A dead rooster & a dying hen... Please Help!!

[happyhens120]

I came home about an hour ago, only to find my big, healthy, 1.5 year old Naked Neck rooster dead in his run, and one of the hens on her way out. I examined him but found no signs of foul play, and there are no signs that an animal got into the run. There is also a hen out there that I will most likely put down when my husband gets home, and she is lethargic, can't use her legs right and her toes are curling under. They have plenty of fresh water, and I haven't changed the food.

Does anyone know what could be happening? The other three hens with him are fine with no signs of sickness. This worries me... They do not roost with my other two breeds, but I want to find out what's going on and prevent the spread if it is something contagious.

Help... please!?!

 

[soler]

is the sick hen high in pecking order? Sometimes if they eat spoiled feed etc, the first to get sick are the dominant chickens. I would try to flush her with water and epsom salts or water and molasses, look for more info on that on the site here. I have not done it first hand so i am not sure on the right mix amounts. I'd give her a chance - they can really bounce back!

 

[soler]

meanwhile check the waterer for algae / algae film on the surfaces, and see if there are clumps or poops that got in the feed, as well as something suspect in the run/coop they might have been picking at, so the other chickens don't risk eating it (if that is what it is!)

 

[happyhens120]

Well, she died before I could get out there to tend to her. I can't imagine it would be something in the feed... I feed the same thing to all 3 coops and no one else has gotten sick. I would say this hen was low on the pecking order. There is no algae in the water. The other three look good, but I'll keep an eye out. I did notice some white pasty stuff around the vent. I'm not sure exactly what that is?

Here's a question... can mushrooms make them sick/die? I noticed some mushrooms around the coop tonight that may have been nibbled on. They are gone now, just in case!

 

[soler]

it is possible, yes. did they look like they were pecked? Poor thing, am really sorry!

 

[leadwolf1]

Depending on the mushrooms, yes, they can be toxic. I make sure all wild mushrooms are quickly removed from anywhere my chickens go.