chicken death

[BLACKCATFARM]

I HAVE HAD 2 CHICKENS DIE IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO. ONE WAS A WYANDOTTE AND THE OTHER WAS A RHODE ISLAND RED. THEY WERE BOTH 2.3 YEARS OLD. ARE THESE DEATHS AT A COMMON AGE FOR SUCH HIGH EGG PRODUCING CHICKENS?

 

[sawilliams]

I wouldn't consider 2 deaths in a week common regardless of age unless you have a lot of chickens

 

[The Phantom]

Did they act funny?

 

[meetthebubus]

2 in the same week could indicate illnesses examine your flock study up on symptoms isolate where necessary sorry for your loss... could be heat related or unfortunately many things you'll have to investigate and deduce

 

[aart]

More info needed....symptoms, details on flock, feeding info, etc.
Stuff listed here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/have-an-emergency-disease-please-read-first.3569/

Also, your location.
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[Mrs. K]

I have had flockmates (same age birds) die very close together from sudden death, as in they were active and eating...then I find the dead. And I would like them to live longer, but would not be terribly surprised if they didn’t.

While people post of very long lived birds. I often find that they are not. Time for more chicks.

 

[BLACKCATFARM]

2 in the same week could indicate illnesses examine your flock study up on symptoms isolate where necessary sorry for your loss... could be heat related or unfortunately many things you'll have to investigate and deduce

I'M IN NORTHERN CA. THE RHODE ISLAND WAS SLUGGISH AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS EGG BOUND. I COULD NOT CONFIRM THAT SHE WAS. SHE DID HAVE A SWOLLEN ABDOMEN. THE WYANDOTTE SHOWED NO SIGNS AT ALL. SHE CAME TO ME FOR SCRATCH IN THE AM, WENT UNDER A SHELTER IN THE PEN TO REST, AND WHEN I CAME HOME FROM WORK SHE HAD PASSED. SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE JUST THE EVENING BEFORE.

 

[BLACKCATFARM]

I have had flockmates (same age birds) die very close together from sudden death, as in they were active and eating...then I find the dead. And I would like them to live longer, but would not be terribly surprised if they didn’t.

While people post of very long lived birds. I often find that they are not. Time for more chicks.

THANK YOU FOR THIS REASSURANCE; YOU HAVE THE SAME RESPONSE THAT I WAS THINKING!

 

[sawilliams]

I'M IN NORTHERN CA. THE RHODE ISLAND WAS SLUGGISH AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS EGG BOUND. I COULD NOT CONFIRM THAT SHE WAS. SHE DID HAVE A SWOLLEN ABDOMEN. THE WYANDOTTE SHOWED NO SIGNS AT ALL. SHE CAME TO ME FOR SCRATCH IN THE AM, WENT UNDER A SHELTER IN THE PEN TO REST, AND WHEN I CAME HOME FROM WORK SHE HAD PASSED. SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE JUST THE EVENING BEFORE.

So the red could have had an internal infection probably ovi tract. There is a couple conditions that cause swollen belly but they are internal and not contagious. So her death I would consider normal health related and is very typical of heavy laying breeds. The Wyandotte is harder to say, it hasn't been to hot in my area of norcal but if it was a hot day some unfortunatly though they seem find just get to a point they cant handle the heat anymore. With her death I would check for signs of mites lice and worms in the rest of the flock treat as nessacary and if anyone else develops issues in the near future I would seperate and evaluate. But with the limited info they could both be perfectly normal and unrelated deaths that pose no risk to your flock as a whole

 

[BLACKCATFARM]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING WITH THE RHODE ISLAND. IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO DO A MITE/LICE TREATMENT. I'LL DO THAT TONIGHT TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE!