Help- I've lost 2 chickens within 2 weeks-What could be wrong?

[mattmatts-momma]

Hi,
I am wondering if anyone here can help me. I don't post very often, but usually try to read posts daily.

Within the past 2 weeks I have lost 2 chickens, 1 RIR and today a Delaware. Both would have been 23 weeks this Wednesday.

I feed my chickens Layena with oyster shells free choice, they have clean water and treats every now and then. They free range daily until dark. It has been very hot here, upper 90s, but they spend most of their time in the shade of the trees (still hot, I know).

I lost the RIR 2 weeks ago. I do not believe she ever laid an egg. At the time, all of my pullets were just starting to lay. She was fine in the morning, no signs of any type of sickness. I spent a couple of hours mowing the lawn and by 12 noon she was laying down in the yard, with watery stuff coming out of her beak. My husband put her in a separate area (the big Brooder), I gave her water, and she had a sip or two of it. Within about 2 hours she died.

This morning I went to let the hens out to free range as I usually do and I noticed that she (the Delaware) was not eating and standing alone under the ladder to the coop. She was not injured or anything. I do not think she laid an egg all weekend, but she did lay just about everyday last week. She did go in the coop on both Saturday and Sunday, sat in the nest, but did not lay an egg. She eventually ate a little bit this morning and then ventured out of the pen. I did noticed when I was feeding them this morning that she pooped, but it was like clear water that came out. I went to Walmart to pick up a couple of things and when I came home she was dead in the coop.

Also, her first egg was a double yolker and I did see a soft egg under the roost this morning. I don't know who it belonged to.

Any ideas on what could be going on here? Could they be eggbound? If so, can I do anything to prevent this to happening again? Could this be something else? As you can tell, I am new to chickens.

What do yall think?
Thank you if you can help.
Lidia.

 

[ruth]

Do you notice how much and how often they are drinking? Is the water in the shade where it can stay cool? They won't drink hot/warm water. Mine all free range and I keep shallow water bins around and now that temps are near 100 there's a line of chickens standing in the cool water cooling their feet. I've seen a chicken stand there for hours.

So make sure they have cool drinking water and maybe add some water dishes they can stand in.

 

[cjeanean]

I'd be concerned about the watery stuff coming out of her beak. I don't know what could have caused it, but I think that's a clue to what was wrong. also, the soft egg. They may not be eating enough of their feed or calcium because of the heat....my chickens didn't lay today (the whole 4 that are laying) and it was up to 100 today. I don't know, hope someone can help u!!!

 

[mattmatts-momma]

Quote:
They get fresh water every day and I keep their water in the pen. They spend most of their time foraging in the shade.

What do you use as water dishes for them to stand in?

I just went out and checked on them this morning and every one is fine. I don't know what could have been wrong with the two that I lost.

 

[mattmatts-momma]

Quote:
I think they are all eating okay. I fill the feeder regularly. Every now and then I catch one of my dogs in there eating the food, but he leaves when I ask him to.

 

[ruth]

I have a number of shallow pans filled with water. In this photo, taken today, it's an old commerical bread pan. I bought a couple of these at an antique store. However, I have large round metal ones that I bought at feed store and I have round plastic ones from garden center meant to go under large flower pots. In this photo, you can see there are four pans and normally there are four chickens standing one in each.

 

[mattmatts-momma]

Quote:
Thank you. I will check the next time I go to Walmart for something I can use. I can put the pans in the shade for them, they should like that. Mine like to go out in the rain and walk around.

Your picture is cute!