Chickens dying.. (update pg2)

[mockingbird girl]

A few days ago I walked out into the coop & outdoor pen and one of my white cochins was just laying there, beat up-- pecked pretty bad around the head. Two days of babying brought him/her (still too young to tell) back and I separated him. He seemed to regain his strength so I let him back in with the others-- the next morning I went out and they had brained him to death. (I have 8 ducks & 30+ chickens).

Then yesterday, I notice ANOTHER white cochin is acting all lethargic, not beat up or anything, but he/she seems weak and like they're favoring a leg (just like the other one did). He/she doesn't want to eat or drink.. Today the same thing, still just kinda laying there doing nothing.

There's no funny discharges from either orifice. No weird stool, no nothing.

I've never had almost full grown birds just start to weaken and die out of nowhere... what is going on? Any ideas?

-Cat

 

[redhen]

could the other birds be starving him?..not letting him get any food..i'm sorry i cant be of any help..heres a bump up..Wendy

 

[mockingbird girl]

I don't think so-- I've even made a point to have plenty of opportunity to get to feed-- some in this dish, some in that, some on top of a roost, etc. I think I'm gonna go check on him while I let the dog out.

Thanks Wendy,


-Cat

:edit: He's dead.

Just laying sprawled out on his back with his legs sticking out straight. His poop that got plastered to him while he was laying in one spot was normal looking earlier today... Gosh I hope someone knows whats going on. These chickens that both died are about 4, maybe 5 months old. I've never ever had a problem before!!!! They all seem perfectly healthy and then all of a sudden I go out and they were lethargic.

 

[redhen]

well..i wish you luck...let us know how he is..Wendy

 

[BayCityBabe]

I am very, very new to this - a first year chicken "tender." Although my first instinct is to attribute bad happenings to disease, I have found that this is not always the case.
I have had a couple of incidences with my four month olds. Recently we got rid of all but one rooster. The other roosters alternately bloodied and bruised him.. We were calling it "Friday Night Fights." One week it was a wound under a wing. The next week, he was lame. Days later, we saw that one of his legs was bright purple/green (bruised) under his feathers. The next week, a chest wound. I said "Enough!"
I also found one small hen huddled in the corner recently, near death. When we quarantined her (because, of course, she must be diseased), she ate like a lumberjack! Recovered very, very quickly. Showed a personality never before seen. I plan to give her to a friend who has a quieter coop situation and I have vowed to do what I can to make things more "chill" - here.
I don't know if this helps at all, other than a reminder to view each instance individually & THEN try to see if there are links.
Best of luck to you.

 

[petitesphinx]

Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I have no clue, but wanted to wish my luck!

I would guess he's getting picked on by another bird. We let our ducks with our chickens and they peck at eachother a lot! We then let the Runner ducks out in the pond with regular smaller ducks and the male tried to drown one of the ducks in front of us; I threw a stick at him to get him to leave the duck alone. Later that night, I saw the duck floating. =-(

Broke my heart to see that, but I guess the birds will fight eachother...You might have a mean hen or rooster in that pen.

Also, my chickens of different types will fight and gang up on the others. The Banntes fight the Dominques and those fight the Americanas (?)....Good luck and I'm so sorry to hear that!

 

[mockingbird girl]

Big Black is my only 'adult' rooster in there. He is the gentlest fella ever. I can go in, pick him up give him kisses-- he lets me carry him all over the place (He's a giant cochin). The neighbors are always shocked that I can do that with a rooster. I've sat out there and watched them all interact and I can't single ANYTHING out. I don't see Big Black beating down any chicks other than putting them in their place here and there. The hens are being fine.

Also, this one that just died.. Big Black stood next to him and he huddled underneath B.B's wing. They stood like that for a long while.

What should I do? Any precautions I should take? Disinfect the coop, dishes, etc? I'm scared to lose more of my birds.

I mean sure, one of the ducks could probably be doing it.. but they usually just stay in their own area and stick together... ugh I don't know!

 

[dlhunicorn]

What are you feeding the birds? What are the temps like (incl excess rain, heat or drought)
Whenever you have more than one bird die suddenly you should really get a necropsy (call your local extension office for info on this) as anything we say here is in the end just a guess.

 

[chickenlady]

This does almost sound as if it is a case of being beat up. Maybe not by your roo but by someone.

If this is not the case, see if there is anything toxic the birds could be getting to. Moldy food, plants, stagnant water, to name a few. Sometimes the first sign you will see is limping or falling of some sort due to paralysis setting in.

 

[mockingbird girl]

Yeah thats the first sign I see is a limp.

There's nothing they can get into because they've picked the ground clean..

We're in Upstate, NY on the lake. It hasn't been rainy, or cold, but a nice steady 66 when I get up at 7am and maybe 80 degrees tops. The coop is 16'x10'.. usually only the hes go in there to lay, they always sleep outside at night. Half of their pen outside is in shade, the other in sun so they have the option to move two and from. I've got (2) 1 gal waterer's and (1) five gal that I fill twice a day. There's also a kiddy pool filled halfway for the ducks--- theres steps in and out incase they fall in, but they don't.

They get fed a layers mash since they are all together and most of them are laying... oyster shell, they also gets scraps here and there. Last night they had some organic apple & carrot shreds, the day before organic blueberries.. not enough for them to even get 1 piece each, ... They free range outside their 'enclosed' outdoor coop, but haven't in a long time because we are having predator issues with my rabbits (located on the other side of the yard) and I thought it best just to keep the chickens inside.

dlhunicorn, yeah I realize its all just a guess. I had to remove the body asap last night as if it was contagious I didn't want the other birds doing anything to it... and I also didn't want to just leave it on the ground outside so a fox, coon, or dog would come and get it. It's hard to just schedule for a necropsy since our family only has 1 car (cut down on costs), got two babies under 2 yrs of age, and hubby works a crazy 12 hr swing shift. I'm going to check over the rest of my flock today once hubby wakes up at 2pm.

I've tried reading up on some diseases.. I dunno. I just hope it doesn't wipe them all out. Especially Big Black, he's my baby.

There is one mean Pekin duck in with them.. but I haven't witnessed any beating up. I guess I'll have to sit on my porch and watch some more to find out whats really going on.
-Cat
Thanks everyone for the help.