Help! My chickens are dropping dead with no warning!

[Chicks 'n ducks]

Hello,
I have been struggling with some nasty disease in my flock of silkies. It started in fall of last year when I had one of my first chickens, a silkie pullet, get sick. she wasn't acting herself, not much of an appetite, hunched. Then, the next day or so, she was struggling to breathe/wheezing. I was trying everything to help her. then, she dropped to her side, not being able to stand. died maybe 30 minutes later. Second time was later that year, with another silkie pullet, I found her in the morning, not able to stand, wheezing, died 30 minutes later. 3rd time was different. My silkie pullet struggled/acted sick for maybe a month or more before finally dying like the others. Then, last night, I had my one and only EE pullet start acting sick. (wheezing/laboured breath) I put her in a kennel with layer mash and electrolyte water. She was dead this morning. Excuse my language, but what in hell could this awful disease be? It's completely DEVASTATING.

 

[Kiki]

Have you thought about saving a body and mailing it to your state lab to get a necropsy?

You can find a link to your state lab below:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-and-disease-testing-lab-info.1236884/

 

[sourland]

Have you thought about saving a body and mailing it to your state lab to get a necropsy?

You can find a link to your state lab below:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-and-disease-testing-lab-info.1236884/

This would be a good thing to determine exactly what your flock is dealing with.

 

[Kiki]

Are you noticing any gnats or flies around your coop right now?

 

[Kiki]

Yes, a far amount of flies around the coop and yard, no gnats.

It could be the flies that are killing them The only way to find out is to get a necropsy.

It could also be a marriage disease worms bacterial infection.... Respiratory disease... Any number of things.

Please invest in some Permethrin and spray daily to knock the flies down.

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

IMG_20180322_102709

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018

@mixedUPturk sound familiar to you?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Causing anemia or exsanguinating them.

Sorry for the duplicate posts. The app went crazy on me for a min there...

So sorry about your poor flock...

 

[Kiki]

Let it be known that the gnats that are killing this time of year look like flies.

 

[Wezdin]

Yes, a far amount of flies around the coop and yard, no gnats.

i believe kiki was asking because buffalo gnats have been killing chickens. Have you noticed any bloody poo?

 

[Kiki]

I did contact somebody about a necropsy, but it is 70$ where I live and a lot of logistics. I might do it any way.

Did you contact your state lab They are usually the cheapest and also where vets send off for testing.

 

[Kiki]

How would the flies kill them?

@mixedUPturk Are you online?

They get in their airways and basically choke them to death.