Chickens suddenly dying

[MidgeMB]

I have an established flock of chickens, mixed breeds and sizes. I also have ducks in with them, with a month old gang of 8 ducklings. They get fresh water every day. No change in the food, organic laying and scratch, and greens from the garden. I give them diatomaceous earth in their nests (probably not as regularly as I should).

Yesterday I had two hens down and they died thru the day. Today I have my rooster and another hen. Weak, trying to get up, but unable to. No change in the chicken poop that I have noted. There is a cherry tree in the yard that drops its fruit into the yard and duck pond. They have shade also from a chestnut tree and a hawthorne.

I am going to muck out the chicken house today but I don't know if it will be soon enough for any help for the rest of my flock. Have had chickens for years and haven't experienced this before.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Mrs. K]

A couple of years ago, I had this very thing happen to me. They were just lathargic, then just dead. I lost several, and then it quit. No more got it. Mine was (and is) an established flock, same coop, same feed.

They never really seemed sick, no sneezing, no respitory panting, just not moving much, and then dead.

Mrs K

 

[sourland]

Sorry for what you are having to deal with. If there is a state lab or a poultry science department at a local university, take either an ill or recently deceased bird there for evaluation. Good luck.

 

[aart]

Did you bring any new birds on this year?
Examine the bodies immediately for external parasites?

Necrospy is the only way to really know what disease might have killed them as sourland has suggested.

 

[MidgeMB]

No new birds. No parasites. Did call the State Dept of Agriculture and a Dr is coming Monday.

No one else down at this time. But it seems that the youngest ones are the ones dying - 2 to 4 years old. Everyone else is older (my 14 year old is still flitting around as always).

 

[Mrs. K]

I will watch this post. It rather bothered me, and I did pm a couple of the most respected posters on here. But for me, it just quit happening. I hope that happens to you.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would be concerned about the bird flu, good thing you contacted your state department of agriculture.

 

[Kiwichins]

Sorry to hear of your losses
Just wondered is the chestnut a horse chestnut tree as the green caseings are toxic and can kill horses and dogs so im sure could a hen, worth checking just incase any on the ground or else it could be an illness just thought I would suggest the tree as sadly I had a guinea pig hutch under a tree for shelter and it killed them sadly I never knew and learnt the hard way

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We planted those, than last year removed them because the dog kept breaking out in rashes, so I don't care for horse chestnut trees either