Dead hens !!!

[TracyG]

In the last 2 weeks I have found 2 hens dead in the coop. Neither were the result of fowl play ( no pun intended ) Both were hatched in Feb. of this year. I have a flock of 20 including one rooster. They have a very large coop with good ventilation. Are fed and watered well ...have good weight and no signs of illness. They free range in the barnyard all day and are put up every night. The night before the first girl died last week i noticed her just sitting on the ground outside the coop around roosting time. She sat out there until dark and finally did go in for the night. She was dead the next morning. I found the one dead in the nesting box this morning. Our night have been in the 20's but I dont think its the cold. I would really like some info if any of you have ideas. Thanks!

 

[macdoogle2]

So sorry to hear about your hens. I wish I had something more worthwhile to tell you.

 

[Louisianahomegrown]

I'm sorry for your loss. Could it be that they might need to be wormed or perhaps they are getting into some poison of some sort during the day while free ranging?
Good luck on finding your solution.

 

[TracyG]

I have been through all the scenarios in my mind. I ruled out the idea that they may have gotten into something toxic. There is simply nothing in the barnyard that could kill them. We have lots of animals around that barn so we are very careful not to leave something around that could harm any of them. Horses, cows, sheep, cats, dogs etc... Honestly I am not aware of a wormer to use on them that is safe and effective. Ive asked my chicken raising neighbors and no one has come up with a good wormer to use so they have not been wormed. If they had worms bad enough to kill them wouldnt they be in poor body condition? These are very healthy chickens....well aside from them droppong dead that is. I dont mean to be so flip...I adore my chickens and I am very sad that they are gone.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Nine months old? Have you wormed the flock yet?

Search here, on BTC, "worming", "worming with Valbazen"... "dosages of Valbazen", "giving oral medications", "how much Valbazen to give", "egg withdrawal with Valbazen", etc..

Check your girls for mites?? Look for posts on worming from dawg53 good info you can count on.... Sevin Dust for mites, Valbazen kills all types of worms, but not mites.

Good luck. I am sorry for your losses.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Valbazen, Safeguard, Zimectrin Gold... these are not "chicken wormers"... but the one chicken wormer you will be given at a feed store scares me more.. it says to not give it to egg producing chickens at all.. and, and it only kills roundworms.. Chickens get a variety of worms.. Valbazen is a good, safe, first time wormer.. it acts over several days and needs to be repeated in ten days.. also must be given to each chicken individually.. one at a time, orally.. (avoiding the windpipe/airway)...

I have a neighbor help me... we take one chicken at a time, catch them in the coop, take them out, give the medicine, then let them go -- they free range duing the day... that way, I know who I have dosed and don't miss anyone.

The best info on worming, parasites and other "issues" comes from dawg53... so.. look for his posts on worming. You can find info on how to avoid the windpipe, giving oral medications...

I can give you more info on the Valbazen -- but, you can also find the posts on it by dawg53... he has helped me greatly with treating my chickens for worms and mites (Sevin Dust for the mites).

Also, are they laying? And, have they stopped? Are they acting like they want to lay and can't? Possibly eggbound? (I would still worm the flock).

Good luck... PM me if you need to.