Chickens Dropping Dead

[HorseFeatherz NV]

The remaining chickens - how are they doing? During the day and before roost - how well are they eating? Filling their crops? Have you done a lice/mite check?

Are you offering grit and oyster shells?

How old are these birds?

 

[lildinkem]

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

That sliding is what I have to look forward too when all this snow melts off. At least I can get some decent footing when I carry out the waterers twice a day for now. lolol
20 to 30 degrees changes is what Indy is known for. One day I went out to play golf, it was mid 60's, by the end of the first 9 holes, it was in the low 30's. lololol Fun weather!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
I'd be interested to hear your theory, since there's very little info to go on.
And also trying to bring this thread back on topic, since it has somehow been turned into a discussion about the comparative climates of IN, NV and TX.

 

[pips&peeps]

They could have gotten into something that punctured their gut and died that way also. There would be no signs on the outside, would explain not eating.

 

[dgh]

I thank everyone . I have a few of you agreeing with my suspicions.
They are all 2 years old or less. plenty to eat no signs of disease, vaccinated. 50 or so birds.
I think some of them got into rat poison when they were out. they were actually in my big barn where for the first time, I used those little pellets of poison and not the large cakes.
You cant be too careful enough.
I wanted you to keep an opened mind and see if you came to the same conclusion.
I am always so fearful of this happening, that I thought I might not be thinking objectively about the cause. I will take the next or hopefully the last bird to die to be autopsied.
I am depressed

 

[WalkingWolf]

I have lost a couple bird this year after rain and then cold. It seems to me that once their body temperature gets to low even if you raise it they go into some type of shock and stop eating. Chilled chicks rarely make it if they get wet when it is cold, they just stop eating. I do not have the problem with cold, it is the combination of wet and cold.

 

[dgh]

Honey, where I live its been only cold. Rhode Island. I do heat my barn though.

 

[ranchhand]

I am still wondering if it was rat poison? It usually causes severe hemorrhaging so I would think there would be signs of it. My dog got into some, it took massive doses of Vitamin K to save him.

I sure hope you can figure this mystery out. It's no fun losing chickens.

 

[dgh]

what would the signs be on a chicken?