Chicks seem to choke to death

[Jcarnahan]

We had a 3 week old jersey giant seemingly choke to death. He was struggling to breathe but no obvious reason. Acted like it was choking. This morning we lost a 2 week old turkey chick but this one had food in its mouth. It was fine then my daughter went out maybe an hour later and it was already dead. We thought maybe they had caught something when the first one dies because there has been a couple with a slight popping noise in their lunch but no other symptoms. There are no other symptoms though. No runny poop or discharge from their nose or mouth no blood. Everyone is eating and drinking. They have apple cider vinegar in their water. All chicks are on the appropriate starter(game bird started for turkeys and chick starter for the chickens) I also have chick grit available and poultry booster added to their food. The brooder is large enough they can easily get away from the heat. I was using coffee ground bedding but I was concerned it was causing the popping in their lungs so we switched back to wood chips which I made sure was kiln dried. I have no idea what caused the deaths. I’m hoping someone with years and years of experience could chime in. This is my second batch of chickens and turkeys Ive raised with this being my third year raising birds. I have never had anything like this happen.

Edit: We did have one other turkey chick die but it never ate or drank and got really lethargic so I am pretty sure that was a failure to thrive. I had two chicks die of that last year that I purchased as chicks rather than hatching them out, and that turkey showed the exact symptoms. I don’t think its realated to the chicks listed above but I thought I would mention it incase. I also gave the chicks with the popping noise in their lungs vetrx by rubbing a bit on the top of their beaks hoping it would help. It seemed to a bit but not totally. The turkey chick that seemed to die from failure to thrive was hatched with this popping noise. It never drank so I have to assume whatever caused it happened before it hatched.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about your chick and poult, hard to know why they died unless you investigate further with necropsy. This can be done through your state lab or you can do an informal investigation yourself.

Since your other chicks and poults seem to be o.k., perhaps these 2 were hurrying to eat? Try adding another feed and water station in the brooder to lessen competition.

 

[Jcarnahan]

I'm sorry about your chick and poult, hard to know why they died unless you investigate further with necropsy. This can be done through your state lab or you can do an informal investigation yourself.

Since your other chicks and poults seem to be o.k., perhaps these 2 were hurrying to eat? Try adding another feed and water station in the brooder to lessen competition.

Actually that might be it. I will add more! Thank you. I did not think of this!