Chickens Dropping Dead

[dgh]

I have a theory, ill save it I don't what to influence y our thinking.
Everyone is healthy,
no sneezing,
good appetite, some bread, sunflower seed, corn, layer pellet vitamins and electrolytes in water.
got loose last week spent a day around and about.

First died at nite. near water, litter on face , chicken may have been drinking prior to death. CROP EMPTY.

2 dead 2 days later, found outside. CROP EMPTY.

 

[card5640]

I am sorry to hear this, I would get some anti biotics into them and maybe some electrolites and is your feed spoiled?

 

[dgh]

read what im feeding them, everything is fresh. no visible signs of illness

 

[lildinkem]

Are these birds new to you? Do you have other birds that you introduced them too? Sometimes just good eats and fresh water will not ward off some diseases. And some cases the birds are not able to fight off new diseases. Without knowing more details it is hard to say what did them in?

 

[Penturner]

"read what im feeding them, everything is fresh" You also list "Everyone is healthy" It is a bit hard to take your words literally as truth since evidently 3 dead birds fall under "Healthy" I will take it that you mean everyone "Appears Healthy" I would then also say it only "Appears" your feed is fresh. My first suspicion is that they got into something when they got loose, since drinking is part of the mystery My first guess is they found the rat poison while they where out.

 

[applefalls]

I'm guessing they got into something when they were out last week, but that seems so long ago. No signs between then and now, though, which is odd. What is your theory?

 

[TexasVet]

I've had the same thing happen... two dead birds in a week, both with empty crops. Seemed totally healthy until they retreated to a nest, where they stayed until they died. Neither would take food or drink, even when tempted with their favorite treat, bread. One was two years old, the other under a year.

I'm beginning to wonder if our record-breaking rain has something to do with it, because the run is nothing but mud, and has been for weeks. They have things to stand on that will get them out of the mud and water, and they free-range for a couple of hours per day. But no one is sneezing, coughing, or has runny eyes.

Feed is Layena, supplemented with hen scratch, oats, and leftovers (no greasy or salty stuff).

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.ChickenTrackin.com

 

[lildinkem]

I'll trade ya KHayward, here it is down to 5 degrees overnite... lolol

 

[TexasVet]

Quote:
Another week or two of rain and I may take you up on it! You can't walk any where on my place without boots, and the siding on the house is turning green from the algae. No sun either! It's cloudy and dreary, and the temp can move up or down by 20-30 degrees on any given day. It's driving me nuts!

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.ChickenTrackin.com

 

[Penturner]

Kathy, you don't want to live here if the temp swing doesn't suit you. we get that every day of the year. 40 or 50 at night with days as high as 90 to 100 in the summer, but night will be back down to 40 or 50. we don't get the moss thing going though. High Mountain Desert. We have had more rain this year than I remember seeing in nearly 40 years of living here. we have had mostly cloudy days since November, that never happens. I have only seen the ground dry for a hand full of days in the last two months. usually we have a hand full of wet days in an entire year. I can only imagine what it is like in the mid west where it knows how to rain.