Poisoning?

[Chicken butler]

I had 15 young guineas, I let them out for the first time, they were fine until about an hour or two to sunset, I went out to the field where they were about 20 minutes before, and one was on the ground flopping like a fish, I quickly brought it to the house and gave it electrolytes, my sisters found two more but they weren't as bad . The first two died within a few hours, the last one seemed to improve the rest were just fine,eating, drinking and playing. The next morning I went out to care for them and all but three died! The three that survived are the only ones that stuck around the adult guineas that day. what happened?

 

[nuthatched]

Any toxic plants? How hot is it?

 

[Chicken butler]

It was about 85 or so .the field is kind of in a valley so its a bit cooler down there. they had plenty or access to water, food and shade, I just moved here about 4 months ago so I'm not familiar with all the plants, but I didn't see anything the looked suspicious.

 

[ChicNmom]

Oh how awful for you!!!

Most birds instinctively know to avoid toxic plants.

Did you walk around where they were to look for what they might have gotten into? It makes me wonder if there were any toxic chemicals in the field or water. Or if they came across some dead animal and got botulism?

Is there any place you can take one for a necropsy? If so you need to refrigerate one ASAP.

 

[Chicken butler]

I walked all around there and didn't see anything, I don't think there's anywhere I could have taken them.