Why would 15 healthy chicks just die?

[chickenpal147]

This is my story,

so a few weeks ago I got my order of rare breed chicks in the mail. I picked them up and they were all running around and acting normal. They were eating and drinking and they weren’t to cold or to hot. After a week they all started to die one by one, so I contacted the hatchery and told them what happened, they gave me a credit worth what I paid for all the chicks and helped me re-place the order with a few different breeds as some of the ones I had previously were all sold out. I also ordered some quick chick with this order to give them a boost when they got to me. After talking with the hatchery I threw out the new bag of feed that I had just opened for them in case it was a bad batch of chick starter, then I also bleached and sanitized everything I use for them and rinsed it really really well. Well again when I picked up my chicks they were all acting healthy and normal, running around eating, drinking and making their happy noises. I have only had them a week on Thursday. On Friday they were fine when I checked them before I left for work. Then Saturday they started to die off one by one again, out of the 15 that I got I only have one left and I don’t have high hopes for this one. What would cause them to just up and die? I also just today threw out the bag of shavings (I use the big chunks of pine shavings so the chicks can’t eat it, it’s the only one the farm store by my house sells as well) I was using on the previous batch of chicks as well, thinking maybe it was the shavings that was killing them. I bought a whole new bag of fresh shavings. But it wasn’t the shavings, the hatchery knows what happened and I’m just waiting to hear back from them. But I’m just so confused. Also I should mention that there was no symptoms of dehydration, starvation or being to hot or to cold. I would also like to put it out there that this is not the hatchery’s fault as I have had many many successful chicks from them. The chicks have not had any contact with my adult birds, just so I didn’t transmit something from my adults that could hurt the littles. I’m just so frustrated, angry, and sad. If anybody knows what might have happened please feel free to say something.

 

[dawg53]

It sounds like you had all your bases covered, and I'm sorry you've lost all your chicks, a mystery for sure.
Did you notice any blood in their feces?

 

[chickenpal147]

It sounds like you had all your bases covered, and I'm sorry you've lost all your chicks, a mystery for sure.
Did you notice any blood in their feces?

There was nothing, no blood, no pasty but, no discharge of any kind, nothing.

 

[The Moonshiner]

What are you using for a heat source?
I've heard there's a certain type of bulb out there that poisons them.

 

[chickenpal147]

What are you using for a heat source?
I've heard there's a certain type of bulb out there that poisons them.

I’m not 100% sure what it is, but I’ve been using the same brand for years, as it’s the only one my farm store sells in the chicken section. Haven’t had a problem raising chicks until the last month or so. I plan on switching to a different type of heat source depending on what I hear from the hatchery.

 

[chickenpal147]

The hatchery that I got them from is now trying to tell me that my brooder set up is wrong and that it’s my fault that the chicks died, because they have no record of other people having a problem with their chicks. I could see it being my fault if it was just one time, but this order is a replacement for chicks that I got a few weeks ago that also just out of nowhere died like these poor guys.

 

[Eggcessive]

What hatchery was used? How long were they in transit? What type of brooder do you have? For example, is it wooden, box, plastic bin, or other? Is there plenty of air ventilation? Was there any pasty butt? There may have been some bad hatches. Sorry for your loss.

 

[chickenpal147]

What hatchery was used? How long were they in transit? What type of brooder do you have? For example, is it wooden, box, plastic bin, or other? Is there plenty of air ventilation? Was there any pasty butt? There may have been some bad hatches. Sorry for your loss.

It was mcmurray hatchery, and I love using them as they are the closest one to me. The chicks were only in the mail for a day maybe 2. I use a clear plastic container as I brood them in my house for a few weeks. Ventilation is good for a plastic container, there is also a ceiling fan that is on to help with air movement and temperature regulation in the room. There was no pasty butt, no panting, no huddling under the lamp , no drafts in the room Just happy little chicks running around eating normally drinking normally and being cute little buggers. They were really strong and loud when I got them and that whole week I had them. Then out of nowhere they just started to drop like flies. I’m so upset

 

[NatJ]

What are you using for a heat source?
I've heard there's a certain type of bulb out there that poisons them.

You're probably thinking of teflon-coated heat lamp bulbs.
But that would probably kill them in the first day or so, rather than a week later.

I use a clear plastic container as I brood them in my house for a few weeks...They were really strong and loud when I got them and that whole week I had them. Then out of nowhere they just started to drop like flies.

I would look for some kind of poison or toxin in your house. Not a constant one, but one that happens only sometimes.

Possiblities include teflon pans in your kitchen, cleaning chemicals, air fresheners, anything scented (candles/soaps/detergents/etc.) Overheating a teflon pan on the stove definitely can release fumes that kill pet birds in the house, including chickens. The other things I mentioned are maybe-toxic, maybe-not, depending on what they are, so I suggest looking around to see if you find anything.

Did they die on the same day of the week? If so, pay careful attention to what happened on that day (cleaning, cooking, normal activities, special events, etc).

Other possibilities, that I think are less likely:

Any chance that a family member or guest gave the chicks some kind of "treat" that was dangerous? (Twice? Probably not.)

Anything odd with the weather? If the room got unusually hot or cold that could maybe cause the deaths (I think you would have noticed.)

Or there could be some disease that they caught, that takes that length of time before it becomes deadly. But since you say they seemed perfectly healthy and active, and you've raised chicks before (so you do know what is normal behavior), then I'm guessing not a disease. Most dieases make them act sick for a bit before they drop dead.

 

[chickenpal147]

You're probably thinking of teflon-coated heat lamp bulbs.
But that would probably kill them in the first day or so, rather than a week later.


I would look for some kind of poison or toxin in your house. Not a constant one, but one that happens only sometimes.

Possiblities include teflon pans in your kitchen, cleaning chemicals, air fresheners, anything scented (candles/soaps/detergents/etc.) Overheating a teflon pan on the stove definitely can release fumes that kill pet birds in the house, including chickens. The other things I mentioned are maybe-toxic, maybe-not, depending on what they are, so I suggest looking around to see if you find anything.

Did they die on the same day of the week? If so, pay careful attention to what happened on that day (cleaning, cooking, normal activities, special events, etc).

Other possibilities, that I think are less likely:

Any chance that a family member or guest gave the chicks some kind of "treat" that was dangerous? (Twice? Probably not.)

Anything odd with the weather? If the room got unusually hot or cold that could maybe cause the deaths (I think you would have noticed.)

Or there could be some disease that they caught, that takes that length of time before it becomes deadly. But since you say they seemed perfectly healthy and active, and you've raised chicks before (so you do know what is normal behavior), then I'm guessing not a disease. Most dieases make them act sick for a bit before they drop dead.

Thursday night is when they started to die,5 that night, then 5 on Friday, 1 on Saturday, and then 3 last night. I have 1 hanging in there. There is only three of us in the house all adults I’m the only one who takes care of the baby chicks as I am picky with what happens with them, we have had no visitors. I brood them away from the kitchen actually a whole different level then the kitchen. Then when we use any kind of cleaning sprays or fragrance things I put them out on my deck where it is in the high 80s still, I leave them out there for the day. The room they are in is one of my guest bedrooms where no one will go and bother them or give them something that could hurt them, if it gets to hot in there I turn of their heat lamp and then if that isn’t enough I move them to a cooler room, because I was in there a lot with them trying to socialize them I definitely would have noticed if the room temp dropped or skyrocketed. I also keep a few thermometers in the room and in the brooder just for extra measures. I would also like to point out that even when they were weak and tired they would take the water that I was giving them from a syringe willingly I didn’t have to force force any of them to drink.