chickens dying....why?

[preciouschick]

So i posted about 2 weeks ago that one of my silkys died suddenly. The next week an ISA brown died suddenly. The are next to each other but in separate runs and coops. So today, one of my favorite silkys died. She was fine all day then just now at 5:15 I went to check on them and she was lethargic. She usually runs but didnt move. So I picked her up, she had a squishy crop, all fluid yellow and cloudy looking. it was coming out of her mouth. I felt her crop and it was pouring out of her mouth when her head went down. Is this sour crop or something else? They all eat kale and some other greens. They have access to feed and water. I clean their waterers. I thought maybe it was algae in the water. It could of been. I really try to keep them clean. Could some bacteria be present in the runs? I did not notice if the other 2 had squishy crops.
I am so mad and heart broken that this is happening all of a sudden, And i dont know what to do.
Any help Would be greatly appreciated. I will try anything!!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So i posted about 2 weeks ago that one of my silkys died suddenly. The next week an ISA brown died suddenly. The are next to each other but in separate runs and coops. So today, one of my favorite silkys died

What are their relative ages?

Do you still have the one that passed today? Can you refrigerate and send the Silkie in for necropsy and diagnosis?

Contact info if so.. AT the very least I would call them and have a discussion about what you're seeing..

https://www.vet.upenn.edu/veterinar...s/padls-laboratory/avian-pathology-laboratory

https://extension.psu.edu/poultry-diseases-where-to-get-help

Sorry for your loss.

 

[preciouschick]

What are their relative ages?

Do you still have the one that passed today? Can you refrigerate and send the Silkie in for necropsy and diagnosis?

Contact info if so.. AT the very least I would call them and have a discussion about what you're seeing..

https://www.vet.upenn.edu/veterinar...s/padls-laboratory/avian-pathology-laboratory

https://extension.psu.edu/poultry-diseases-where-to-get-help

Sorry for your loss.

the one that died today was 1 1/2 years approx. The white one was 10 months. The Isa brown was 1 1/2 years.
Does it sound like sour crop? I was thinking she could of aspirated on all that fluid.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The last one does sound like there may have been crop dysfunction whether it was sour or first blocked/impacted then soured is hard for me to say.. and there can be several causes. Aspiration is a definite possibility.. usually indicated by crackling breath and increasing lethargy.. not sure if it could cause "sudden" death.

The big question being are the recent deaths random or related.. it's seems like an awful lot, close together.. which is unfortunately sometimes how it goes.

Bacteria, protozoa, fungi, mycotoxins (probably more) are all possibilities of things that can be found in chicken runs and sometimes feed. Some virus' travel on the air or spread by migrating birds. Some folks send in feed and soil samples when diagnosing multiple sudden deaths.

How large are the runs, with what type of bedding/flooring, with how many birds? Is there anything new growing near or around the runs?

Where were the varying bodies found.. in the lay box, under the roost, by the feed, etc? Had any been sitting broody for too long before passing? Just trying to help look for clues like possible egg binding or other conditions.

 

[preciouschick]

So i posted about 2 weeks ago that one of my silkys died suddenly. The next week an ISA brown died suddenly. The are next to each other but in separate runs and coops. So today, one of my favorite silkys died. She was fine all day then just now at 5:15 I went to check on them and she was lethargic. She usually runs but didnt move. So I picked her up, she had a squishy crop, all fluid yellow and cloudy looking. it was coming out of her mouth. I felt her crop and it was pouring out of her mouth when her head went down. Is this sour crop or something else? They all eat kale and some other greens. They have access to feed and water. I clean their waterers. I thought maybe it was algae in the water. It could of been. I really try to keep them clean. Could some bacteria be present in the runs? I did not notice if the other 2 had squishy crops.
I am so mad and heart broken that this is happening all of a sudden, And i dont know what to do.
Any help Would be greatly appreciated. I will try anything!!!

The last one does sound like there may have been crop dysfunction whether it was sour or first blocked/impacted then soured is hard for me to say.. and there can be several causes. Aspiration is a definite possibility.. usually indicated by crackling breath and increasing lethargy.. not sure if it could cause "sudden" death.

The big question being are the recent deaths random or related.. it's seems like an awful lot, close together.. which is unfortunately sometimes how it goes.

Bacteria, protozoa, fungi, mycotoxins (probably more) are all possibilities of things that can be found in chicken runs and sometimes feed. Some virus' travel on the air or spread by migrating birds. Some folks send in feed and soil samples when diagnosing multiple sudden deaths.

How large are the runs, with what type of bedding/flooring, with how many birds? Is there anything new growing near or around the runs?

Where were the varying bodies found.. in the lay box, under the roost, by the feed, etc? Had any been sitting broody for too long before passing? Just trying to help look for clues like possible egg binding or other conditions.

So in the order of death it was white 11 month old silky who was broody once. Next was an ISA brown that was 1 1/2 years who lives in the ajoining pen. They are nextvto eachother but separate.
The next was my 1 1/2 year old beige
silky. she was the one with the fluid crop.
The only new thing i did was put fans in for cooling in the run. I did use some lime on the dirt floors( first time using lime. I will start using DE again.I ran out) of the runs then put pine shavings down.
I give them kale and squash from the garden, lemon balm and Clover.
Both runs are 10 x 10. The ISA browns have an extra 4 x 10 under and infront of the coop that is connected to the 10 x 10. There are 11 browns and now 6 silkys.
Pine shavings in the coops as well.
I think some of the browns combs are a little pale, and some are molting a little. Thecwhite wasnt broody at the time of her death but wasnt laying as much.
The brown and the white silky died inside the coops. The beige died in my arms with fluid pouring out of her mouth.
I checked for signs of the flu but none looked like they had those. symptoms.
It could all be coincidental or related hard to say. I am keeping a close eye on them.
The runs have bird netting all around them. some still get in but not as many as before. Mice are present and i have traps around the outside by the feeders.