Mass Chick Death- WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED???

[FluffTheDuck]

The time it takes to kill something via poison is going to vary hugely depending on what it is. Poison dart frog toxin from the right frog can kill in minutes if it gets into the bloodstream. Clearly not the case here, but you definitely can't say that poison, period, takes any specific amount of time.

And what kind of video were you watching? I'm hoping you mean a video about poisons, and not just... a video of something dying of poison.

Oh no, never! I was watching if a chicken can raise a duck.

He was explaining the dangers of mice and mouse traps if you have pet animals.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A snake will swallow the prey whole. They just don't kill for fun like this event.
My vote is with mink or least weasel. But they rarely leave anything alive if they aren't disturbed. I never see bites or blood when they perform a slaughter. It is just like you described, like a bomb went off.
However, I've heard of weasels piling the birds up. That hasn't happened to me with mink.
Both can get through a 1" opening. I know. I had every bird killed in 5 buildings in 5 nights. Eventually I realized how small my openings needed to be after around 130 years of chicken keeping here by me, father, grandfather with no mink events.

 

[LulaBell]

View attachment 1713856

Does this hole still exist? A rat or weasel could get through it pretty easily.

If that hole is still there that is PLENTY enough room for a mink or a weasel get in. My coop had no more than a 2 finder gap and something got in and killed all but one of my flock. Whatever it was came in and broke their necks and only ate on one. My father in law said a buck mink or a weasel, most likely the mink. It looked as if they just dropped dead, no blood or anything.

 

[IamRainey]

I haven't read all the responses. I'm just jumping in so overlook anything repetitive.

We here in SoCal are dealing with virulent Newcastle Disease (vND). It's an incurable respiratory disease that's fast moving. It could cause what you're describing.

As I said, the contamination zone is SoCal and, I think, Utah. BUT there has been a recent SINGLE case in NoCal. I don't think there's been any in the Northwest adjacent to you. But, I think you could be doing BC farmers and chicken keepers a big favor by have necropsies performed so appropriate measures can be taken ASAP IF necessary.

I don't want to be alarmist. I hope it was something else -- still tragic but, hopefully less catastrophic. But if vND gets any more out of hand it could start impacting all of us.

So sorry for your loss. I hope I haven't just spread fear. That's NOT my intent. I'm just concerned about stopping the progression of this incurable virus ASAP and wherever necessary.

 

[Cyprus]

To my understanding, unless the birds were vaccinated, birds who died from vND would present with noticeable symptoms up to 36hrs before their death.

 

[ronott1]

In all my life of having chickens, I’ve never seen this. Anybody have an idea?

In my secure chick barn this morning (newer 20’ sea can with upper ventilation- no way for predators to get in) I found about 20-30 chicks dead. These were 10 days old. Many were out of their pen, some strewn on the floor, many stuffed in books and crannies dead, like they were terrified and hiding.

There were 12 survivors still in their pen, under their heat plate. Seemed fine but scared.

In another pen were some 5 week olds- all fine. One was out and seemed dazed, a couple of the small ones were somehow in their pen, dead.

This looked like a massacre / attack. Yet not a drop of blood was seen. Not a single injury noted. All looked like they died at the same time- last night. All were fine at last check yesterday evening.

Today all the survivors seem fine. No signs of illness at all.

Craziest thing. I’ve searched the entire building & there is no sign of a predator anywhere, or droppings, tracks, or signs anything could have possibly gotten in. This is a sea can insulated, with windows & lined with plywood.

It’s like a bomb went off and they all died of fright. WTF...?!?!

ferrets can get in through very small openings

 

[IamRainey]

You may be right, Cyprus. I am NO expert. I'm just concerned about identifying vectors and shutting them down ASAP.

On the other hand, in a large flock, it might be hard to notice the displayed symptoms. How acute are they?

From the US Dept. of Agriculture:

Virulent Newcastle disease is a contagious and fatal viral disease affecting the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems of birds and poultry. The disease is so virulent that many birds and poultry die without showing any clinical signs. A death rate of almost 100 percent can occur in unvaccinated poultry flocks. Virulent Newcastle disease can infect and cause death even in vaccinated poultry.

Clinical signs of virulent Newcastle disease include: sudden death and increased death loss in the flock; sneezing; gasping for air; nasal discharge; coughing; greenish, watery diarrhea; decreased activity; tremors; drooping wings; twisting of the head and neck; circling; complete stiffness; and swelling around the eyes and neck. Images of some of these signs are available here.

 

[Cyprus]

You may be right, Cyprus. I am NO expert. I'm just concerned about identifying vectors and shutting them down ASAP.

On the other hand, in a large flock, it might be hard to notice the displayed symptoms. How acute are they?

Gasping for air, purple combs, lethargy.

 

[Cyprus]

I'm internally debating whether or not a weasel can get that high up the structure to reach that hole.

 

[WestCoast Farm]

View attachment 1713856

Does this hole still exist? A rat or weasel could get through it pretty easily.

Good eye! No that pic was during construction. There are no holes at all now for anything to get in.

Nobody has accessed the property to poison them, so if it were a poison it would be from an accidental mold situation or the past dates yogurt? We don’t use chemicals or poisons of any type here.