6 chickens dead in 2 weeks! HELP

[chicknmania]

I just sent you a PM about your cockerel but then I saw this! That is terrible i'm so sorry you are having those problems! Please consider getting a necropsy on one of your dead birds, you can have one done if it's less than 24 hours since death, or a little more. Ask any vet to give you a referral to your state agriculture department for a necropsy. Prices vary for those, but they are usually not expensive, and some are free. At the rate of death you are experiencing, ILT comes to mind, though usually you will have other symptoms, like rattly breathing, coughing blood, or swollen eyes. If you can't get a vet to give you a referral (IF YOU HAVEA VET FOR YOUR OTHER ANIMALS, JUST CALL AND ASK THEM IF THEY WILL REFER YOU, THEY SHOULD, FOR FREE) ALSO just call the state agriculture department and ask for help. They MAY give you an idea what's going on, they will know about diseases affecting poultry in your area, and what's going around and what isn't. Do it asap, don't wait! AND Oxine is WONDERFUL stuff, ten times more powerful than bleach, you can mix a little with water and use it in a spray bottle, you don't have to do the mister thing that it says on the bottle. You can even spray the birds themselves with it it (lightlly), and put a few drops in their drinking water. I know you know this, but ISOLATE all your sick birds! And disinfect like crazy! A necropsy will tell you a lot of valuable info, in fact, if you have a sick bird right now, if the state will do a necropsy for you, I would recommend asking them if they will euthanize the bird and do the necropsy that way. They would prefer that, if they're going to do a necropsy, anyway.

If you're using heat lamps, just use one or two and put them somewhere, where the birds have free choice to use them, or not. We use them when it's in the single digits like it has been, but only during the day, we turn them off at night. And even then, a lot of the birds choose not to use them. They really can stand a lot of cold, even the peafowl.

Please let us know how they're doing! WE care.

 

[MaremmaX2]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to call my vet today. I only have heat lamps for my young birds and they have a large pen so they can move far away if they are hot. None seem sick at all they just suddenly die. I go up in the am and pm to feed and check on them. I can also see them from my window and almost all go out everyday. I have them separated by age right now but I haven't quarantined because none show signs of illness. It's so sad not knowing why they are dying

 

[chicknmania]

You can use Oxine without the fogger. Just mix some in a spray bottle with water. It works extremely well. And less hassle. You can also mist the birds with it with the spray bottle, and put a couple of drops of Oxine in a gallon waterer.

 

[CottonGinWaste]

I really like the idea of the necropsy, if it can be arranged. Sorry I can't help with details, I need to learn the protocol myself. I've only had 1 unexplained death recently (only 1 ever, in 2 1/2 yrs . . .) so I need to plan for the future also. . . . good luck.