HELP!!! My chickens are dying....

[lavalamp009]

In the past 3 weeks Ive had 4 black Shumen chickens die on me for no apparent reason. It happened once in early January, very cold and windy so I figured, her being the smallest hen, she just couldn't fight the winter. Recently I moved all of my chickens to a new pen. Things are not off to a great start. Two chickens tried to get back to their old pen and were never seen from again, another was caught the night of the move by a weasel, and now my black Shumen's are keeling over. Details:

The Hens will act lethargic, trouble breathing, won't move, weazing, allow me to pick them up with no fight, almost as if paralyzed on one side and then by morning each one I have noticed like this dies.

I have one fighting for her life now. Everything seemed fine for the last week or so until tonight. I came home to find one of my hens and my last rooster out of the coop and both laying on the ground as if dead. The rooster, when a approached ran, however, eventually I caught him and put him in the coop. He was acting very odd as well, walking to me almost as if a dog, and then running, and final settling on a spot an allowing me to pick him up without a fight. The Hen however won't move. Like I said almost half paralyzed. There are feathers strewn about, however no other signs of trouble. Tonight for the first time I noticed on their combs they have tiny black specs all through out. Not big enough to be pox I don't think. I noticed on all 3 breeds not jus the Black Shumen.

I am at a loss and cant figure it out.... Please help, my flock went from 17 beautiful hens and 1 rooster, down to just 10 as of tonight, one fighting for its life.....

 

[dfalco]

Oh no! Sorry you're having Suh troubles. Following.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Sorry about your chickens. It could be a respiratory virus, which can be tricky to diagnose and treat. Many of them are quite severe. Depending on what state you are in, you might have access to free or low cost necropsy services where the cause of death can be determined for a newly dead bird. In CA it is through the University system, other states it may be through an Ag dept. Some states don't have it or charge a fee. You have to figure out what is wrong before you can treat.

My advice is to research respiratory diseases of chickens and see if you can determine what you are dealing with.
This article has links to info as well.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...seases-treatments-medicine-suggestions.73286/

Other viral, respiratory illness & breathing problems could be from molds, such as Aspergillus. Make sure feed is clean and dry.

Also, have you checked them for mites? Check in the fluff around the vents.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Recently I moved all of my chickens to a new pen.

Hens will act lethargic, trouble breathing, won't move, weazing, allow me to pick them up with no fight, almost as if paralyzed on one side and then by morning each one I have noticed like this dies.

He was acting very odd as well, walking to me almost as if a dog, and then running, and final settling on a spot an allowing me to pick him up without a fight. The Hen however won't move. Like I said almost half paralyzed. There are feathers strewn about, however no other signs of trouble. Tonight for the first time I noticed on their combs they have tiny black specs all through out.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss and your current situation.

I have more questions than answers.
Putting your location in your profile helps us when giving suggestions.

Photos of the combs, how the birds are laying down, poop or anything else you would like to share are most welcome and can sometimes be useful.

The move to a new pen - is this a newly built pen or has it ever housed chickens/other livestock/machinery-equipment?
You see feathers strewn about - could this be from a predator attack or do the feathers seem loose - can they be easily pulled from the body (chicken releases them)?
Have your chickens had access to any compost, rotten matter, dead animal with maggots?
The wheezing - how is that-stretching the neck for breath, wheezing like respiratory illness - any mucous or eye discharge?

I do understand that you want to save your remaining flock and what you are dealing with is distressing and heartbreaking. A lot of times it comes down to ruling out symptoms/conditions and environment, but the best answers come from testing/necropsy - we can help you find your state lab if you are in the US.

All that said - paralysis with respiratory distress and sudden death - a few of things come to mind. Marek's disease, Molds/Moldy Feed/Aspergillosis , toxins/Botulism and Coccidioisis (especially if they are on "new ground").

Vet care and getting a fecal float is always best.

Check them all for external parasites. Keep them hydrated, adding poultry vitamins or electrolytes to the water. Hydration is most important. If they have difficulty eating you may need to tube feed them - we can give you information on how to do this too.

Look forward to photos or video if you have them and more information.

 

[lavalamp009]

Wyorp Rock-

To answer your questions,

we are located in Northwest Ohio.

I was just out with the chickens, the marks on their combs seem to be getting worse but only for the Black Shumen's. The Rooster is alive but acting both distant and wasn't eating morning feed. The hen died last night. I will try to post pictures later in the day.

I have two coop I use interchangeably for the chickens, while one is cleaning they go in the other. So they are used to coop

Feathers, I thought predator however no other signs of a struggle, no blood, no biting or fighting marks. I am going to examine the dead Hen a little more closely right now for Mites etc...

I regularly feed them my leftovers, but thats right after a meal or the morning after, so no rotten food. I did notice there was an orange in their pen, they have a huge forested pen, 100x100. It looked as though they did get into it.

Wheezing- as in just trying to breath, its head was slumped over.

I did a lot of research on mareks disease. It sounds like this. Symptoms fit.

I am in Ohio, is there somewhere I can take the body?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is contact information for the state poultry vet in this link—just scroll down the list to Ohio Dept of Agriculture:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[AmazingRachel]

Ok, I did some research.

You should send the body here, follow their instructions:
http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/divs/ai/addl/addltests.aspx

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear you lost the hen.

I've included a very good article about Marek's from a member here on BYC. They have Marek's and did a great deal of research-some of the best information I've found in one place-Marek's information:http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
Give your state lab a call or visit their website for instructions. Most people find the labs very helpful and caring. Ohio Diagnostic Lab: http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/addl/
Refrigerate your hen's body-here's one method about shipping, but your lab may have instructions for that too https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

 

[lavalamp009]

Ok, I have to go to work unfortunately ha... However, I did examine the vent of the deceased bird. I found just one bug, it looked like it could be 1 of 3 things....Tick, a large mite, or a small beetle. Is it common to only find one bug? If so what could it be? I havent been able to catch a chicken today to check their combs. But like I said spots eem to be growing on the Black Shumen. Could this be mites as well??

 

[lavalamp009]

and also thank you all for your help!!!!!