Desperate for others opinion on my run of chicken deaths - long post

[Folly's place]

I will add that sick hens with internal problems just aren't going to recover. Major abdominal, or any surgery lasting more than 15 minutes of so, takes positive pressure ventilation and very good luck! Things that are very fixable in dogs and cats just aren't in chickens.
A few of my injured birds have recovered, but none with abdominal disasters.
Managing diet, external parasites, and predators large and small, have been much more to the point here.
Over time, I've had birds of many breeds, and some have done better than others. The buff Orphingtons from a hatchery did not do well, or live long; same for the light Brahmas. The bantam Brahmas, on the other hand, have done great, some for many years. Not all though!
Go forward, and enjoy them, and don't beat yourself up, because it's not you!
Mary

 

[Kdlevesque]

I'm so sorry! Sometimes we have a run of bad things, totally unrelated to each other, and it can be hard.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong, and yes it happens. You have no control over genetics and modern chickens are generally bred for lots of eggs, or for rapid growth for meat. And that comes with problems.

It is really common for birds past the age of two to develop reproductive problems. If you think about it, if you just for the sake of argument say that a human ovulates 12 times a year. If a chicken lays one egg a day, that is 365 ovulations a year, so a 2 year old chicken has ovulated as many times as a 60 year old human. And ovarian cancers are not uncommon in laying hens.

I have lost birds less than a year old, and my oldest bird is almost 9. 9 is really old, most of them I'd say I lose between 2 and 5 years, that's just rough guessing. If you get heritage bred birds, they will lay a few less eggs, but may have longer lives. Every laying hen has the potential for reproductive problems, but some are bred more for health and longevity and those ones will have a lower percentage of problems over all. Sometimes you get lucky and you get a really healthy bird that just lives a long time.
I'm so sorry, I know it's hard to lose them, but it's part of the price of having chickens. I know my birds are well cared for, and have very good lives for however long that is, and they bring me a lot of pleasure and joy, so I keep going.

Very well said

 

[Kathy Golla]

Wow this is an amazing thread with incredible knowledge.
I have hatchery birds and I have encountered SO many problems listed above. I have a small flock. I lost my production red at 2. My birds are now 2.5yo. Who knew when I got into chickens (naively!) that this would be the case. No cancer yet though.
I too have gotten the advice, if you get new birds, go to a breeder who breeds for resistance and longevity. Game birds as one poster states are good candidates. Maybe not the cuddly pets in some cases we sometimes want, but the avoidance of heartbreak is worth something.
It is great you were able to get a definitive cause of death. I would say its either genetics or as one poster said, possibly environmental, or both.
Do you live under power lines? By an irrigation canal? Something going on with your water? Did you put in new water lines to the coop--sometimes Ive heard it can be the glue in the pvc. Copper to galvanized piping--(corrosion)? Electrical currents? Any of the substrate you use? Do you have some sort of outgassing of paint, etc? Pesticides, herbicides? Compost rotting?

 

[loftygoals]

Firsts of all. I don't think I can express in words how much each and every post has helped me...I would like to address some of the questions. But first...I was feeding an all flock and the "chicken experts" (veterinary) told me not to do that. Well, I am going back to an all flock vs. my current feed which is an organic layer pellet as well as scratch and peck layer. Grit and oyster shell and fresh, clean water always available.
1. The group that has died are all from a 2 separate feed stores.
2. My 1 year olds are from My Pet Chicken as well as my 3 month olds.
3. I have queried my chicken owning friends, and they have mostly predator problems and some sudden death, but not like my ratio.
4. I hardly ever gave scratch or sunflower seeds, only minimally and in the winter but after fatty liver in Sylvia I stopped all sunflower and only offer greens, some cooling fruits in the summer (no spinach and no citrus).
5. Our water is from a well that is the same as our drinking water and is tested biannually (for whatever that is worth).
6. No power lines nearby or cell towers (not nearby).
So what I am hearing is what I have been thinking. These chickens are bred for making eggs, not living long. I would prefer chickens that live long and make a few eggs for my family, friends, and occasional bartering.

What I am hearing is to NOT buy from commercial hatcheries...but where do I get my chickens from? The downside from non hatcheries is not knowing their sex.

And I have raised all of these chicks from one day old. They live in my house until I can't stand the dust and then they have a special predator proof patio enclosure until their "look don't touch" period in with the adults.

Thank you all so very much.

 

[Folly's place]

It's frustrating to have deaths at what seem like very young ages, and they are. But, when only very young birds are bred, there's just no selection for good health for any length of time.
Birds from private sources have their own set of issues, and a big one is Marek's disease. 'Breeding for resistance' means that the problem exists in that flock, and that's not good either. Other nasties won't be on the property for many years, but aren't so nice if it means depopulating and starting over.
We can only do what we can do, and try to learn and move forward.
Mary

 

[Kathy Golla]

One other thought that I have learned...be sure that your feed is, there is a term for it. Make sure there are not pellets of corn that the hens can pick out. That little pieces are not separated out, so that the hens only eat the real fatty stuff thats not good for them.
From my time on the board, this type of feed has caused big health problems cause the hens pick out what they want and its usually the bad stuff.
You are so sweet, i really feel for you. There are SO many people in the same boat.

 

[Folly's place]

Private breeders aren't perfect either, as I've found out. And many also only breed one year old birds, again, not selecting for longevity.
I do try to buy straight run, not sexed pullets. The extra cockerels either get sold, or go into my freezer. They have a nice life, way better than commercial meat birds, until that last day.
Extra cockerels at hatcheries don't always fare so well!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Pet birds will also eat the yummy stuff out of a whole grain diet, and mess up their lives. I feed a crumble, not a whole grain diet, to my chickensMary

 

[Folly's place]

I do try to breed older birds, over two years of age if at all possible. it matters to me!
If you can have roosters and get interested, raising your own chicks is fun. Usually. Bad stuff can happen there too, and half or more will be cockerels, so have a plan for them.
Mary

 

[Kathy Golla]

Whole grain! Thats it!