2 dead...what to do?!?!

[MamaGer8ty]

This morning I thought my 18 week old glw was going to lay her first egg. She was hunched down and actually coming near me and letting me pet her and normally she looks at me and likes to run away. When I got back from my doctors appointment she was dead. I go to clean her up and my 8-10 week old sex link makes some noise and then just dies.

They have shade, plenty of water, and food. I don’t know what caused it but I have to make a tough decision. Do I kill the flock on the chance they have a disease and I can’t risk my family getting something from their eggs or by touching them, or do I wait and see what happens? I am the one who primarily takes care of them and I absolutely love them all and don’t know what to do. I am also having major surgery next week and will be down for a few weeks and I can’t risk getting sick beforehand or my husband getting sick and not able to watch our kids. Any thoughts and advice are very appreciated and thank you for your time!

 

[Mharris20]

This morning I thought my 18 week old glw was going to lay her first egg. She was hunched down and actually coming near me and letting me pet her and normally she looks at me and likes to run away. When I got back from my doctors appointment she was dead. I go to clean her up and my 8-10 week old sex link makes some noise and then just dies.

They have shade, plenty of water, and food. I don’t know what caused it but I have to make a tough decision. Do I kill the flock on the chance they have a disease and I can’t risk my family getting something from their eggs or by touching them, or do I wait and see what happens? I am the one who primarily takes care of them and I absolutely love them all and don’t know what to do. I am also having major surgery next week and will be down for a few weeks and I can’t risk getting sick beforehand or my husband getting sick and not able to watch our kids. Any thoughts and advice are very appreciated and thank you for your time!

Did they have any symptoms prior to today?

 

[RowanTheRed]

Give us the following information. The more you tell us, the better we will be able to help you.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use

 

[MamaGer8ty]

Did they have any symptoms prior to today?

The glw was hunched down and looked fluffier than normal. She stayed in the coop instead of coming out into the run to eat and she loves food. Other than that she was normal and that’s why I thought she might be laying her first egg. She was fact of normal last night when I said goodnight and then at 7am I was saying goodmorning and that’s when she was acting odd but I had to go to the doctor so I don’t k ow what happened during the time I was gone. The sex link was doing everything like normal and then was dead. I was not prepared to see it happen and was shocked when she died.

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi there. The chances that you'll get something from them is slim. The most common, salmonella and campylobacter would come from undercooked meat or eggs or cross contamination. If your birds haven't had any avian influenza symptoms and you cook the eggs thoroughly you should be fine without killing off your entire flock.

 

[BDutch]

Wow, this is tough. Wish you lots of strength the next week’s.

I’m no expert but I wouldn’t kill my whole flock as long as I’m not sure wat it is. Maybe ask for some expert help. @Eggcessive @R2elk @KDOGG331

 

[igorsMistress]

I would check the poop for blood or diarrhea and note the color. Could they have eaten moldy food or a poisonous plant? Any poisonous spiders or snakes around? Did you notice whether their combs were pale before they passed?

 

[ShrekDawg]

So sorry for the losses I agree though that I wouldn’t kill the whole flock as I don’t think there are very many diseases transferable to humans but I don’t know for sure. @Tesumph might. I would think the bigger concern would them having something contagious to each other since two died but

And @Kiki or @casportpony @Wyorp Rock may be able to help figure out the disease part.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow, this is tough. Wish you lots of strength the next week’s.

I’m no expert but I wouldn’t kill my whole flock as long as I’m not sure wat it is. Maybe ask for some expert help. @Eggcessive @R2elk @KDOGG331

Aw I’m hardly an expert! Haha but appreciate you thinking of me

I’m not sure.

OP... were they exhibiting the same symptoms or different? Has it been hot there at all? Sometimes one will just die but it’s concerning two died at once.

 

[MamaGer8ty]

Give us the following information. The more you tell us, the better we will be able to help you.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
She was a golden laced Wyandotte, 18wks, I don’t know the weight but she looked like normal other then her feathers looking fluffier. The other was a 8-10wk sex link and she appeared normal weight to normal as well.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
GLW was hunched down like a broody hen. Sex link was sitting in her favorite spot.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
GLW just this morning and a few hours later she was dead. Sex link, I didn’t see anything different before she died.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
The other birds are laying around more and not walking up to me like normal. They always swarm me and their combs and wattle look a little pale. They are eating and drinking like normal though.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No signs of any type of trauma.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I don’t have any clue. No fights, nothing can get in or out.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
They are eating their scratch and occasionally I’ll add some corn. They are definitely drinking water. They get fresh food and water daily.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
To me their poop is normal as well. Decent sized piles and normal grey mixed with white.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I haven’t had a chance to do any treatment.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I’ll do what I can to treat them. We don’t have thousands of dollars for them but I love them and what to do anything I can.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
No wounds at all.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
They have a plywood coop with pine shaving that is connected to a 10x10 run that has grass and pine shavings.