Chickens randomly dying?

[ChickenCanoe]

Of course the younger chicks are eating starter crumbles, not the layer pellets

It could be that one hen brought something to your farm.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I believe they started on the layer feed around 5 months when they started laying.
I sent an email to one of those labs. Thank you so much for your help.
Would them getting oyster shells over the late summer(august/September) have potentially caused it now? They had soft eggs for a little while and we did give them oyster shells.

As long as the oyster shell was free choice in a separate container and not mixed with the feed, they would be OK>

There should always be someone at the labs to answer the phone. Ask them how they want the bird packaged and preserved. Don't freeze the bird but do wrap it and put it in the refrigerator.
The Mizzou vet school where I send my birds has someone on staff 24/7.
I've dropped a bird off at midnight on a Saturday night.

 

[Ceejayzee]

I'm really hoping we can get this figured out. You guys are really helpful. Thank you again

 

[red horse ranch]

I know you have had some cold weather in Pa and I was wondering if you have heat lamps on in your coop. If a heat lamp bulb is coated to be break resistant the fumes will kill chickens. Use only uncoated bulbs.
You didn't mention them having breathing problems so it's not likely to be ammonia problems from their manure or fungus from mold.
Are there any mouse or rat poisons they could possibly have gotten into.
I would suspect toxic air since the hen you brought inside recovered.
These are just a few thing I would be looking at as a cause.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I usually keep a small box lined with Styrofoam ready to ship a bird and I keep a couple freezer packs frozen to put in the box with the bird.

 

[Ceejayzee]

We do have a heat lamp in the coop. I'll have my husband check it right now. I didn't even know to look at that.
No poisons to get into. I emailed the lab but I'll call right now also.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I know you have had some cold weather in Pa and I was wondering if you have heat lamps on in your coop. If a heat lamp bulb is coated to be break resistant the fumes will kill chickens. Use only uncoated bulbs.
You didn't mention them having breathing problems so it's not likely to be ammonia problems from their manure or fungus from mold.
Are there any mouse or rat poisons they could possibly have gotten into.
I would suspect toxic air since the hen you brought inside recovered.
These are just a few thing I would be looking at as a cause.

Good call on the rough service Teflon coated bulbs.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Kudos for all that advice so far. X2 on getting cause determined a.s.a.p. Do you have any birds left in that coop? Perhaps get them outta there?

 

[Ceejayzee]

We did move them to our smaller coop for now. We're going to go drop off one that just died about half an hour ago.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We did move them to our smaller coop for now. We're going to go drop off one that just died about half an hour ago.

Some states are free. But even if not, I believe it is still cheaper than losing lots of birds and not knowing why or whether you can bring in new birds.