He would have been six weeks old tomorrow, was completely feathered, beautiful gold and brown (and nasty, nasty temper). He was (we think) the mystery chick from my McMurray hatchery brown egg layer assortment. I had them vaccinated for cocci and mareks, been feeding non medicated. I have them in a 8x6 greenhouse with pine shavings on the floor, and every night I check the feeder, clean the water, and clean the floor. I mention this because I do this for a reason - it makes sure that I can watch out for bloody stool or other signs of disease.
Last night was no different - I filled the feeder, cleaned the water, and put down fresh shavings. I think I SHOULD have known right then - this chick was famous for pecking. He'd cross the greenhouse just to peck you, and keep at it, but I cleaned the whole thing and he left me alone (he was drinking). This morning I heard a loud chirping and thought something was wrong, so I went out to the greenhouse.
First thing I noticed: huge bloody poo spot by the door, and another half way across near the water, and over in the chick pile, a dead chick. No obvious injuries, no signs of pecking, no obvious blood on his rear end, but there was a smear of blood on the cardboard which I use as a draft blocker. Two other chickens have blood on on their BACKs, just traces, and I think I've reconstructed what happened pretty well. First plop of blood is by the door, chick heads for chick pile, loses a second batch at the water, the trail from there shows he ran around the chick pile (they lay near the meaties because the meaties have a light) and hopped up on top of the others, getting pushed back against the cardboard. He died pretty much right there.
I was specifically LOOKING for something like this, and somehow missed it. On top of that I have one more that is acting lethargic. He's eating, drinking, and moving but not like the others (which act pretty much like normal chickens, running, flapping, eating, drinking). So I got 25 chicks, I have now lost two (one died a while back, no obvious symptoms, just a dead bird). I'm down to 23 with one I would mark as "questionable".
Should I have seen blood on the floor somewhere? He was acting fine night before last, and last night wasn't pecking or biting or flapping at me.
Should I be worried for the other 23, or the meaties I'm raising?
Is there some action I should take to ensure my meat birds and the other chicks are ok?
Last night was no different - I filled the feeder, cleaned the water, and put down fresh shavings. I think I SHOULD have known right then - this chick was famous for pecking. He'd cross the greenhouse just to peck you, and keep at it, but I cleaned the whole thing and he left me alone (he was drinking). This morning I heard a loud chirping and thought something was wrong, so I went out to the greenhouse.
First thing I noticed: huge bloody poo spot by the door, and another half way across near the water, and over in the chick pile, a dead chick. No obvious injuries, no signs of pecking, no obvious blood on his rear end, but there was a smear of blood on the cardboard which I use as a draft blocker. Two other chickens have blood on on their BACKs, just traces, and I think I've reconstructed what happened pretty well. First plop of blood is by the door, chick heads for chick pile, loses a second batch at the water, the trail from there shows he ran around the chick pile (they lay near the meaties because the meaties have a light) and hopped up on top of the others, getting pushed back against the cardboard. He died pretty much right there.
I was specifically LOOKING for something like this, and somehow missed it. On top of that I have one more that is acting lethargic. He's eating, drinking, and moving but not like the others (which act pretty much like normal chickens, running, flapping, eating, drinking). So I got 25 chicks, I have now lost two (one died a while back, no obvious symptoms, just a dead bird). I'm down to 23 with one I would mark as "questionable".
Should I have seen blood on the floor somewhere? He was acting fine night before last, and last night wasn't pecking or biting or flapping at me.
Should I be worried for the other 23, or the meaties I'm raising?
Is there some action I should take to ensure my meat birds and the other chicks are ok?
