This drubbing of in-form Chesterfield was their eighth win in nine games and they have now scored 17 goals in their last five matches.
Chesterfield arrived at Boundary Park on the back of six straight wins - but they left with a thrashing they won't forget in a hurry.
Delighted Oldham boss Brian Talbot said: "We have set a standard and the trick will be to keep it going.
"But we are certainly going about it the right way."
In-form striker Chris Killen netted twice to follow up a hat-trick and take his tally to 10 goals in six games.
He opened the scoring after three minutes then added a penalty after being brought down in the box on 19 minutes.
Chesterfield, who boasted the best defence in League One coming into the match, were taken apart again in the second half when Oldham deservedly added two more strikes.
Kevin Betsy grabbed his second of the season with a stunning 25-yard drive in the 55th minute.
Then teenager Neil Kilkenny, on loan from Birmingham, made it four goals in as many games in the 62nd minute.
He was unlucky not to add to his tally a few minutes later when he crashed a shot against a post.
Outplayed Chesterfield, who never got into the contest, snatched a consolation goal when half-time substitute Caleb Folan drove home from the edge of the six-yard box with 14 minutes to go.
Spireites manager Roy McFarland admitted: "Oldham made us look second best all over the pitch and this result was a real kick up the backside." Tweet
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The transformation of Latics from relegation possibles to best in the league probables is no exaggeration.
It's all down in the main to the three young prem loanee's, a reborn Chris Killen and a new found belief within the rest of the team. As a Latics fan I know we just have to enjoy the ride whilst it lasts. Kilkenny from Birmingham at 18 years of age is pure class, whilst Croft of Man City breeds fear into any defence, makes and scores goals. Allied to these two you've got Mark Hughes from Spurs who does all the hard graft to allow the other two to shine. But what can you say about this new Chris Killen we've not seen in 2 years of waiting. The boy is just on fire at the moment and cannot stop scoring goals. With Will Haining marshalling defence like a trojan. That said, thats the spine of the team making it tick currently, with the rest of the lads playing great stuff
Chesterfield came into this game full of confidence boasting the best defensive record in the league and were made to look 2 leagues lower than Latics.
As poor as Latics were at the start of the season, they now look league beaters. Lets hope we can keep these loan players long enough to climb into the play off's, and then who knows.