Chickens Keep Dying

[New2Chickens2954]

I have 2 seperate coops. There was 6 chickens in my first coop. And, 4 in my second. The 6 were my first established flock and they didn't get along with my other 4 so we seperated them.

These chickens have never been free roam- they prefer their coop. The coop is secure. Locks on it, and wire- there is nothing but bugs that could get in.

10 days ago I found one of them dead- with what appeared to be a broken neck but upon reading I'm wondering if chickens necks just get floppy when they pass We watched the others and they showed no signs of illness. However, yesterday my favorite rooster in that coop- a silkie- had fell over dead. My fiance didn't bury him until that afternoon and he was missing his feathers. We assumed the others had attacked him for some reason.

Until this morning- when I went outside to feed them and the other 3 were dead too. All flopped over on their sides.

When I go to bury them is there a way to find out what is causing this? My other 4 in the other coop are fine.

I am heartbroken.

 

[townchicks]

I'm sorry you have had so many losses, that is hard. Look them over carefully for any wounds, if it was an animal you should be able to find something on at least one of them. Also consider sending one in to your state lab for necropsy, you will want to keep the body refrigerated, not frozen, until you can send it in. Contact them for shipping instructions. Pictures of your coop and run can be helpful also, if you have wire that a raccoon can reach through, they will do that.

 

[New2Chickens2954]

I'm sorry you have had so many losses, that is hard. Look them over carefully for any wounds, if it was an animal you should be able to find something on at least one of them. Also consider sending one in to your state lab for necropsy, you will want to keep the body refrigerated, not frozen, until you can send it in. Contact them for shipping instructions. Pictures of your coop and run can be helpful also, if you have wire that a raccoon can reach through, they will do that.

How do I find my states lab? I am in Missouri if that is any help.

 

[New2Chickens2954]

This is the small wire of their coop. I just don't see how any animal could get into there.

 

[ValerieJ]

https://heritageacresmarket.com/poultry-necropsy-labs/

 

[CapricornFarm]

This is the small wire of their coop. I just don't see how any animal could get into there.

Could a critter dig under the coop and get in? Check to see if they have mites or lice.

 

[townchicks]

Your hardware cloth looks pretty secure, unless there are any gaps that something small like a weasel or rat could slip through. Also, could something have tunneled in? It sounds more likely that some disease is at work here, ValerieJ has provided you with the link for a necropsy. If you send a bird in, please keep us posted, as we all can learn from it. good luck with the rest of your chickens.

 

[chickens really]

In the Coop and found dead or not locked in the Coop at night? Any 12 inch buried wire around the bottom of the Run?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. I would look around doors and gates for even one inch of space where a weasel could squeeze through, even at the tops. A fox can dig underground and get in. Look at and smell your feed for any possible mold. Check your water for anything unusual. Put a gamecam inside your coop to see if something is getting in. Lastly save one or two bodies, keep them cool, not frozen, and take or send them to your state vet for a necropsy. Some states charge very little for a backyard chicken for a basic necropsy. Here is another list of state poultry labs to call:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm