dying chickens

[kbilo31384]

I am SO SAD I lost two chickens yesterday two different breeds. One day we went out there and two were sitting on the ground not on the roost so my husband picked them up and put them on the roost. Dont know if they werent feeling well or what. but the next day both were dead. Now I will say this is our 4th chicken dying this year. I am starting to worry. now we have two ducks in with them and they do drink out of the duck pond but yet they have freshe water in the barn in a self feeder too but they continue to still want to drink out of the duck pond. It is just a kids swimming pool but my husband dumps it out everyday and puts fresh water in it. Now I will also say both times we lost chickens it was extremely hot. yesterday was 101 which is pretty hot for Oregon. However my chickens have self feeding water non stop and they have roam of inside and outside 24/7 so they can get in the shade. We feed them lots of fruits and veggies from the garden. lately lots of cucumbers so they get water from those too. Now we had rats getting in their food for a while but got rid of those and havent seen any signs of them lately. I went to the feed store they gave me some stuff to put in their water for cocic??? s/p. some diasease they get in the dirt? But I havent put it in the water yet because she told us we couldnt eat the eggs while treating the chickens for this. my original chickens have lived a year at this place, but my new ones seem to be dropping like flys. I am curious if you all just think this is a heat issue? I never seem to lose them over the winter months. Any advice is appreciated. ANY IDEAS anyone?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would treat them for coccidiosis right away, especially since you lost 2 in one day, and they are younger. If you buy Corid (amprollium) for cocci, then the eggs are fine to eat. If you are using Sulmet or sulfadimethoxine, then there is an egg withdrawal, but frankly, you may not have eggs if any more die. Corid which treats all strains of cocci, will not hurt them, and I would treat all at the same time. Your younger ones could have gotten this from the older ones, before they built up enough immunity to it. Worming all of your chickens may also be something to help prevent deaths. Check them for lice and mites.

 

[kbilo31384]

Thank you for your input Eggcessive, ok it is sulmet I have but the bottle doesnt say how long you cannot eat the eggs once they start laying again. would it be better if i just found corid? sulmet only says you shouldnt butcher and eat a chicken for at least 10 days, but it says nothing about egg consumption. you think since you cant butcher for 10 days maybe you cant eat the eggs for 10 days? my chickens I got last year and one new one this year..lay eggs everyday but I am ok if they dont for a few weeks. the sulmet bottle says to only treat for 2 days .. I have heard people use corid almost daily, is that true? if so would it be better?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sulmet should be used for 2 days at 1 ounce per gallon of water, and then the dosage should be cut in half to 1/2 ounce per gallon, to treat for 4 more days, for coccidiosis. It is used only 2 days for coryza. Read the last post here by Dawg53 about egg withdrawal: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/221749/sulmet-withdrawl-period-for-egg-consumption

 

[kbilo31384]

OK again I treated for coccidiosis and just finished treatment about 10 days ago and again I lost another chicken today. I know you lose a chicken now and then but I have lost 8 in one year. and the ones dying are various variety's. is it possible if I have the ducks in the same area as them they are getting sick from the ducks. all was going great for about 6 weeks including the 2 weeks after treatment. Seems my hardiest ones are my leg horns, ive had them in the same area as all the others and they are my only two original chickens. I am at a loss as to what to do.. I started with 17 chickens this year 12 of them being new in March and now I am down to just 8 left. the previous owner that had this farm had chickens in that same area and he didn't seem to be losing them. Could I be getting bad food from the store? HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPP