We have 9 Buckeye hens that will be 2 years old in June. In Nov,2011, there were 13. They started to molt in Nov, and one looked particularly rough, lots of feathers gone and skinny. When I let them out one morning, she didn't come out, I went in the coop and she was dead in a nest box. I gave the rest a dose of worm med ( wazine) . Then in Jan, another died, no prior symtoms or noticable problem, just dead one morning. By Feb. all were feathered again and looking fat and healthy and had started to lay again. Another laid down and died mid Feb. Yesterday another looked sick, wasn't real active in the run but had a good apetite, by lockup time, she was laying in a corner of the run eyes closed but still breathing and warm, so I put her in the coop. This morning she was gone.
I treat their water with acv, have de in the coop, they eat layer feed and treats, lettuce and leftovers.
The run is built on what seems to be a trash area from the previous people that lived here. As the chickens scratch around, they bring up pieces of glass and metal and all sorts of other trash. Could the chickens have eaten something that caused them to die? I do a close inspection of the run several times a day and run a big magnet around to find metal. I built the run to be a permanent structure, so movnig it is not an option.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
mrkep
I treat their water with acv, have de in the coop, they eat layer feed and treats, lettuce and leftovers.
The run is built on what seems to be a trash area from the previous people that lived here. As the chickens scratch around, they bring up pieces of glass and metal and all sorts of other trash. Could the chickens have eaten something that caused them to die? I do a close inspection of the run several times a day and run a big magnet around to find metal. I built the run to be a permanent structure, so movnig it is not an option.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
mrkep
