Help - my chickens are dying and I don't know why!

[Farmer Trish]

I have lost 4 out of 4 hens that I bought as day olds 2 years ago. I've lost them gradually over a year so I initially thought it might have been a problem with where I bought them. They stopped laying eggs and 2-3 months later just went quiet for a day and then died, just like that. I've had other mixed breed hens and roosters that seem to be going fine, except for a young hen that died from a huge tumor near her ear recently. Again I thought this was unrelated. However, I have just had a friend's hen stay with us for 2 weeks and she seemed to be going well (& laying fine), then yesterday was very quiet and didn't do much then this morning she was dead! Obviously something is wrong but I don't know where to start!
Thanks in advance for your help.
Trish

 

[seminolewind]

If you lost 4 chickens over a year, I would send the next dead one for a necropsy. I would also be suspicious of Marek's. Keep an eye on the other ones, feel for their keel bone every week or so, and see if they waste away.

 

[casportpony]

Labs by State:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures

-Kathy