8 deaths in 2 weeks :(

[Buchananpl]

In the last 2 weeks I have lost 8 chickens/hens and I don't know the reason why. I had 3 chicks in an outdoor brooder and lost 2 last week and one over night. Last week my 4 australorps were roaming aroud our 2 acre block, one was found dead on our block, one on the empty block next door and the other 2 had vanished, ther was no sign of any injury, no feathers lying around, they were just dead. Then yestareday I found a white leghorn in the bottom of the coop, she was not dead but died whilst my husband was holding her - she seemed to have a fit and then died. There was no sign of injury on her. Last night I lost my final chick, it was found dead this morning with no sign of injury. Is there anything that kills with no trace left behind?? Ther are no dogs around here and we live in Western Australia so are lacking some predators that you would get elsewhere, I am totally stumped. I am now down to the final 4 hens and am terrified that I will lose another one.

 

[panner123]

What type of snakes do you have? That would be my thought. You could take a dead chicken to your vet and he (she) could tell you for sure.

 

[sonew123]

how old are they?
Could they have goten into something poisoness?
what do you feed them?
what do their stools look like
no sign of illnesses-goopy eyes-runny nose-raspy chests??
have you checked for lice/mites?

 

[Smoky73]

Its coming into spring there right? So is the weather changing hot cold hot cold? (Not sure how cold you guys get there) But anyway, spring and fall tends to be when birds get sick more often with the temperature fluctuations. We are heading into winter now here and have lost 3 birds this week myself.

 

[geebs]

Cocci?

 

[mikeksfarmer]

Unless you have a lot of snakes and others in your area have the same issues I doubt it is a snake. It is advised to get chicks from one source or to have them vaccinated. I suggest you autopsy your birds at the least at home. Poultry sheers cut the body open look at the organs for colors that should not be there or growths that should not be there. In time you become better and better at seeing what is wrong. To me is sounds like a disease. Consider paying a little more and getting birds from a source that vaccinates in the future. I am sorry for you loss.