Lost everything not sure how or why

[woodmort]

Strange since usually after 3 weeks they are tough enough to take cool temps. What did you use for bedding? Sounds like they may have somehow been poisoned. You mentioned flies on them, were there some sort of marks or injuries on them caused by a predator of some kind? How secure was your pen?

 

[Newchickenguy84]

Strange since usually after 3 weeks they are tough enough to take cool temps. What did you use for bedding? Sounds like they may have somehow been poisoned. You mentioned flies on them, were there some sort of marks or injuries on them caused by a predator of some kind? How secure was your pen?

My pen was a 4 sided closed in with plywood box. Door was not cut out yet. Just vent holes. I used pine shaving which I've been using since I got them changed out their beding every 2 days lately due to them making a mess. No markings nothing. Looks like they were scared. They were all piled up in a corner which I only see if I open the door.

 

[chickens really]

Very strange and disappointing to happen...
Was it too warm or too cold?...

 

[Newchickenguy84]

Said 85 when I opened the door this morning at 9am. If it was to warm I wouldn't think they would pile on top of each other would they.

 

[chickens really]

Said 85 when I opened the door this morning at 9am. If it was to warm I wouldn't think they would pile on top of each other would they.

Depends if trying to get away from heat...I'm just asking.
Anyways sorry it happened.

 

[woodmort]

I doubt heat was a problem unless your outside temps have spiked, this is assuming the room where the pen was is ventilated. Is there some way another critter--dog, cat--could have gotten into the room and, perhaps, harassed them?

 

[JenniferDuBay]

Do you have a carbon dioxide detector? Small animals are affected quicker than large ones.

 

[Newchickenguy84]

Outside so no detector. That is what I am coming up with is something was trying to get in but couldn't. I cannot think of anything else

 

[chkva]

Do you have a pic of the brooder?

I'm sorry for your loss. It's always so hard to lose them especially when we don't know the cause...

 

[aliciaFarmer]

I'm so sorry for your losses. That's rough! I'd double check your pine shavings -- I recently sold some chicks to someone and one died the first night. We later figured it out that the bad said "wood shaving bedding" and was a mixture of pine and cedar. Though that wouldn't explain them all piled up in a corner. It sounds to me like either they were trying to get away from the heat or warm up. So sad for your loss!