for the advice!

They are 6 to 7 weeks old.

 

[OkieB]

Here are some photos.

 

[LaFleche]

Do your chicks have access to grit?

And when did you last de-worm them?

 

[OkieB]

Yes they do.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Most of those look like cecal poop, but this one has a lot of grass(?)
Have you checked their crops to see if they are empty in the morning?
What do you feed?