Help! Vet is out of ideas...

[azygous]

Another mystery chick killer years ago that wasn't obvious at first also was cleared up when the original poster put two and two together and realized the husband's welding shop, adjacent to the chicken coop was releasing carbon monoxide that was infiltrating the brooder, killing the chicks.

These obscure causes are rare, and that's why no one thinks of them. But hopefully, this will trigger more ideas.

 

[2 Acres]

Has the vet tested for bird flu? Although I wouldn’t recommend actually doing that because if they test positive the chances some authority will show up an euthanize your whole flock are high…it sounds like it could be that. If it is I would personally let them ride it out because the survivors should have some resistance.

It could be H5N1 from wild birds passing by. I'm still gonna stand on my soap box for the benefits of green tea for a preventative.

I'll keep repeating too.

 

[BeardedHenHatchery]

Many years ago here on BYC, we had a post similar to yours where chicks were dying for no apparent reason. No one could figure it out. Then the original poster disappeared from the site.

One year later they returned, and the mystery was solved. They said they had been forced to move due to their water being contaminated. This contaminated water, while not making the humans especially sick, was what was killing the chicks.

Ask your health department how you can get your water tested. Meanwhile, it might be wise to use bottled water until you can rule this out as the cause of your high chick mortality. Just because it hasn't happened in the past doesn't mean that something isn't contaminating your water now.

Thanks! we have our own well but i can use bottled water and see if that fixes it

 

[BeardedHenHatchery]

It could be H5N1 from wild birds passing by. I'm still gonna stand on my soap box for the benefits of green tea for a preventative.

I'll keep repeating too.

2/3 of the brooders i know for sure haven’t been outside yet as i hatched them. but the new chicks from the other farm i can’t 100% vouch for.

I’m willing to try anything… how do you do the green tea

 

[BeardedHenHatchery]

Another mystery chick killer years ago that wasn't obvious at first also was cleared up when the original poster put two and two together and realized the husband's welding shop, adjacent to the chicken coop was releasing carbon monoxide that was infiltrating the brooder, killing the chicks.

These obscure causes are rare, and that's why no one thinks of them. But hopefully, this will trigger more ideas.

Oh! now that you mention it… our basement (where the brooders are) is supposed to be getting work to redo the ventilation for radon… it’s on the higher end of the “safe” zone and supposed to be fine till the guy can come fix the ventilation for it. but maybe it’s way too high for the chicks?

 

[BeardedHenHatchery]

the first two that come to mind are fecal testing and feed testing

I haven’t heard of feed testing…? is that done through a company or should i ask my vet?

I have been suspicious though… my breeding pens are not gaining weight like they should on a 21% feed… i get it from farm n fleet (cheaper then local feed mills) and it’s agrimaster, which we’ve used for 20+ years, but sometimes i think the quality is decreasing

 

[azygous]

When using green tea get the decaf kind. Caffeine is toxic to chickens.

If you have a history of mining in your area, yes, radon can be present. But also a risk is methane gas which would be far more dangerous to young chicks than radon.

 

[azygous]

Have you had your well water tested lately? It can become contaminated by polluted ground water from fracking. If the water has a high iron content, the iron can bind with bacteria and sicken chicks.

 

[Slikie the silky]

I haven’t heard of feed testing…? is that done through a company or should i ask my vet?

I have been suspicious though… my breeding pens are not gaining weight like they should on a 21% feed… i get it from farm n fleet (cheaper then local feed mills) and it’s agrimaster, which we’ve used for 20+ years, but sometimes i think the quality is decreasing

You can check it for toxins, mould e.c.t, you can ask your vet about it, I've never done it so not sure if it is done through a company but probably is

 

[2 Acres]

2/3 of the brooders i know for sure haven’t been outside yet as i hatched them. but the new chicks from the other farm i can’t 100% vouch for.

I’m willing to try anything… how do you do the green tea

Buy a box of Bigelow decaffeinated green tea. Put 4 bags in a tea kettle and bring to a boil. Let cool/and steep then squeeze the bags dry. First get a couple 2 gallon pails from home Depot and drill/install the red nipples on the bottom of the bucket.

Add the first whole tea kettle of (warm) tea water in the 2 gallon bucket. Let cool. Then add the other gallon of water. Hopefully the chicks will go right to the nipples on the bucket.

All my chickens drink out of the bucket (free will). Just keep an eye on the level of the bucket.

Mine are trained now.