Chickens Keep Dying Help?

[katelk]

You might want to get a baseline weight on all of them, because I suspect that they don't go from being fat and healthy to skin and bones in a week. 

-Kathy

I looked at the calendar are you're right, the last time I picked up the one who died yesterday was exactly 14 days prior. At that time, she felt totally normal. I am always checking them when I can to see if they feel like they are losing weight because I am paranoid. That was when my husband was out of town, so I was doing what is usually his nightly chore of putting the chickens up. The one that died yesterday was at least 2 years old when we got her and already had some sort of leg issue. Not sure what exactly, but she never was able to steady herself on the roost, so part of putting the chickens up each night included picking her up off the coop floor and putting her in a nest to sleep (which she seemed to love, as she was always just standing right there in front of her "bed" waiting to be tucked in haha) I was at work when she died, but my husband was holding her as she died and he said that some brown fluid came out of her nose and mouth when she dropped her head. I assumed it was maybe that she had been drinking a lot and eating very little? It was in the 90s and humid yesterday.

 

[katelk]

I was watching the chickens earlier and I think another one is on her way out. This will be the 3rd in the last few weeks. All three of these most recent ones were 2+ years old. I also have gotten all of them from the same person several months ago. The one I suspect is on her way out is just looking droopy and sleepy and her comb (a big floppy crested cream legbar comb) is more floppy looking than usual and has a deep red-purplish tone to it. This has been the same indication of being near death for several of the others too. What the heck is going on? They also only seem to die in the spring/summer. Winter went quite well with no issues.

 

[Kiki]

that's sad.

 

[mchlldickson]

This exact scenario just happened to me with my 6 mo old austrolorp! I mean honestly down to dying in my arms and the brownish fluid coming out! It took 2 days from me noticing she kinda lethargic, wasn't coming for treats, not eating as much to her dying! It was scary! I'm so sorry you're loosing your birds!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I was watching the chickens earlier and I think another one is on her way out. This will be the 3rd in the last few weeks. All three of these most recent ones were 2+ years old. I also have gotten all of them from the same person several months ago. The one I suspect is on her way out is just looking droopy and sleepy and her comb (a big floppy crested cream legbar comb) is more floppy looking than usual and has a deep red-purplish tone to it. This has been the same indication of being near death for several of the others too. What the heck is going on? They also only seem to die in the spring/summer. Winter went quite well with no issues.

If she goes, can you send her for necropsy?
Since these 3 are "new", it would be interesting to see if the report is similar to the one you had in 2014.
Some illnesses/diseases remain present in birds and on your property so any new birds introduced can potentially become ill.

 

[casportpony]

This exact scenario just happened to me with my 6 mo old austrolorp! I mean honestly down to dying in my arms and the brownish fluid coming out! It took 2 days from me noticing she kinda lethargic, wasn't coming for treats, not eating as much to her dying! It was scary! I'm so sorry you're loosing your birds!

Sorry you lost one. Did you know that you can take your deceased poultry to the UC Davis CAHFS lab in San Bernadino for a free necropsy?
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/cahfs/

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Quote: X2. Definitely time for another necropsy.

-Kathy

 

[mchlldickson]

Hi everyone. So my buff passed away last night. She was so frail, it was devastating! I'm happy she's in a better place now but still feeling so confused about why. I didn't see her pass, she'd been gone for at least a few hours once I got home from running errands. It was also well into the upper 90s here so I didn't think a necropsy would work. It will remain a mystery. Thank you all for your help! I now have 5 more chicks that spent their first night out doors and I'm hoping to have some better luck with them. I'm just guessing here, but I think her issue was genetic... I treated her for every possible illness I could think of, and she just kept deteriorating. She was also kept indoors away from any other stressors. She was an amazing chicken, I loved her so much. I'll miss you Fernie Poo!

 

[katelk]

X2. Definitely time for another necropsy.

-Kathy

We plan to take this next one for another necropsy. As of now she is still holding on though. She is just still droopy.

 

[katelk]

Hi everyone. So my buff passed away last night. She was so frail, it was devastating! I'm happy she's in a better place now but still feeling so confused about why. I didn't see her pass, she'd been gone for at least a few hours once I got home from running errands. It was also well into the upper 90s here so I didn't think a necropsy would work. It will remain a mystery. Thank you all for your help! I now have 5 more chicks that spent their first night out doors and I'm hoping to have some better luck with them. I'm just guessing here, but I think her issue was genetic... I treated her for every possible illness I could think of, and she just kept deteriorating. She was also kept indoors away from any other stressors. She was an amazing chicken, I loved her so much. I'll miss you Fernie Poo!

It seems like the majority of chicken illness has no "cure", it's more like treating symptoms. Kinda makes you feel helpless. Especially when you love them.