Hen and chicks all dead in cage

[slimchicken]

I have had chickens for 20 some years and have never come across anything like this. Yesterday evening, I fed and watered my Speckled Sussex hen and her adopted family of guinea and Silver Spangled Hamburg chicks, less than a week old. On my morning rounds today, I found my hen and every chick dead. It is obvious that they never ate their food or drank their water that I had just filled. Sparkle, the hen, acted just fine at feeding time and her chicks were jumping on top of her and on top of the waterer, playing as usual. She was clucking proudly as always. It's as though they were gassed and all died in place. There is a hefty infestation of lice or mites in this particular cage as I have noticed them on my hands the last few days after I've fed them. I picked up some DE yesterday and planned on sprinkling it into their bedding. Their cage is wood on three sides and has a wood and shingled roof with wire front and bottom. They lived in there since the chicks hatched. early last week. The chicks did not die "stretched out" as I would have expected. Some died sitting on things in the cage, one died sitting up under it's mother's wing. Others died as though they were taking naps, here and there. There are no marks on either chicks or hen. Their plumage is bright and in very good shape. I am completely freaked out by this as I've never experienced anything like it. The feeder, waterer, water jug and feed scoop are the same ones I use everyday on them and all the other chickens/ducks/guineas, etc... Everyone else is just fine - even babies that are younger, with different hens in cages. I did not clean with anything or add anything different to food or water. I did not change their bedding, either, planning on adding some DE this morning. This cage in inside a large walk-in chicken coop where all the other chickens sleep, and come in to eat and drink all day. They are all in the hen house (also in this coop) laying eggs as usual this morning. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could have happened? Or experienced anything like it? Thanks for any help.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm sorry they died. It does sound very mysterious. Let me make sure I understand, you had not added the DE to their bedding yet, right?

Considering the unknown circumstance, forum members will suggest possibilities that you have already ruled out. I have read about chickens in cages who unintentionally were in the sun during hot weather who died. Is that a possibility?

 

[slimchicken]

No, they were inside a larger walk in coop that has a full roof over it. They never actually receive any direct sunlight in there at all, which is why I start putting them out in a wire pen in dappled sunlight each day once they're a week or 10 days old. I had not added the DE yet, and had intended to today. There is another cage of chicks that are about 3 weeks old, being "mothered" by her sister, not two feet away from their cage. This morning my husband helped me carry the cage and dead birds to a fire pit where we burned everything. Although, I do not think this could be a disease, as it would not have affected all within such a short time period. The robust and healthy hen would have lasted longer than the tiny peeps. It seems as though they must have been exposed to a toxin, but I can't understand what it could possibly be or why nothing/no one else was affected. Several other hens sleep on top of the hinged, shingled roof of that cage all night. They're all fine. I have been out scrutinizing everything and everyone no less than a dozen separate times this morning and no one else seems the least bit different. I use no chemicals on the farm for weed control, fertilizer, nothing.

 

[TwoCrows]

Bad feed can kill very quickly. Botulism. Can kill over night. They say with botulism the birds will die with their heads and necks stretched way up over and behind their shoulders. I do not know why this is. If they looked this way, it may be an indication.

Also rule out any accidental poisoning from somewhere.

I am so sorry. This is the quail section of the forums, so you might repost this question in the chicken section of "emergencies" for more chicken people to respond...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Oh, and welcome to BYC as well.

 

[slimchicken]

Thank you for your welcome, kind words and advice. I assume it has to be some sort of toxin. However, there is nothing but the regular feed and fresh well water (that everyone else ate and drank as well.) I've been wondering if there could have been some kind of organic chemical reaction within the litter of the cage, dumped feed, split water (though it was all dry) along with manure and just the right amount of warmth and lack of circulating air (with only the front of the cage open with wire.) Nothing else makes sense. I can't imagine someone trespassed onto my farm and strolled through all the dogs (they probably wouldn't bite but are excellent watchdogs), past other cages with hens & peeps, to that particular cage.... I just can't figure it out and I'm going to be nervous for quite awhile that it could happen again...

 

[TwoCrows]

The bug infestation could be the problem, however I wouldn't think that all of them would die all in the same night. Keep us posted if you figure this out.

 

[slimchicken]

That's what I figured. The babies were two days apart in age and the guineas, younger, were considerably smaller. I would have figured they'd go, then the Hamburgs, then possibly the hen, who was very active and healthy. Thanks for the reply.

 

[DoubletakeFarm]

Your post made me think of this: http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/7-5/warning_teflon-coated_light_bulbs_toxic_to_chickens_the_full_story/

 

[slimchicken]

Thanks for that. These guys didn't have a lightbulb and were instead, under a hen. It's an interesting read though and appreciated.

 

[AletaG]

I know it sounds macabre, and it this case it's too late, but if by some horrible chance it happens again, call your county extension agent, and put a sample in a double ziploc and into another container in a fridge or freezer if it will be a while and have them autopsy the bird. If it does happen again, whatever it is, needs to be identified.

I hope it was just a "freak thing" and some sleep will clear your worries away.

:-(

-Aleta G.