Random chick deaths?

[Jharmsma]

In advanced thank you all for the help. So a few days ago I had just got back home and I was checking on my chickens to see if they were all ok. While I was looking at my 2.5 month chicks I realized one of them wasn't there. I looked all over the pen for her and couldn't find her. I looked in the hen house to find her dead underneath an older hen in a nest box. She was completely healthy the day before and I just assumed it must of been a freak accident in the nestbox with the older hen. Now we come to today, this morning I was walking outside to check on my chickens again and as I was glancing across the pen I saw another chick dead in the middle on the pen. He was also very healthy the day before and I have no clue what happened. I'm just worried this will happen to my other chicks they are all acting fine and are all healthy but so we're the dead chicks before they died

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC, sorry for your losses.

How does your chickens poop look?
Coccidiosis is common at this age.

 

[Jharmsma]

Welcome to BYC, sorry for your losses.

How does your chickens poop look?
Coccidiosis is common at this age.

I haven't seen anything alarming lately

 

[Jharmsma]

Update: A third chick looks sick, I don't think she's gonna make it through the night

 

[WhiteWyan]

Maybe a necropsy is in order? I'm a newbie but it seems like getting to the bottom of it sooner would be better to save others...?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

2.5 month

find her dead underneath an older hen in a nest box

another chick dead in the middle on the pen

A third chick looks sick, I don't think she's gonna make it through the night

Hi @Jharmsma I'm sorry to hear about your chicks.
Can you give more information?
Do you have photos of your chicks and the set-up they are in?

The first 2 that died, you reported seeing no symptoms. This 3rd one looks "sick" what does this mean - lethargic, runny poop with mucous or blood, going off feed, coughing, sneezing, etc.?

How much space do you have for how many chickens?
What type of feed are you feeding?

As you mention, having a necropsy performed is a very good idea - losing this many chicks in a short period of time is concerning and testing would be in order to give you some answers.

Without more information - do your best to keep the sick chick hydrated, offer her poultry vitamins and see if she will eat for you.

 

[Kiki]

I would pick up some Corid and treat them all with it...just in case you ARE dealing with Coccidiosis.

 

[Jharmsma]

Hi @Jharmsma I'm sorry to hear about your chicks.
Can you give more information?
Do you have photos of your chicks and the set-up they are in?

The first 2 that died, you reported seeing no symptoms. This 3rd one looks "sick" what does this mean - lethargic, runny poop with mucous or blood, going off feed, coughing, sneezing, etc.?

How much space do you have for how many chickens?
What type of feed are you feeding?

As you mention, having a necropsy performed is a very good idea - losing this many chicks in a short period of time is concerning and testing would be in order to give you some answers.

Without more information - do your best to keep the sick chick hydrated, offer her poultry vitamins and see if she will eat for you.

Thanks for the suggestion. The third chick which sadly died this morning was very lethargic, she was puffed up and not moving around at all. I took a few pictures while she was roosting last night. She was drinking and eating. We have lots of space for our chickens. I feed them layer pellets. We've never had problems with the feed so I don't think it would be that. It could of been something they've eaten in there pen. Something that I've found strange is that only the chicks are being affected. We have 17 other birds and none of them have died or are looking sick

 

[Jharmsma]

Maybe a necropsy is in order? I'm a newbie but it seems like getting to the bottom of it sooner would be better to save others...?

Sounds like a good idea but I have no idea were I could get that done. I live in a very small town

 

[Kiki]

They probably should not be eating layer pellets right now, it may be TOO much calcium for them.