Rooster's are dying, dropping like flies! Calcium??

[Newbiechickchic]

Is there anything from the egg development period that could do this 8 months after hatching? They've all been 100% normal and healthy up until this starts, then dead in 2 days.

 

[LaFleche]

Check their feed for mold.

What kind of water do you use for them and what water dispenser?

Did you or anyone of your neighbours put out rat poison lately?

Are the males housed near where poisonous critters/insects reside?

If/When the next one dies, send him to your state vet lab for necropsy.

 

[coach723]

I would highly recommend that you have this one necropsied when he passes. Contact your nearest lab now, so you know what to do. Refrigerate, don't freeze, the body. There are many things that could be an issue, the necropsy will tell you for sure. We would just be guessing, it could be bacterial, viral, environmental, fungal, genetics, it's impossible to say. But since you are losing multiples, the necropsy is absolutely your best option so you know for sure. That way you will be able to decide what is best to do going forward.

 

[Newbiechickchic]

A photo below. It only lets me attach one. Using a Kindle...

 

[Newbiechickchic]

Check their feed for mold.

What kind of water do you use for them and what water dispenser?

Did you or anyone of your neighbours put out rat poison lately?

Are the males housed near where poisonous critters/insects reside?

If/When the next one dies, send him to your state vet lab for necropsy.

Well water, very good (though a tad high in iron). I have used rat poison before, but only where rats can get it, and none used in the past few months. Again, no hens are dying. Rooster's are free-range with the hens.

 

[ChasingChooks]

I had a rooster die after I had him for a year or two. Ignorantly, I was feeding layer feed to him and the hens. His comb got dark purplish, and he was very lethargic/depressed. He even let me pick him up, which was unusual. After a couple days, he died. I'm guessing it was a calcium overload.

Roosters can be fed grower feed or an all-flock feed. Then, you can supplement calcium to your hens by feeding them eggshells, or putting out some oyster shell.

I hope you can solve the issue!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Just got a couple of videos, but he's active in them, trying to get away from me. You can't really tell in these that he isn't acting or looking right. But he is otherwise showing signs of inactivity, hunching down, tail feathers down, and doesn't seem to be eating. Same behavior as the previous 3, so if it continues he'll die by tomorrow. It's very quick. When the other's died, I looked up possible causes here and there were posts about too much calcium in layer feed, and explained these symptom's. These rooster's have all been hatched from my light brahma rooster, and mostly ISA Red hen's, though one was black, so that one must have been from my black hen.
Videos are not uploading...?

To add a video it must be uploaded to another platform like YouTube, & linked back here.

 

[LaFleche]

Did you check the birds and their coop for poultry mites? They suck the blood of the birds at night leading to severe anemia and sudden death.

 

[Newbiechickchic]

Did you check the birds and their coop for poultry mites? They suck the blood of the birds at night leading to severe anemia and sudden death.

I have been looking for mites on those that die, and on the hens. I haven't seen any.

 

[coach723]

Have you looked in his beak or throat? Those black spots may be fowl pox, which is spread by mosquito's usually. The dry form has just the spots/scabs and usually passes in a few weeks with no real issues. The wet form can cause lesions in the mouth and throat and is more serious. The picture is to far away and not focused enough for me to tell for sure, but I would definitely look in his beak and throat.