Entire flock of 50+ chickens became very weak in matter of few days.

[NiketP]

5 more dead so in total, I don't know but maybe 60 are dead. I have a few left now they seem fine today but the next day they start to show the same symptoms. Ducks are completely unaffected though they are in contact with chickens. I hope at least 2-3 of the chickens survive. I don't know if I will start again if all of them died. Last time 2-3 years ago I lost 100+ chickens the same way but I started again. This time I am not sure.

 

[raingarden]

You say they wander through the village and neighbors have flocks. Chickens are not very good at social distancing. If it was a contagious disease wouldn't others be having the same problem?

 

[NiketP]

You say they wander through the village and neighbors have flocks. Chickens are not very good at social distancing. If it was a contagious disease wouldn't others be having the same problem?

Neighbours do have a few chickens and yes they do get close to other chickens but not for long cause there is lots of area in between. So they do go out but usually not for long. And no one else is having such a problem till now so I am not sure. And I am guessing it has to be a contagious disease cause I had some silkie chickens which I raised from eggs indoors and when they got big only then I let them go outside so they never leave the property at all and they too have died.

 

[NiketP]

All but three are dead now. And all the three remaining are brooding. They were in contact with other hens but they seem to be doing fine.

 

[NiketP]

If anyone is reading can you please tell me if chickens being mix breed might cause any issues?

 

[cavemanrich]

If anyone is reading can you please tell me if chickens being mix breed might cause any issues?

Mix breed should have no effect. Your chickens are not dying from a genetic defect. They are dying from an undetermined cause, that is still a mystery. Without testing the dead chickens, everything is a guessing game. I also know you have no access to get chickens tested. .
My only suggestion is, if you do resume getting another flock, get your chickens from a different village source, and see how that will work. That is all the suggestions I can offer,,(think of)

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

5 more dead so in total, I don't know but maybe 60 are dead. I have a few left now they seem fine today but the next day they start to show the same symptoms. Ducks are completely unaffected though they are in contact with chickens. I hope at least 2-3 of the chickens survive. I don't know if I will start again if all of them died. Last time 2-3 years ago I lost 100+ chickens the same way but I started again. This time I am not sure.

I think your property has some kind of virus since your last flock has died in the same manner. Are any of your neighbors' chickens suffering the same fate as yours? Or are they alive and just fine?

 

[NiketP]

Mix breed should have no effect. Your chickens are not dying from a genetic defect. They are dying from an undetermined cause, that is still a mystery. Without testing the dead chickens, everything is a guessing game. I also know you have no access to get chickens tested. .
My only suggestion is, if you do resume getting another flock, get your chickens from a different village source, and see how that will work. That is all the suggestions I can offer,,(think of)

Thanks a lot for your reply. So I do get chickens from lots of different sources. Which is wrong if I think about it now.
But why are brooding chickens okay? Only 3 hens are doing fine and all 3 are brooding. Any idea on that? I thought if other chickens somehow eat poison or something bad but as brooding chickens don't get up to eat often maybe they survived? Or maybe brooding chickens have a stronger immune system or anything?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Suggest reviewing THIS.

As I understand it, you have VERY high mortality rates (90% +), affecting chickens and turkeys, but seemingly not ducks (or to much less extent).

Onset of symptoms to morbidity is rapid - 5 days +/-

Symptoms include:

Redness and leakage at the eyes.
Sneezing
Lethargy
Weakness
Gaping/Labored Breathing
Green Runny poops

and you have, effectively, no biosecurity. and your ground has been the sight of prior outbreaks.


Green watery poops are common symptom of four diseases:

Marek's
Quail Bronchitis
Chlamydiosis
Mycoplasma

vND (virulent Newcastle Disease) has been in the news lately, and there have been some major world outbreaks. High mortality rates (up to 80% in some versions) fits, as does conjunctivitis, lethargy. But no green poops, it affects all avians, so your ducks would not escape, slower progression, and your symptoms lack the paralysis, trembling, and neck twisting characteristic of the disease. As a not vet with access to the internet, my guess is NOT THIS.

Quail Bronchitis - affects primarily quail - and while the respiratory distress is present, with lowered food water consumption, its not nearly so fatal. and you have the wrong birds. So again, as an "I am NOT a veterinarian", but I do have access to the internet, my guess is NOT THIS.

Chlamydiosis - affects ducks, but rarely chickens. Already doesn't fit. Slow progression through turkeys, rarely affecting more than 50%. Based on those facts alone (there are other reasons it doesn't fit, too) as an "I am NOT a veterinarian", but I do have access to the internet, my guess is NOT THIS.

Marek's is associated with cancerous growths throughout the body. Its a slow progression, usually affecting older birds (you lost chicks), and missing some of the other symptoms. Greenish wet poops present only end stage, as cancerous growths destroy the organs. I am NOT a veterinarian", but I do have access to the internet, my guess is NOT THIS.

AI (Avian Influenza) - highly contagious, can approach 100% mortality, and can move through a flock rapidly. Wet poops are one of the symptoms, not necessarily green. Ducks don't get a pass, you didn't mention blue combs and wattles. Best guess as someone unqualified to do so?? NOT THIS.

That leaves Mycoplasma.

I'll quote from the source linked above:

MYCOPLASMA SYNOVIAE​

Synonyms: MS, infectious synovitis, synovitis, silent air sac

Species affected: chickens and turkeys.

Clinical signs: Birds infected with the synovitis form show lameness, followed by lethargy, reluctance to move, swollen joints, stilted gait, loss of weight, and formation of breast blisters. Birds infected with the respiratory form exhibit respiratory distress. Greenish diarrhea is common in dying birds (see Table 1). Clinically, the disease in indistinguishable from MG.

Transmission: MS is transmitted from infected breeder to progeny via the egg. Within a flock, MS is spread by direct contact with infected birds as well as through airborne particles over short distances.

Treatment: Recovery is slow for both respiratory and synovitis forms. Several antibiotics are variably effective. The most effective are tylosin, erthromycin, spectinomycin, lincomycin, and chlorotectracycline. These antibiotics can be given by injection while some can be administered in the feed or drinking water. These treatments are most effective when the antibiotics are injected.

Prevention: Eradication is the best and only sure control. Do not use breeder replacements from flocks that have had MS. The National Poultry Improvement Plan monitors for MS.

There are other forms of Mycoplasma, but this one, I think, best fits, and that only partially - no lameness or breast blisters. MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM is virtually identical in symptoms, but also affects ducks. Both are highly contageous. What I don't understand is the mortality rate. Near 100% deaths are unheard of. Even 15% is high. Same with the speed of progression thru the flock and rapid mortality. Based on those factors, I'm going to eliminate Mycoplasmosis as well.

...leaving me out of diseases to offer you. I'd look for another cause - likely something they ate but the ducks didn't, possibly while they were at large. That you broody hens, who don't travel far, are also unaffected gives further weight to that theory.

 

[NiketP]

I think your property has some kind of virus since your last flock has died in the same manner. Are any of your neighbors' chickens suffering the same fate as yours? Or are they alive and just fine?

Thanks for the reply. Neighbours chickens are doing fine till now. Does the virus stay for this long on the property? If it does then I guess that was it for me to ever keep chickens again.