5 Dead Chickens, 3 more dyiblng. HELP!!!

[twinklemama]

Yesterday I found our fence had been knocked down and that day we lost 2 chickens and 3 more overnight. They were very weak, lethargic, and thick mucus was coming from their mouths. 2 of them were shivering as well.

Today 3 more are dying and same symptoms less the thick mucus. 1 of them also popes very water and it smelled horrific and looked almost like it has casings of something in it.

Anyone have any idea what is wrong. This is a third of my flock in just over 24 hours.

 

[shortgrass]

Yesterday I found our fence had been knocked down and that day we lost 2 chickens and 3 more overnight. They were very weak, lethargic, and thick mucus was coming from their mouths. 2 of them were shivering as well.

Today 3 more are dying and same symptoms less the thick mucus. 1 of them also popes very water and it smelled horrific and looked almost like it has casings of something in it.

Anyone have any idea what is wrong. This is a third of my flock in just over 24 hours.

My first thought was worms... But the fence was knocked down and THEN you saw symptoms? Is there a possibility of poison having been left somewhere? Rat poison, poisoned bugs, old fertilizer they may have gotten into? Maybe even something green and noxious, like raw soybeans?It's awfully fast to lose that many at once for it to be worms.

I'm so sorry for your loss!

 

[Erik the epic]

Separate The sick ones from the rest of the flock in case of a sickness but is dose sound like they got in to poison or something.

 

[Teila]

Howdy twinklemama

I am so very sorry for your loss

Do you know how was the fence knocked down? Do you know if they left your property via the knocked down fence?

If they left the property then yep, they may have eaten something they should not have, resulting in poisoning.

If the fence was knocked down by a predator, they could be in shock but that probably does not explain the mucous

 

[Isaac 0]

Is there any noticeable injury's in the affected chickens?

 

[AllynTal]

It definitely sounds like they got into something they shouldn't have. Isolate the sick ones and confine the rest to the coop until you can fix the fence and determine what it was they ate.

 

[shortgrass]

It definitely sounds like they got into something they shouldn't have. Isolate the sick ones and confine the rest to the coop until you can fix the fence and determine what it was they ate.

X2, definitely lock them up tight until you find out what's going on. And water, lots and lots of water, try to encourage them to drink. Maybe it will help flush their systems.

 

[Weehopper]

Sounds like poison to me, too. Antifreeze possibly?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chickens. Can you send a couple of refrigerated bodies in to your state vet or poultry lab for a necropsy (chicken autopsy) to look for a cause of death? Here are some links to read about how to contact them in your state, and how to go about sending:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm