Chickens dieing suddenly, HELP!

[Happytat]

3 days ago, we lost our big red rooster, we found his body in the run (he was never healthy and around 4 years old). We have a hen that we noticed was acting drooply of late, but again, not our healthiest hen. Yesterday, she died (about 3 years old). We found her next to the water bucket dead, apperantly, she had been vomiting in the water. I let out all of my chickens to free-range so the desiese would be less-prone to spread and they would have a much healthier diet. They are still recieving food from me too though. Today, I went to feed my flock to find my silver laced wyandotte rooster, Moses, hunkered down, I thought it was from the cold, but when he sat down to eat, I knew there was a deeper problem. Moses is just over a year old and has always been healthy and active. I have been noticing him moving slower for a few days now, but I thought it was tempurature related. We have 2 other hens starting to move slowly too. He is still eating as of today. I moved all of the chickens out of the hen house and sprayed it with bleach water in hopes of it killing the desiese. I have given them a diffrent place to roost and made their hen house off-limits. I am currently using hay for bedding.

 

[Chemguy]

I am so sorry. Have you noticed if their crops are full? You would feel a stiff lump on the front of their breast, to the side of their breastbone. My chickens will put anything down their gullet that fits through their mouth, and would eat straw all day long if they had it available until they couldn't eat more. I've heard of chickens passing from impacted crop, where long, stiff or stringy material like straw gets stuck in their crop. Eventually, the chicken cannot even digest feed and will die.

This could be the case (I don't know this for sure, of course), even if they've been on straw all of their lives. All it takes is for them to take an interest that first time.

Again, I'm sorry to hear of this.

 

[Happytat]

Thank you! I will check!