Hens are dieing

[nyseman]

I am so baffled. My hens are dieing. I've had a bad month so far. We let our flock free range. First our two roosters get taken by a predator. We're thinking a bobcat since it was in an area of trees. (I'm surprised it was the roosters and not a hen). A couple days later one of our friendliest hens was dead in the coop. That same day I brought home 2 young hens from a friend. About 5 days later, one of the new hens was dead in the coop. Then last night my son found another hen sitting on the ground so we put her in a xl large dog crate with water. My husband said she was alive at 6 30 this morning. I went down there at 730 to give her a warm bath (per someones suggestion) and she was dead. She was showing signs of being lethargic and had an aweful smelling diarreha. Other than the sick hen, they showed no signs of trauma. My son is so sad that this is happening to his flock. We've had them for beginning at 4 years ago and always hatched out a few every year, so they are all ages. I believe we are at 19 now. The weather has been warm low 90. but the evenings have cooled down to the low 70. The day the first hen died it was only low 80's. Hope someone can help us. thanks.

 

[CMV]

The initial losses were probably just flukes- 2 predator attacks and a probable reproductive/heart failure. I am concerned that the new hens may have been ill, though. Before we worry about that- could they be getting into something rotten? Moldy feed? Stagnant water? They free-range, so you need to check their range.

 

[Cetawin]

Losing the roosters should not be a surprise at all...it is what they do...protect the flock and sacrifice themselves if they have to. The hens could have been heart or heat related...above 85 degrees they can easily have heat issues. The two newer ones may have been ill. Read up on quarantine procedures...follow them rather than risk your flock.