Another dead chicken

[TheChicInnKeeper]

We lost a banty about a month ago...... no real visible signs of being sick - since we didn't know how old she was when we got her and it had been real hot we just assumed she was old and weak and died in the heat.

Well, it's been hot here the past 2 days (90 degrees plus) and we came home to find another chicken dying. Within 10 minutes of finding her she was dead. She was just about laying age (21 - 24 weeks old), white leghorn. She seemed fine yesterday - eating and drinking and scratching around. Today when we found her my husband said she sneezed once real big and she was drooling. Then died.

We have 5 more chickens that seem just fine - eating, drinking, pooping.

No sign of runny poo or anything unusual.

Only thing I can think of that I may have messed up is we got them when they were 9 weeks old.
I've been giving them layer pellets. Would that kill them?

Please - any one with any ideas I would really appreciate it.

Cyndi

 

[keljonma]

Sorry to hear about your birds.

They are really better off without the added calcium in the layer feed until they are laying eggs. It builds up in their kidney. Not good.

Drooling? Could be anything. Check to make sure the feed you are giving them doesn't smell musty or moldy.

If she had an impacted crop, she may have been drinking water, but it was unable to go down through the crop into the proventriculus and gizzard. Because there was no where for the water and food to go, it would pour out of her beak. Possibly she wasn't getting enough grit and too much grass. The bird would be literally starving to death.

When the weather is hot, the birds need lots of cool water and plenty of shade. High temperatures are very stressful for them. Once the water gets warm, our birds won't even touch it.

You could try adding apple cider vinegar to their water. Also you could givie them probiotics in the form of yogurt with active cultures with some tumeric in it to help build their immune systems.

 

[TheChicInnKeeper]

They are in a confined area - not free range - and all in the shade except early morning a little sun comes in. They've had fresh water and we have been running a fan on them all day long.

Now that I have had time to think, she didn't eat as many greens out of my hands yesterday as she usually does. But she wasn't acting sick. I try to pay attention since losing the last one.

I put some electrolyte mix in their water this evening so homefully I won't lose any more.

And I have always worried about them getting cold!

Will try to think of other ways to cool them off.

Thanks for the post.

 

[keljonma]

I know what you mean about watching them more closely since losing one. It is hard to lose one when you are doing everything you think you possibly can. It seems some chickens aren't as tough as others.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things. Good luck; and keep us posted if anything else happens.

 

[cjeanean]

The calcium in the layer feed will cause kidney failure in young birds that are not laying age. You may want to get a necropsy done if you can (see sticky in Emergencies forum for your state necropsy) and see what it is. I would be concerned about them dying, especially without any visible signs of illness. Good luck!!!