Dying chickens

[TerryH]

I so appreciate that, Terry.  It would be easy to just blame the method instead of the material in a case like this but you've kept a sound head on your shoulders throughout this bad time and I'm in admiration for that.  It's a hard pill to swallow to have chickens dying and not being able to prevent it, but you've kept courage and a sound wisdom throughout it all and I applaud you! 

Thanks. I'm honestly having a difficult time processing all of this. It's hard to have chickens dying and know that something that I did caused them to die. Harder still that I had to kill 2 of them myself to keep them from suffering any more.

 

[aart]

Quote: You can lead the 'horses' to water, but you can't make them think<shrugs>

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks. I'm honestly having a difficult time processing all of this. It's hard to have chickens dying and know that something that I did caused them to die. Harder still that I had to kill 2 of them myself to keep them from suffering any more.

It happens to us all eventually....can't tell you how many bird losses I have had due to my own negligence or ignorance at the time, just mistakes made that I wasn't aware of would result in dead birds/chicks or just not getting things done in a timely manner~I lost 20 chicks this spring due to not using preventative measures I've always used in the past but forgot to implement. I lost several young birds one fall due to hatching in the fall and then ranging them....didn't think about the lack of cover and the hawk migration causing a perfect storm for my free ranged birds, with the young suffering from the fall out. Up until then I had never lost a bird to aerial predation in almost 40 yrs or free ranging...ruined my perfect record and lost some good birds out of just not thinking, getting impatient for chicks, etc.

Lost another young juvenile to an owl this year from neglecting to put netting over the roosting area of the coop that I was tweaking and had just not got around to protecting that area once again.

It happens. It never feels good and feels doubly worse if it could have been prevented, but we'll never make those same mistakes twice, will we?

And that's how we learn, if we are wise enough to do so. It's incredible to me to read posts on BYC of folks who do the same thing over and over, expecting differing results each time but they still get dead birds. Over and over, every season.

 

[TerryH]

And that's how we learn, if we are wise enough to do so.  It's incredible to me to read posts on BYC of folks who do the same thing over and over, expecting differing results each time but they still get dead birds.  Over and over, every season. 

It happens to us all eventually....can't tell you how many bird losses I have had due to my own negligence or ignorance at the time, just mistakes made that I wasn't aware of would result in dead birds/chicks or just not getting things done in a timely manner~I lost 20 chicks this spring due to not using preventative measures I've always used in the past but forgot to implement.   I lost several young birds one fall due to hatching in the fall and then ranging them....didn't think about the lack of cover and the hawk migration causing a perfect storm for my free ranged birds, with the young suffering from the fall out.  Up until then I had never lost a bird to aerial predation in almost 40 yrs or free ranging...ruined my perfect record and lost some good birds out of just not thinking, getting impatient for chicks, etc. 

Lost another young juvenile to an owl this year from neglecting to put netting over the roosting area of the coop that I was tweaking and had just not got around to protecting that area once again. 

It happens.  It never feels good and feels doubly worse if it could have been prevented, but we'll never make those same mistakes twice, will we? 

And that's how we learn, if we are wise enough to do so.  It's incredible to me to read posts on BYC of folks who do the same thing over and over, expecting differing results each time but they still get dead birds.  Over and over, every season. 

Yes. I have learned much both good and bad in the brief time we've had chickens. I'm determined to learn these lessons only once.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

Thats very interesting. Since my 9 chickens free range all day they spend almost no time in their run, unless my brother's Boxer come to visit. They go up there to dust bath, and it seems they carry a lot of dirt out with them. I'm going to have to bring some dirt back in.

 

[SDChickMom]

I'm so sorry for you. Your coop and run looks AMAZING! We are moving, and it is an opportunity to "start fresh" since we just copied what a friend was doing when we started at our current location. Our coop is "OK", but I can't wait to incorporate all this wisdom and sorry you had to learn the hard way.

We just went through 6 weeks with some sick chickens. It hurts our hearts, and I feel for you on being the "Angel of Death" as well, since it is my job too, when it happens(twice recently). So great that you have access to some scientists!! If not, I am not sure what would have lead you to this outcome. I guess getting a necropsy done at the state level? This has been such an insightful thread. There is so much information on BYC, I like that people with more experience are summarizing and analyzing. Too many times a thread goes all over the place, and I am left more frustrated than I started. I don't think people consider regional circumstances so often. Lovely community and support. I'll keep you and your birdies in my prayers.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

OK, so I discovered there is aspergillus in my chicken feed, dried I think and on the ingredient list. Been using it for a few months now. Although I would presume it to be safe.... do you have any idea if it is any different?

 

[speckledhen]

OK, so I discovered there is aspergillus in my chicken feed, dried I think and on the ingredient list. Been using it for a few months now. Although I would presume it to be safe.... do you have any idea if it is any different?

That is mold, not a feed ingredient. Do you mean on the printed feed ingredient list? Amprolium and other similarly spelled things may be but aspergillus. Maybe I'm reading your post wrong. If so, forget I said anything.

 

[speckledhen]

What is this VetRX?

VetRx is not a medication but sort of a Vicks VapoRub for chickens. It has limited benefit, doesn't truly cure anything, though they say it works for eye worms (not something you see much). It's probably more benefit rubbing legs smother scaly leg mites than anything else. Shines up and conditions the legs due to the natural oils in it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

OK, so I discovered there is aspergillus in my chicken feed, dried I think and on the ingredient list. Been using it for a few months now. Although I would presume it to be safe.... do you have any idea if it is any different?

Originally Posted by speckledhen
That is mold, not a feed ingredient. Do you mean on the printed feed ingredient list? Amprolium and other similarly spelled things may be but aspergillus. Maybe I'm reading your post wrong. If so, forget I said anything.

Can you post your ingredient label.

Does your feed have probiotics and prebiotics in it? Could possibly be Asperigillus Niger which can be used as a probiotic.