Chickens slowly dying.

[Bird biz]

Over the past year, I have lost several chickens. They slowly lose interest in eating, slowing down and don't keep up with the flock. Then they are eventually found dead. We treat for parasite. Their diet is Egg Layers, scratch and table scrapes, giving them garlic now. Hope you can help.

 

[BullChick]

I’m sorry you’re having so many losses.
There are too many reasons for this to be happening. Any additional symptoms you can tell us would be helpful.
Are these sexlinks? Some of us find that they don’t live long past two. Possibly because they are bred to lay so much, then their bodies just give out.
The garlic will only add flavor to your eggs. A good health decision would be to ferment their feed. Simply add a glug if apple cider vinegar with the mother to enough water to cover the feed. Stir twice daily for a week, and it will be fermented. Add water as it absorbs. It’s done when it bubbles. You can feed it to the chickens as it is fermenting. You don’t need to wait for it to be done fermenting to start feeding it. Simply add feed and water as needed.

 

[sourland]

If you list your general location, perhaps @casportpony can suggest a nearby facility that can diagnose your problem by performing a necropsy on an ill or freshly dead bird.

 

[Delaneygraces]

Hmm...I’ve had a few birds that did that once. When ours get sick, we just give them a shot of Penicillin or Baytril (amount depends on the bird) into their breast. Do you ever see them poofed up? Also, do you ever notice their breathing to be rattly? Some respiratory infections can cause them to stop eating.

 

[azygous]

There are so many things that can kill a chicken, it would be impossible to say what the issue is in your flock.

Going from the easiest to treat to the impossible to treat, you could have anything from coccidiosis to a serious viral cancer killing your chickens. In between, there is the possibility of toxins such as petroleum distillates (insecticides and motor fluids) and molds and bacteria.

I would gather a poop sample from your flock and have a fecal float test performed to see if coccidia or worms are present. Have you noticed any blood in the stools? If so, you could go ahead and treat for coccidiosis with amprolium (Corid in the US). The symptoms you describe are consistent with this disease.

 

[Ptera]

It's hard to know because there could be many causes so I'll throw out some possibilities. How do you feed them? I ask because I knew someone once who only scattered handfuls of the the food on the ground once a day. The chickens acted like yours because they were not getting enough food. Pellets work best for adult birds and I'm a proponent of always having food available in a bowl or trough. I've never had a chicken overeat. And of course, ample fresh water available at all times, the water bowl cleaned frequently to keep out mold & bacteria. Also make sure they're not getting accidentally poisoned by too much parasite meds or other things they're picking up when they forage. Are any bug or rodent poisons being used on or near your property? Also try giving them extra calcium. Do you give them grit? Are there any poisonous plants they could be eating (Ivy)? Do they have a smelly discharge from their nostrils or beaks? When you give them scraps are you avoiding potentially poisonous foods, like butter, oils & fats of any kind, avocadoes, onions? I would not give garlic. It is harmful to some kinds of birds. Please give us more clues to go by and we can try to narrow it down.

 

[casportpony]

Over the past year, I have lost several chickens. They slowly lose interest in eating, slowing down and don't keep up with the flock. Then they are eventually found dead. We treat for parasite. Their diet is Egg Layers, scratch and table scrapes, giving them garlic now. Hope you can help.

Sorry for your losses. as @sourland suggested, a necropsy is a good idea. If you are in the USA contact your state veterinarian or lad:

• https://agr.wa.gov/foodanimal/animalhealth/statevets.aspx
• http://www.usaha.org/upload/STATE_ANIMAL_HEALTH_OFFICIALS.pdf
• https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf