Disease that stops egg laying? Fatal

[DomesticDiva12]

I am fairly new to owning chickens. We got our first chicks last March, 2 red pullets and 4 buff orpingtons, 1 ended up being a rooster. We kept all 6. They started laying at the end of summer and then suddenly late fall they stopped. I think it was late October that they stopped. I haven't noticed any behavior changes, they are eatting and drinking normally. I chalked it up to maybe a molt or winter slow down. Well, here we are in February and still no eggs. Their coop is not heated or lit but I have a friend with chickens who are still laying and her coop conditions are similar (bigger coop but she has a LOT more chickens, she is also fairly new, also got her first chicks last spring). Their feathers aren't the prettiest but I chalked that up to having a rooster and being chickens. Well, last night our Spike (rooster) died. He has no signs of trauma, the coop has no signs of any 'break-ins', so now I am wondering if maybe they have some kind of disease?

Also, my husband still wants to eat him :-/ Without knowing the exact time he died or the reason I am not sure that is the best choice. We live in northern Wisconsin so it is very cold out but still...

 

[DomesticDiva12]

They were bought from Tractor Supply, so I am not sure what, if any vaccines they received. I figured it didn't matter as I do not bring them anywhere. As I am thinking more they have been sneezing, which I didn't really think anything of. One or two may have diarrhea also, another thing I figured might just be a variation of normal. With it being winter I really don't spend as much time with them as I did during the warmer months, it is pretty much feed/water, check on the coop and the birds and get back inside.

 

[DomesticDiva12]

Sorry for the serial posting. I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas on what could be the cause? I have been looking and haven't been able to find anything that would explain the extended period of time with no eggs, that is 3 months from no eggs to first death.

 

[4Adobo]

Do your girls free range or are they kept in the coop?

 

[DomesticDiva12]

They have been kept in their coop (which has an attached run that they have access to) during the winter. In the spring/summer/fall we would let them free range during the day. We do have a lot of wild turkeys in my area, we have had them on our property but I haven't seen them too close to the coop ever.

 

[DomesticDiva12]

So I have been searching and found mycoplasma? It makes me wonder. A symptom is strained crowing. I have not heard our rooster crow since around the time the eggs stopped and he was crowing all summer. I am not sure what change could have resulted in his being so stressed he would die though. We had REALLY cold temps the last few weeks but they seemed fine (I did bring in some hay for the first time last week) we got a lot of snow but we have had snow all winter.