Please help. Second hen in 3 days is dying.

[HeritageFan]

Please do let us know what the results of the necropsy shows-
I’m so sorry for your losses, and hope that the results will prevent further losses.
And
Sharing the results might help the community help someone else in the future

 

[Tonyroo]

I also have done away with my compost pile after losing chickens to the evils that often lurk there. Compost piles often have a deep layer of anaerobic bacteria and it can kill in less than 24 hours after a chicken eats from it. The symptoms are extreme lethargy and white and clear watery poop. If it's treated early with an antibiotic, the chicken can survive. I use amoxicillin 250mg but if you have other broad spectrum antibiotic on hand, you may be able to use one of them.

I agree, I've seen some of my flock get sick from grazing on my active compost. So I removed the compost entirely and kept it bone dry.

Although I didn't lose any of them, it's difficult nursing half your flock back to health.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I'm sorry about your hen.
Hopefully you will get more info soon so you can get on top of whatever is happening

You don’t need to see worms for them to be there, unless you mean you are doing fecal tests? I think you can use most worming medication alongside Corid safely. If you haven’t wormed recently it could be worth a shot. The same conditions that favour coccidia favour worms, i.e. rain, wet ground, warm weather.

I don’t deworm on a schedule. Lots of debate on that and I dont know where I sit on that fence atm. But is something I will consider next. I may just do it to do it but if there’s some mycotoxin impacting the liver I don’t want to give a medication that requires hepatic clearance— I have to do some research on it when I get time today

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Just this week I discovered I wasn’t giving the right sized grit to my flock. They were all getting fine grit because that’s what the shop had, but I kept finding poops with little rocks in them. The main culprit is my biggest hen (3kg+) who also suffers intermittent crop stasis/slow crop. I put out medium grade grit yesterday and it was almost all gone this morning. I think a lot of my adult birds may prefer it. Even if your flock free ranges, I would still offer grit and oyster shell so they can have it if they need it.

I picked some up last night. Trying to cover all bases based on everyones thoughts here. thx for the grit info— very helpful in clearing up the misconception that flocks don’t need it if free ranging.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

After a mysterious disease killed 2 hens I fenced my chickens out of my compost piles and only recently started composting again(my chickens are fenced out of both)

any similar illnesses since doing that?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

can kill in less than 24 hours after a chicken eats from it. The symptoms are extreme lethargy and white and clear watery poop.

The common thread was lethargy. watery poop with urates, rapid death.
I often saw the two now dead hens together in the compost long before and after any of the other chickens. I have not turned my compost in a month- just been busy. I think you are on to the cause here, thank you.
One of the liver disease ref articles from @Wyorp Rock showed diff between fatty liver and mycotoxin liver. Recalling the liver from the home exam the appearance was most consistent with mycotoxin than fatty. I would not expect fatty liver to cause death before signs of heart failure, which was absent. I have it narrowed down to toxin caused by ingestion or toxin due to infection with a virulent pathogen. Compost will be secured by tomorrow. TY

 

[McChooky]

any similar illnesses since doing that?

None at all thanks!

 

[McChooky]

The common thread was lethargy. watery poop with urates, rapid death.
I often saw the two now dead hens together in the compost long before and after any of the other chickens. I have not turned my compost in a month- just been busy. I think you are on to the cause here, thank you.
One of the liver disease ref articles from @Wyorp Rock showed diff between fatty liver and mycotoxin liver. Recalling the liver from the home exam the appearance was most consistent with mycotoxin than fatty. I would not expect fatty liver to cause death before signs of heart failure, which was absent. I have it narrowed down to toxin caused by ingestion or toxin due to infection with a virulent pathogen. Compost will be secured by tomorrow. TY

Fatty liver isn't common in free ranged chickens. They eat a lot of bugs and grass which are healthy. Fatty liver is linked to High-energy diets in layers that get little to no exercise.Free ranging lowers their risks apparently.I hope you get to the bottom of it soon to prevent any more losses! I love each and every one of my hens like you and sorry you lost 2 of your girls! I know you loved them!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I'm sorry about your hens

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Update on necropsy info- I am so disappointed.
I called MSU ( MI state) vet diagnostics lab for shipping instructions..they were great.
I called USPS, UPS and got nothing but roadblocks. 1. I’m told in my region they do not see the advertised cold chain of custody boxes at any USPS hub in the UP of MI. UPS had no idea what I was talking about..? 2. Neither could guarantee overnext, next day delivery unless it left by noon. They suggested I order cold box and ship Monday- not helpful. Ok—dry ice?? Nope. They cannot ship dry ice via air and require dry ice to be ventilated with holes in the box. Ground transport overnight takes two days even if paid for overnight, and cannot ship more than 5 lbs dry ice.

FedX- $300 to ship!! and..no guarantees of overnight plus same dry ice rules.
Called state ag ext— was rec to call my vet.
Called my vet- not an avian vet- to see if she was willing to ship and ( very understandably) did not want potential for biohazard in their offices.
Recalled MSU lab who recommended waiting until Monday to ship overnight. Rinse repeat.

So, I guess that’s it. I will do my own field necropsy and make an educated guess as to what killed two previously healthy vibrant birds. I am picking up a boat load of amoxicillin and dewormer tomorrow. I have isolated the compost pile and will finish treatment for coccidiosis as its nearing day seven. Hoping for the best as its all I can do.
Lesson for today kids: Regionally isolated area are beautiful but accept the risk of poor public services cuz your SOL if something serious happens!!
Thankfully my remaining girls look ok- loose stools in two now but they are foraging with the flock in good spirits.

I greatly appreciate and value all of you on BYC- I will take pics of necropsy tomorrow and if findings are similar to the first bird I hope together we can draw a conclusion.