Chickens dying overnight month apart

[Bryverine]

We had 4 chickens we let free range in our back yard.

About a month ago, I was putting our young hens (<6 months) into their coop when i noticed that our largest hen was very lethargic out of nowhere. Not thinking anything of it as she seemed fine that same morning, i put her on her roost and went to bed. I woke up the next morning to her dead.

No mites, wounds, clear vent, seemed fine the day before.

Last night, the same thing had started on one of my other chickens. I noticed she wasn't up on her roost out of nowhere. I took her inside to look closer for mites, etc. She perked up a bit, pooped on the carpet and I feed her some meal worms which she grabbed up right away. Satisfied, I put her on her roost. I found her in the same place this morning while everyone else was walking, eating, and scratching around.

After doing more research, I've noticed she has a very soft crop that is gassy and relatively full. I've tried massaging her crop and feeling around a bit. All i can feel is liquid and a few small rock like pebble feeling things in there. I tried feeding her some keifer with a baby (1ml) syringe this morning but she can't even hold up her head anymore. She's now lying in her coop off the ground so the little sugar ants dont get her.

Can sour crop kill them that fast or did i just not notice signs before it was too late?

We feed them fresh chickwn feed every day and the last of my two girls were pigging out this morning and are carrying on like normal.

I've always wanted chickens as I'm a huge bird lover. We got them in June off this year and they were 1-3 months old. This is so disheartening and I have no idea what I'm doing wrong here. I feel like i jumped into this prematurely after the wife and I did some research and these poor creatures are suffering because of it.

 

[Bryverine]

I just went to check on her and she's gone. Here are some pics of her and her vent (yummy).

 

[Eggcessive]

I would be tempted to run to TSC or your feed store and get Corid (amprollium) liquid or powder, and treat them all for possible coccidiosis. Dosage is 2 tsp of liquid or 1.5 tsp powder per gallon of water for 5-7 days.

Until you get Corid, give her some electrolytes or Poultry NutriDrench. Do you provide poultry granite grit for digesting grasses and other foods? I never had any crop problems with my hens until they were much older than yours. Crop problems or slow downs can be a side effect of other illnesses.

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh no. Sorry for your loss. Can you refrigerate (do not freeze) her body in a plastic garbage bag? Contact your state vet to get a necrospy to look for a cause of death. If you cannot, you may want to do your own necrosy to look at her organs, including the intestines for coccidiosis, the liver for color, and the crop and gizzard especially. Here is a good link about coccidiosis:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/2/Coccidiosis Management/43/symptoms-and-diagnosis/

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good link with state vets and poultry labs listed:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

And another article on coccidiosis:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken/

 

[Bryverine]

One more just got sick as of tonight. She ate great yesterday, had a nice full crop last night, and was walking around this morning.

I found her about an hour ago on her side, feathers puffed up in a corner, she won't run away like usual, with eyes closing. Her crop is empty and slightly squishy.

I've attached a picture of her wattery droppings (similar to my last chicken). Like my other 2 that didn't make it, she's maybe 5-6 months old.

I'm not sure if this matters but she recently ate some grass grubs and I just mowed the grass 2 days ago. I don't use pesticides or weed killers in the back. I'm trying to find any pattern here to see what I'm doing wrong.

Unfortunately, I never got coccidicosis treatment as the large span in time seemed well outside the 8 day incubation period of coccidicosis and with no blood in stool for any of the 3, I hesitated to buy anything. I was under the impression that blood or mucus would be present...

I assume I have to watch another chicken die now and I feel terrible...
I'm going to pickup some corid tomorrow and treat the chicken water for my last seemingly healthy girl. I'll try to syringe treat my sick girl if she's still alive.

 

[Bryverine]

She's dead already. She left chaulky yellow poo on the towel I gave her.

That was so fast...

 

[rebrascora]

It could be coccidiosis or it could be Marek's Disease (I think you said they are about 6 months old?) or it could be both.... Marek's suppresses the immune system so that the likes of coccidiosis, which they should have developed resistance to, can suddenly overrun them, but there are other possibilities. I would recommend you get a necropsy done to find out what you are dealing with as this will be important as regards how and when you restock or what precautions you take and since you may be left with a lone bird, you will probably want to find her a friend at some point.
Certainly start the Corid ASAP and give the sick bird a direct dose into her beak of a couple of drops of the concentrated liquid if you get liquid or dissolve 1.5 teaspns of the powder in 2 teaspns of water and give a couple of drops of that into the beak twice a day until she is acting better as well as making the normal 1.5 teaspns powder per gallon water available and treat the healthy one with the medicated water of course.
Good luck and don't feel bad, it is nothing you have done but definitely get the Corid and start treatment immediately.

 

[Bryverine]

It could be coccidiosis or it could be Marek's Disease (I think you said they are about 6 months old?) or it could be both.... Marek's suppresses the immune system so that the likes of coccidiosis, which they should have developed resistance to, can suddenly overrun them, but there are other possibilities. I would recommend you get a necropsy done to find out what you are dealing with as this will be important as regards how and when you restock or what precautions you take and since you may be left with a lone bird, you will probably want to find her a friend at some point.

Are necropsies usually expensive? I talked to a vet yesterday and they wanted $300. I'm on a pretty limited budget and that's the cost of 10 new chickens. Obviously if they get introduced to something nasty, it would just kill them too... I'm not trying to sound cheap here, but I'm going to research how easily it can be done from home and what to look for.

Certainly start the Corid ASAP and give the sick bird a direct dose into her beak of a couple of drops of the concentrated liquid if you get liquid or dissolve 1.5 teaspns of the powder in 2 teaspns of water and give a couple of drops of that into the beak twice a day until she is acting better as well as making the normal 1.5 teaspns powder per gallon water available and treat the healthy one with the medicated water of course.

She died within an hour of taking those pictures of her standing. :/

Good luck and don't feel bad, it is nothing you have done but definitely get the Corid and start treatment immediately.

Thank you for your reply, I'm going to pick some up for my last girl and start her on it to be safe...

 

[rebrascora]

Private veterinary practices are expensive and not very knowledgeable about poultry so they are not the best option for a necropsy and most will probably send the carcass off to the state facility anyway and charge a significant fee on top of the necropsy fee for handling.
Depending upon your location in the world, state agricultural or veterinary diagnostics labs are usually subsidised to a greater or lesser extent. Some charge as little as $20 (California) others can be up to $100. Some will charge extra for additional testing, others do not. They should clear any additional charges with you before proceeding to incur them. If you let us know where you live we can try to find the website for the appropriate lab and advise on charges. Carcasses need to be refrigerated (not frozen) and usually delivered in person or posted in an insulated box over ice.