Lost 24 birds last night in a thunderstorm.

[DaveBri]

We lost most our meat birds last night. The lighting, wind and rain was terrible. We had a tornado warning as well. We had just moved them to the chicken tractor not knowing it was going to storm. This was our first group. We have 90 layers in different runs with no issues. Any ideas so this doesn’t happen with the next group? Thanks!

 

[Brooks_]

A little more detail as to what happened would help.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Did they die from piling up?

 

[DaveBri]

A little more detail as to what happened would help.

Strong lighting, strong winds, heavy rain. Birds where almost 4 weeks old when we put them in the tractor plenty of feed and water. Birds look like they where running around and died in their tracks

 

[roosterhavoc]

Did they drown? Get soaking wet? Covered in mud? What was the temp? Etc…..
All of the above? At that age they are still pretty young and better shelter would have prevented it from happening.

 

[The Moonshiner]

So ya were they protected from any of this or?
Died from getting soaked/drowned?
Winds bouncing them off the walls?
Struck by lightning?
Or they were protected from the elements and died of fright?
Not a very clear idea of what the situation was.
I've had plenty of birds weather severe storms without harm and minimal shelter.

 

[OPA Acres]

Hello!

I am not sure that this will answer your question, but I hope it might give you some insight. I have 30x 4 week old Jumbo Cornish Cross that we placed in our chicken tractors at 3 weeks old (without a heat source). So, they've been outside for about a week. Our daytime temps are 80-95 and night temps have been in the upper 60s and 70s.

We did not take any losses our first week outside (or since they arrived).

Yesterday we had high temps (95ish) and I could tell they were HOT.

Last night we had a big thunderstorm move through and the lightning was close and the thunder was LOUD. When I went to move the tractors this morning -- one was deceased. No outward signs of damage -- and I think it likely died of a heart attack from fear/stress.

I am not sure if it was the heat from yesterday that did it in, or if it was the thunderstorm - but I suspect the thunderstorm is to blame.

The reason that I share this information with you -- is because if you think it's safe (temp wise) for your birds to be outside -- then it may be that the stress of moving outside plus the thunderstorm did them in. Perhaps after they have time to adjust to the tractor, they may handle the storms better in the future?

I can't say for certain - but - I have attempted to provide you with as much detail as I can about my situation so that you can determine if this matches your experience. I will attach some photos of our chicken tractor setups so that you can see how we provide the cover to them in the tractors.

I hope this helps in some small way and I'm sorry about the loss of your birds.

 

[Parront]

Just getting wet at that age can be enough to do them in. So sorry you have lost so many birds.

 

[Cazook]

Did they not have an enclosed coop? 4 weeks is young to be outside and off-heat, moreso during wet/stormy weather.