3-4 month old chicken sicknesses leading to death?

[deb4leaf]

I purchased some Icelandic chickens this year. And so far, I've lost all but one They were fine for the first few months, but then started dying. One week I lost 3- they were acting like they had some neurological problem (trouble walking- uncoordinated) and then died the next day. The others typically stop roosting with the others, hang their head for a few days and then die. I've never had any problems like this before, and now some of my own chickens that share a pen with them are dying too. They are in a moveable chicken tractor, so fresh grass nearly every day. We have had an unusually wet year hear in northern Alberta, Canada- so I'm not sure how much that may have to do with this. I have also been giving extra vitamins in their water (polytonin A), but am at a loss as to what is going on?

 

[Chickassan]

Possibly botulism, due to your location that is a big possibly. I've got a friend near you and his ducks are dropping like flies from it. Rain really did a number on his flock.

 

[Isaac 0]

Botulism is quite uncommon in chickens.It sounds more like Mareks to me.You should look at some article's about mareks and see if it fits the symptoms of your chickens.The only real way of knowing is to have a necropsy done on one of there bodies.

 

[Chickassan]

There actually is a tell for chickens that have botulism and that is if the feathers come off the bird easily after death.

 

[deb4leaf]

Thanks for the info, I will continue to research.