Sudden death in 2mo chick?

[rascal66]

Last night when I was getting ready to bring the chicks into the coop, I found one dead. It had just very recently died as the body was still very warm and limp. The chicks were all eating and drinking and acting just fine. What in the world caused him to suddenly die?? I'm worried for the other chicks now. They're not showing any signs of illness, but I'm wondering now if my chick happened to have a heart attack or something? He had no wounds and no obvious signs of illness or injury. Just flat out dropped...

We just recently moved them outside, and they have been great so far. So I'm really just wondering now, what can cause a chick to just suddenly die?

 

[danceswithronin]

What breed is it? I know that Cornish crosses and some other production types are known to have heart failure and other issues like that.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So I'm really just wondering now, what can cause a chick to just suddenly die?

Sorry for your loss.

Coccidiosis is the most common cause of death in chicks this age, not all strains will present with blood in droppings. How long since you moved them outside?

If you want to know for sure... refrigerate and send for necropsy to your state lab. IMO, heart attack is blamed more often than reality. Links to help...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

Possible it got into any poison or chemical spill?

Hope the others continue to thrive!

 

[rascal66]

This chick was one of my barn yard mixes, a Brahma EE cross. I fed the chicks up to this point with medicated chick starter, but maybe it still could have been cocci? I just brought them outside this past Saturday. Thank you for the links and thoughts, just was hoping to prevent this if there's a way

 

[rascal66]

I didn't stop to consider poison. What plants are poisonous? I have a maple tree right next to the coop. This, grass, maple saplings, and maybe some young blackberry...

 

[nightowl223]

I didn't stop to consider poison. What plants are poisonous? I have a maple tree right next to the coop. This, grass, maple saplings, and maybe some young blackberry...

I don't think any of those would be poisonous, but if they could get hold of the grass, a long piece of grass could have plugged its crop, maybe? I've heard of that happening before. Do you use any products on your grass, maybe? Or spray your blackberry plants for bugs?

Just tossing out ideas, here. Although, sudden death does occasionally happen, from some congenital issue that's not visible. Like @EggSighted4Life said, if you really need to know, the best way is through a necropsy.

 

[rascal66]

I don't think any of those would be poisonous, but if they could get hold of the grass, a long piece of grass could have plugged its crop, maybe? I've heard of that happening before. Do you use any products on your grass, maybe? Or spray your blackberry plants for bugs?

Just tossing out ideas, here. Although, sudden death does occasionally happen, from some congenital issue that's not visible. Like @EggSighted4Life said, if you really need to know, the best way is through a necropsy.

No, nothing is treated. I felt his crop and it felt like it has some of the feed I fed them earlier in it. Not too full, nor was it really empty. But who knows. I'm hoping this was a one time unfortunate event. If it does happen again, I'll consider the necropsy

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No, nothing is treated. I felt his crop and it felt like it has some of the feed I fed them earlier in it. Not too full, nor was it really empty. But who knows. I'm hoping this was a one time unfortunate event. If it does happen again, I'll consider the necropsy

When I was thinking about this yesterday, I realized their is a possibility of something like chocking or blockage as well. Accidents do happen.

Yes it is still possible for coccidiosis to become an issue, as medicated feed is a preventative dose of amprolium... It could still be overwhelmed or even by coccidia that have amprolium resistance... sometimes need to be treated with a sulpha drug IF the birds are having issues... this *may* not be it at all. Just discussing possibilities still.

Those plants don't sound poisonous. And I have lot's of "toxic" plants in my area... I don't worry about it UNLESS they are locked into an area with it. Oleander can be deadly fast. I was thinking like an oil spill from a lawn mower type stuff.