Please help! I believe a bacterial infection is killing my girls!

[kraftykrow]

There is a clue for us. They really don't NEED anything other than a complete chicken feed. It is formulated to meet all the vitamin, mineral, amino acid, fat and energy requirements chickens are known to need to be healthy. Feeding too many other things can create nutritional deficiencies.

I remember reading about that. Mostly I give them dried millworms, sometimes seed treats (not a lot though with it being so hot). Besides that just fruit and veggies. I'd hang a lettuce maybe once week and they'd devour it in 5 hours. When it was really hot I'd give them frozen berries. I attempted giving them kale or something but they turned their noses up a lot of the time, probably because they knew I had better stuff. Once the first one died (Hennessy) I cut back severely on those occasional treats, but didn't seem to change anything since Murder Parade died too. They eat crumble feed, little bit of oyster shells mixed in and grit on the daily. They were all 3 big, beautiful, happy birds until one day, already almost dead.

Edit: If it IS viral or bacterial, do you know what I can do to try to help my last one (Henocide)?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I remember reading about that. Mostly I give them dried millworms, sometimes seed treats (not a lot though with it being so hot). Besides that just fruit and veggies. I'd hang a lettuce maybe once week and they'd devour it in 5 hours. When it was really hot I'd give them frozen berries. I attempted giving them kale or something but they turned their noses up a lot of the time, probably because they knew I had better stuff. Once the first one died (Hennessy) I cut back severely on those occasional treats, but didn't seem to change anything since Murder Parade died too. They eat crumble feed, little bit of oyster shells mixed in and grit on the daily. They were all 3 big, beautiful, happy birds until one day, already almost dead.

Edit: If it IS viral or bacterial, do you know what I can do to try to help my last one (Henocide)?

There's another clue. Don't mix anything with feed. That's because it is nutritionally complete. Adding anything changes the balance. Is the feed layer crumble (4% calcium) or starter crumbles (1% calcium)?
If you mix oyster shell with the feed, they have no choice but to over consume calcium in order to eat.

 

[Eggcessive]

It can be very hard to know what killed them without a necropsy. Knowing ages, what the crops felt like before they got sick, droppings, checking for a stuck egg, and any other symptoms would be helpful. The soft eggs sound possibly like a reproductive disorder, or egg binding. Something like coccidiosis, can kill chickens who have not built up a tolerance to it, especially young ones. Crop impaction, worms, mold in feed, getting into a toxin from chemicals, eating remains of a dead animal or vegetation that has been underground or underwater, automotive drippings, or other things could be possible. I agree that I would only feed chicken feed with 16-20% protein as 90% of the diet. Chickens do not need fruit, and if they are eating feed, anything else should be only given sparingly and occasionally. Mine only get occasional chopped egg and some sunflower kernels once in awhile. Grit to digest other foods should be available. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Sequel]

Yeah, I'm a newb and despite how hard I've tried to be a good chicken owner, feel like I'm failing at every turn. Really discouraging to even try again if my last one goes. I don't want to be responsible for more death.

I know just how you feel! After working so hard to get everything right it just feels so unfair, doesn’t it? Well it’s not your fault, you gave them a great life! Some People don’t understand how you can get so attached. Well we do like any other animal.

Let yourself grieve for a bit, it’s perfectly understandable! You certainly aren’t alone here, in your loss or your grief! Having chickens is fun and rewarding and heartbreaking depending on the day. Just don’t be too hard on yourself. Easier said than done, I know!

 

[kraftykrow]

I know just how you feel! After working so hard to get everything right it just feels so unfair, doesn’t it? Well it’s not your fault, you gave them a great life! Some People don’t understand how you can get so attached. Well we do like any other animal.

Let yourself grieve for a bit, it’s perfectly understandable! You certainly aren’t alone here, in your loss or your grief! Having chickens is fun and rewarding and heartbreaking depending on the day. Just don’t be too hard on yourself. Easier said than done, I know!

Thank you so much. I've spent the whole day at work just trying not to cry. As heartbroken as I am, I'm scared for my last one more. Idk if I have the time to stop this even if I did have one of the others tested and it's too late now having been frozen and buried. My last girl seems so lonely and confused. I dont know what to do.

 

[kraftykrow]

Is there anything I can do to help her loneliness? My remaining girl is just crying and walking around confused and alone. I tried to spend some extra time with her but I work full time. And theres no way I can replace a fellow hen. I watch her and just feel horrible for her, but I cant put new chickens with her until I know she is well.

And I guess I won't have a way of knowing until a good amount of time passes, apparently the vet who saw livestock retired a few months ago... fantastic.

 

[kraftykrow]

It can be very hard to know what killed them without a necropsy. Knowing ages, what the crops felt like before they got sick, droppings, checking for a stuck egg, and any other symptoms would be helpful. The soft eggs sound possibly like a reproductive disorder, or egg binding. Something like coccidiosis, can kill chickens who have not built up a tolerance to it, especially young ones. Crop impaction, worms, mold in feed, getting into a toxin from chemicals, eating remains of a dead animal or vegetation that has been underground or underwater, automotive drippings, or other things could be possible. I agree that I would only feed chicken feed with 16-20% protein as 90% of the diet. Chickens do not need fruit, and if they are eating feed, anything else should be only given sparingly and occasionally. Mine only get occasional chopped egg and some sunflower kernels once in awhile. Grit to digest other foods should be available. Sorry for your loss.

Their eggs had been normal. They look and acted perfectly healthy, sa t least the last one who died was. I didn't see the first one who died for 3 days before she passed. But even before than, eggs were great, active and happy, then suddenly they are acting weak and dying. My two lost girls are already buried, unless the last one dies, I dont have an opportunity to find out. Hell, honestly with my crazy work schedule I dont even know if I could get one sent off in time.

 

[kraftykrow]

I dont know what is worse, waiting weeks to see if she survives and see her miserable alone, crying for her flock mates and possibly die from the stress of it or risk finding new hens and they all get whatever it is and die.

It feels hopeless and like one way or another she's going to die.

 

[slordaz]

It's hard to say, if I notice one is off, I usually feed a small amount of minced garlic, Thought my rooster was going to go down and between 2 blobs of coconut oil and about a tsp of garlic, he bounced right back, was having difficulty seemed like with this molt. but a couple months back a hen looked and acted fine until she went to lay her egg and was gone within the hour she laid what looked like thickened egg white no yolk or shell just before she died.

I am sorry for your loss, and know we are here with you as we've all suffered an unexplained loss at one point or another. All we can do is give em the best life possible

 

[dmvelez]

Sorry I have no advice but yes, don't beat yourself up over it. You obviously tried your best and sometimes bad things just happen. They had a great life while it lasted, certainly better than they would have had in a huge production facility!