8 Dead now and I am sure there will be a ninth today. At a loss....

[disneygirl]

Yes, I have already boarded up the top row I'm too short to see.

Thank you for the help and kinds words.

 

[woodmort]

I suspected it might be some kind of poisoning--birds don't suddenly die in batches like that without showing signs of disease first. Since it generally spreads from one to another the first to come down with it are the first to die while others show symptoms. Glad you located your problem though--these dangers can appear in many forms and a lot of places.

 

[halo]

I suspected poisoning of some type, too, before I read what you found. Glad you found what caused it, and everyone else is doing well.

 

[MrsChickendad]

I lost my good rooster to botulism last month. I hadn't noticed that food had spilled and molded in a corner of the pen. He acted quiet for a couple days, then just died. I found the spoiled food after he was removed from the pen. I understand mold in hay, straw, grass clippings, etc. can also kill them from botulism.

Glad you found the source of the problem, but keep an eye out for other sources, too.

 

[disneygirl]

I will be on the lookout from now on. We have a pretty clean coop, and away from all dwellings and dangers. I can't believe I let that happen and how fast it happened! This is the reason I reposted and updated. I am pretty careful and care deeply for our chickens who are more "pets" than farm animals. Lesson learned.

 

[Scoop]

Oh my goodness, what a terrible loss. I am so sorry. I'm glad you are posting tho. We can all learn so much from your experience. I know that when I see a cracked egg in my nesting boxes that I don't always clean up the mess right away. That is definetely changing as of today.
Gosh, I am just so sorry for your huge loss.

But thanks so much for letting us learn something that we may be doing wrong.

 

[coquella]

I am so very sorry to hear about your loss. I have some young juvie RIRed hens and a couple of barred rocks that are beginning to free range - they are about four months. However, I have the original two RIRed Hens that are three now. This week during the heatwave - hottest day in 33 yrs. here in North Carolina - well, I lost Henny - my best layer. Just found her dead the next morning. I had them all out around 6 a.m. hosed them off and let them free range while it was cool. Once back to their coops they all had fresh water and even that evening I double checked them again and noticed Henny drinking a lot of water . . . . .They were shaded, and I don't know much else I could have done - either/or - she was dead my the next morning. Found out since then that a lot of neighboring farmers who have a backyard flock lost a couple last week due to the heat. Now, interestingly enough - the young ones did fine and even my Silkie Flock (2 hens and 2 chicks) did not seemed bothered - always sad to say goodbye to our girls - esp. the ones we've had for 3+ yrs. Just so sad and she will surely never be forgotten. Now when we are gardening - I will always throw out melon, cuckes and tomatos. As a matter of fact, we've been doing it for years - they love to trash the scraps. Now I have seen a few flies but nothing that would concern me. I use that (sp) diatenaceous earth in their nesting boxes, and mix a small amount each week in their feed - you won't have to deal with flies nor the external or internal paracites. Usually if they leave sometihing out I rake it up and it goes to the dumpster but pertty much - they have what I call their scratch yard - mostly moist dirt - composte type that I throw the scraps out and will even throw out some Rockin Rooster scratch seed that will sprout and they love that too. However, now that I've read these responses and the fact that spoiled food can cause botulism . . . I will stop doing this as of today. Again, sorry for your loss.

C

 

[woodmort]

The older ones probably were carrying more fat so couldn't lose the heat as fast. My heat losses have generally been meat birds that I was trying to fatten. That extra fat is a help in the winter but sure is a liability in the heat.

 

[eKo_birdies]

i know a lot of people's chickens have access to their compost piles.. interesting that we don't hear of this more commonly.

i am truly sorry for your losses.