Can’t figure out why they are dying.

[SaraDavey]

Hi all,
I am so sad, I’ve lost three chicks today and another is on the way out. I cannot figure out what is wrong! Several weeks ago I had a hen that didn’t come out of the coop, I thought she was just broody so I left her alone. I checked on her later that day and she looked asleep but her comb was Very pale and she was breathing slowly. The next day she was dead. This happened to 4 of my hens, one each week.
Now I have got some month old chicks and three of them died the same way last night.
I checked them all over, no vent problems, no crop problems, I keep my grass short, no coughing. I have seen them gasp or yawn occasionally but it’s rare and we do have red mite. all bantams.
please help, I’m so sad.

 

[igorsMistress]

I'm so sorry for your losses! The best way to find out what's wrong is to send a body for necropsy to your state lab. You can't freeze it but put in a cooler with some ice or the fridge and send it ASAP.

Are your chicks in the coop with other birds? Any bloody poops? Are they eating and drinking?

You need to get rid of those mites. I would start by scrubbing the coop with some dish soap and water, then when it's dry sanitize with activated Oxine or Virkon S, then spray it with permethrin to kill mites and lice. The cleaning and sanitizing should be done at least once a year, particularly before adding chicks in Spring.

You might also ask a vet to send for a fecal float test to check for worms in your flock. This will tell you if they have worms and what kind so you can treat appropriately if they do.

Good luck, I hope you can get it figured out!

 

[LaFleche]

... we do have red mite. all bantams.

This seems to be the reason they are dying.

A red mites infestation can kill a bantam in one night, even worse with chicks.
I would get the chickens out and far away from the coop as soon as possible and only bring them back after a thorough treatment with insecticides, cleaning and disinfecting of the whole coop.

Add Nutri Drench or else to their drinking water and feed them scrambled eggs, oatmeal and beetroot to regain strength.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Agree that the mites are the likely cause of their death. You need to treat with permethrin dust every seven days for three weeks. You will also need to remove the bedding, and spray with permethrin every seven days for three weeks as well.