I have 17,well 16 poults ages 5 and 6 weeks.They are outside in a coop that we move around as needed.I also have 10 EE chicks I hatched with them in there.This morning when I went to feed,I always stop and look at all my pens before entering them in case the ole black snake is too close to my path.I also like to see if my birds come running or don't pay attention or just what they are doing each morning.when i got to the poult pen this morning,first thing I see is a poult laying on the ground on its back with both feet stuck up and a chick standing on one of its wings.i watched for maybe a minute to see what was happening and just went on in the pen and shooed the chick off it,then kinda just poked at the poult alittle to see if it would get up.It didn't.I picked it up and back went its head and out went the legs and poof,its dead.There is no sign of injury.They had food and water.I always feed and water twice a day to make sure they do not go without at any time.I haven't noticed any signs of any weak/droopy birds.i've seen various animals expire and alot do the head back/stiffen up thing right at the end.The poult looked fine when I first saw it,it looked like it had laid down and the chick just stepped over on its wing.Its eyes were very clear,its bottom clean.It didn't look like it had been trampled,just the one chick.This poult was bigger than the chick,too.I know sometimes birds just kill over but I think most of the time there is a reason.I'm hoping someone with more experience could tell me something and if I should be looking for something that would cause this to happen.Thanks in advance,Lisa
