Chickens are dying (1 a week)

[Swbertrand1]

+1 on worming. Worms will slow them down, but you might not notice it as birds are very good at hiding what ails them right up until it's just about too late. Worms in our birds sneak up on us, and before we know it, a bird suddenly looks lethargic and keels over.
Safeguard, according to some well-respected folks here on BYC, will knock out the most varieties of worms for a single product. A fecal float by a veterinarian will tell you for sure, but de-worming can be done as a preventative measure.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi,
I was hoping to get some insight here. We have had a flock of NH Reds for 3+ years. We have noticed over the past month that 1 chicken a week is dying. They all look healthy, we keep their run and coop clean, no signs of illness. We let them free range once a day. We don’t put any fertilizers or bug sprays on our lawn. All natural. Is 3 years the life expectancy or are we looking at a disease? It is so sad wondering when we will find the next bird. any ideas or guidance is much appreciated.

The poop appears normal for all but 1 that we just isolated this evening. She is lethargic, won’t walk around, pale droopy comb, and green poop remanence on her hind feathers. They all seem healthy and happy until we find one the next day dead. This is terrible. Not sure if there is anything we can do to prevent the rest from dying.

Where are you located in the world?

Can you please post some photos of the sick hen and her poop?
Have you changed feed or has feed gotten moldy?

You don't mention any of these birds actively laying eggs - have they been laying consistently?

Any swelling/bloat of the abdomen?
Crops emptying overnight?

If you lose your hen, sending the body for necropsy would give you some answers. You can look up your state lab here https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
Alternatively, you can perform an informal necropsy yourself, looking for anything obvious. If you do it yourself, then take photos and we'll try to help you with what you see.

Do what you can for the one that is not well. Work on hydration first, then offer wet feed. Do check the crop to see if it's emptying.

 

[NHRedsRock]

Have they been wormed recently?

No, I am going to pick some up today! That was what I was thinking too.

 

[NHRedsRock]

Thank you all for your insight and support! I will pick some deworming medicine up today for sure. I did not know that I could send the chicken somewhere. Thanks. I will look into that too if I lose another one.

 

[NHRedsRock]

Where are you located in the world?

Can you please post some photos of the sick hen and her poop?
Have you changed feed or has feed gotten moldy?

You don't mention any of these birds actively laying eggs - have they been laying consistently?

Any swelling/bloat of the abdomen?
Crops emptying overnight?

If you lose your hen, sending the body for necropsy would give you some answers. You can look up your state lab here https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
Alternatively, you can perform an informal necropsy yourself, looking for anything obvious. If you do it yourself, then take photos and we'll try to help you with what you see.

Do what you can for the one that is not well. Work on hydration first, then offer wet feed. Do check the crop to see if it's emptying.

We are located in the US- NH. We have seen a decrease in egg production, but assumed it was because they are 3+ years old now. We do get eggs everyday but only half the amount that we used to. Thank you for your help!

 

[LaFleche]

I would check the chickens and their coop closely for poultry mites (it is the time of the year!) and lice.

Poultry mites can literally suck the life out of a chicken in just one night.

 

[NHRedsRock]

Okay. Do you happen to have a picture of what they look like? We do a thorough coop clean once a week and use dimecious earth each time.

 

[LaFleche]

Okay. Do you happen to have a picture of what they look like? We do a thorough coop clean once a week and use dimecious earth each time.

Here you go:

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...optes mutans, is a small, spherical,... More

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/lice-of-poultry?query=poultry lice

 

[NHRedsRock]

Here you go:

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/mites-of-poultry#:~:text= Mites of Poultry 1 Poultry Red,Knemidocoptes mutans, is a small, spherical,... More

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/lice-of-poultry?query=poultry lice

Thank you!!!!

 

[LaFleche]

Poultry mites of the blood sucking kind will hide in the crevices of your coop during the day and only come out at night to feed on the roosting birds.

One way to determine if there is an infestation, would be by wrapping doublesided adhesive tape around the ends of each roost, right where they meet the coop walls.
Poultry mites on their way to feed on the chickens will stick to the tape and those already on the hens, will stick to it as well on their way back to their hide outs.