Dead Chickens mystery

[balloonflower]

First, this is no longer at emergency stage. It is now to where I am trying to figure out what happened so that we can decide what to do going forward. Background-- we had a flock of seven hens in the Denver 'burbs. Backyard situation where they have a coop, plus fenced in section of yard for their run. Shade and water not a problem. Feed fermented layer, and no changes in feeding schedule or ingredients happened during this time. Pullets were all raised together since hatch in Feb and had started laying.

A week ago Thursday, when I went to open coop to run, found the silver Wyandotte dead. This was 7ish, so not long after dawn and she was in the other end of coop from roosts, so it would seem that she woke then died. But no obvious reason, so we thought a fluke. The next Saturday morning, found my cinnamon queen dead. Now, she did look like she died during night and fell from roost. Again inspected dead bird and flock with no obvious signs. No signs of cocci in run, or anything else suspicious.

Next Monday, dead Buckeye in other end of coop, again seeming like she woke and hopped down, then died. Another buckeye and Barnevelder showing listless signs, but not obvious why. So, at this point we drove the dead buckeye up to Ft Collins for a necropsy at CSU. Kept an eye on other two. Initial reports from necropsy showed no signs--seemingly healthy bird ready to lay egg. Wednesday morn, other buckeye dead. Barnevelder still listless, so DH chose to cull and also took that carcass up for necropsy. Again, initial tests and inspection showed no reason. Down to two Easter Eggers.

Friday morning, another dead. Again not under roosts. DH tried plucking this one to check for bite marks, and nothing. She had seemed healthy and laid an egg the day before. So, now I have one very sad and lonely hen left. Seems healthy, and has since survived the 48 hour period between all other deaths. But we are stumped. CSU is running further tests, but we won't hear back for a couple more days on them. Not a coon or fox, as they wouldn't have been able to get into coop, though I know they're around. Coop is mostly enclosed in 1/2" hardware cloth, except a small section that was 1x2" wire where we expanded to allow for the door to run, plus we hadn't put the droppings tray under roosts to allow more airflow in summer so there was a 2" slit there. Doors latched each night. Since down to one, we have put the tray back under the roost area and started closing the sliding door at night, allowing no small access for possible predator.

I don't know if we might have a snake or weasel who could have gotten in, but to leave no visible signs on birds? Poison doesn't seem likely with the 48 hour timeframes--I would think more would die at a time. Again, no obvious disease sign and odd that only one at a time every 48 hours. So, I still have one lonely girl. I hate to just cull, but can't give her away not knowing is she's carrying a disease. Can't add more birds until we know it's not environmental. Anyone have any clues?

 

[theuglychick]

So sorry for your loss!

For all test so far to come back normal and for there to be no feathers, lascerations, punctures, or breaks and for it to all happen in the night my thinking is it could be a constricting snake.

We have many snakes, but rat snakes are known to kill chicks and chickens and leave the dead ones to hunt some more. Plus if the chickens are too big to swallow they'll just leave them.

I lived in Westminster, Colorado for a while and ran into the occasional bull snake. Could it be something like that? I'd def set up a cam!

 

[theuglychick]

I had to stuff all the cracks in my coop that was over 1/2 inch thick to keep the snakes out. If they can get their head into something, they can get into it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your losses. I would look at either mold in feed or some sort of toxin as possibilities in the deaths. Toxins can include insecticide, poison from chemicals, lead shot, contaminated water, or botulism from eating affected animal carcasses. Usually there are signs of illness before death that can be a clue in whatever is happening.

 

[Sutremaine]

Any crop issues? Odd chicken droppings?

 

[balloonflower]

I have been looking, and haven't noticed any unusual droppings. They seem to be normal and solid--no signs of diarrhea or bloody or other color stool.

 

[theuglychick]

Where is the coop located in your yard? What is it near? Were all the hens found dead in the same general area of the coop? Is there any source of heat or light in the coop or near it? I only ask because I'm wondering if it could be some sort of carbon monoxide issue from somewhere?

 

[balloonflower]

The coop is in a corner of the yard. The run area goes behind the coop, then turns a corner and they have access to more space out of the pic. This section of yard is shaded most of the day, but I don't think there would be a little pocket of co monoxide or something, since it is a small coop. Most dead were found over to the left in the photo, under the hanging feed dish.

I'm thinking that the snake might be a possibility. I haven't seen anything other than garter snakes around, but it is possible that a bull snake might be in the area. Poor lonely Peaches is still hanging in there, with no signs of any issues other than mites. But the mites are not bad--we have been treating since last week and haven't caused any feather loss. I did change out the hay from the coop for shavings as soon as we noticed mites.

 

[theuglychick]

Poor peaches! She's so cute.

so nothing has happened to peaches since you have replaced the droppings tray and sealed off the 2" gap?

How long before the first deaths was the droppings board removed and the gap open?

 

[balloonflower]

Yes, Peaches is such a pretty girl. And correct--after the last death Friday morn, nothing has happened to P. Starting Friday eve, we replaced the droppings tray and closed the sliding door into the roost area every night, which doesn't leave any gaps for entry.

The droppings board had been left out all summer, starting in May when the girls first went outside, so three months before any problems. It's the horizontal white board beneath the upper door and window that was just open. the 1x2" fencing that we added beneath the nestbox we started to cover with plastic to seal it (then realized we could just slide the other door).

I think we will cover that larger wire with hardware cloth now, or we actually just got another coop free (it's just missing a roof) that we will continue with if we do. I should mention that the neighbors on the other sides of both fences along the run area are supportive of the chooks, so I doubt there was sabotage from there. The yard is also locked, so not easy to enter unless you hop the 6' fence.