frustrated losing too many chickens

[farmerlee]

Hello all


I bought 8, 19 week pullets from a hatchery recommended by my local farmer's coop.

I got them in October and have lost 3 from diseases.
The first never acclimated and died within a week. I chalked that one up to the transition.
The second wouldn't roost, had a foamy eye. I quarantined it and she died a week later. That was a month ago.
This morning a chicken just fell over when trying to walk. She was FINE yesterday. I put her in quarantine and don;t expect her to live.

So within 4 month I've lost 3 of 8 due to "diseases". The second with the foamy eye, I assume was a respitory disease. The other 2 seemed to be a one day fine the next dead scenarios.
I also lost one chicken to a hawk.

I am so discouraged and confused. Any idea what going on? Bad luck?
They are in my barn in a dirt floor section that was once a piggery years and year ago. Could it be where I bought them or something in the coop floor? It is well ventilated, they have plenty of food water, and love.

Don't know what to do.

 

[chicmom]

Hello!

So sorry you've had some chickens pass like that. Do all your other pullets seem healthy and active?

It does sound like maybe they had already been exposed to some type of illness. I've had this happen too, with new birds I've brought into my flock.

If all the hens were having problems, I might think something was in the soil from the pigs....But with just a few, I doubt that.

There is a product called Denegard. You can put it into their water and it does help with different illnesses. Great stuff, I use it too. You put it in their drinking water, and you can treat them as a preventative once a month, or just use it if one of the hens becomes ill. Just give it to the whole flock for about five days. You don't have to throw away eggs either using this.

I sure hope you get everything worked out! Don't give up!

Sharon

 

[Orpingtons4U]

we had 15 of our chickens die from being sick like your Hens are doing and all my Faves here is a pic of one a few weeks before she died I miss her soooooooo much :'(
Rest In Peace Nikki Girl

 

[dawg53]

Hello all


I bought 8, 19 week pullets from a hatchery recommended by my local farmer's coop.

I got them in October and have lost 3 from diseases.
The first never acclimated and died within a week. I chalked that one up to the transition.
The second wouldn't roost, had a foamy eye. I quarantined it and she died a week later. That was a month ago.
This morning a chicken just fell over when trying to walk. She was FINE yesterday. I put her in quarantine and don;t expect her to live.

So within 4 month I've lost 3 of 8 due to "diseases". The second with the foamy eye, I assume was a respitory disease. The other 2 seemed to be a one day fine the next dead scenarios.
I also lost one chicken to a hawk.

I am so discouraged and confused. Any idea what going on? Bad luck?
They are in my barn in a dirt floor section that was once a piggery years and year ago. Could it be where I bought them or something in the coop floor? It is well ventilated, they have plenty of food water, and love.

Don't know what to do.

You are correct in your assumption that you're dealing with a respiratory disease, most likely coryza or MG. Coryza has a foul odor around the head area, have you smelled that? Mycoplasma galliseptcum (MG) can cause the similar symptoms as coryza without the foul odor. Here's a link with symptoms and treatments. You can scroll down to Coryza and Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG.) and read about them. BTW, Denagard only treats mycoplasma diseases, not coryza.
One other thing is about their environment; since they are on a dirt floor that was inhabitied by pigs, is there any chance there could be mold or fungus in the soil? If there is, that could be an issue as well. I'd remove them from that location and put them elsewhere and treat your birds with oxine if this is the case. You would want to mix 1/8 teaspoon per gallon of water and fill a bottle sprayer with the mixture and spray a very fine mist over the heads of the chicks 3 times a day for 10 days.
Here's the link to the 2 diseases I mentioned:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044