3 chickens dead, vinegar smell, different ages, different breeds...happened quick. What happened?!?

[RachelleM1986]

I had a white leghorn hen, a brown leghorn pullet, and a modern game bantam (roo?)(4 months old, acquired from a different farm) drop dead at different times. My white leghorn was first, about a month ago; followed by the brown, about 2 weeks ago; and the game was just this morning. All 3 were literally fine the day before they died; my white was even laying eggs still. They were walking around normally (they free range during the day), eating and drinking normally, chasing bugs...they were fine. Then the next day, they just laid down on the ground and wouldn't move for anything. I ended up culling my white leghorn, and she barely bled out at all; it was like she was literally just drained. The brown ended up dying naturally, I didn't even get a chance to put her out of her misery. And the game I just wrung her neck. All 3 girls, and when they were finally "gone," they regurgitated this green, slimy, vinegar-smelling nastiness (all crops were empty btw, very squishy to the touch).

A couple other notes:
-We live in the high desert region in Nevada, and it's been in the 90's for a while now. All girls get fresh water 3x/day.
-All 3 girls came from different places - white was from a farm, brown was from a feed store, game was from a different farm.
-No previous signs of illness - sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, rattling, etc.
-All girls are wormed regularly (total flock is 42 birds now).
-No sign of mites or lice.

Has this happened to anyone else? What could this be, and what should I do to prevent it from happening again??? I hate seeing my girls in pain, and I hate pointless deaths Any help would be great!!!

 

[ten chicks]

From your description of symptoms/deaths,sounds like your girls had sour crop,which can be treated if caught early.

 

[centrarchid]

Poison? Crop issues seldom hit multiple birds at once.

 

[ten chicks]

Poison? Crop issues seldom hit multiple birds at once.

Sour crop can be bacterial or fungal,so it is possible for more than one bird to be affected. The symptoms do suggest sour crop,vinegar smell,squishy crop,birds not eating,vomiting,etc.it obviously could be something else,but i would look at crop issues first. Impacted crop can also lead to sour crop if left untreated.

 

[centrarchid]

Sour crop can be bacterial or fungal,so it is possible for more than one bird to be affected. The symptoms do suggest sour crop,vinegar smell,squishy crop,birds not eating,vomiting,etc.it obviously could be something else,but i would look at crop issues first.  Impacted crop can also lead to sour crop if left untreated.

For me sour crop is a very unusual event. When it does occur something ingested interferes with normal function of the digestive tract. That something or substance is disrupting / poisoning normal function.

Look into feeds, a sudden change in fiber intake, or odd plant on the menu.

 

[subhanalah]

Did you do a necropsy? 'Tis the season.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would consider botulism and aflatoxin poisoning as possible causes. Do they free range in areas where they might find the carcass of a dead animal or fish, maggots, or rotting vegetation? Aflatoxin poisoning can come from eating contaminated feed. Also consider other toxins such as insectisides and weed killers.

 

[seminolewind]

Yea, it sounds like botulism to me too.

 

[subhanalah]

Whoa...what happened...did I not reply or something?

 

[Eggcessive]

Whoa...what happened...did I not reply or something?

I guess I don't understand your post?