I have lost 4 hens in 3 days. HELP!

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
You don't have to have bloody poo, no. The intestinal damage is done by the time the bloody poo shows up. They can die before that (or after).

Oh I just realized that they have started charging for the page I linked to earlier in the thread. I apologize and will try to find a better link for that as well.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/200800.htm
http://en.engormix.com/MA-poultry-i...s/coccidiosis-poultry-review-t1529/165-p0.htm

 

[ParadiseChickens]

This happened to me back in May. I had 8 and 4 of them died over a week's time. No bloody poop, they would puff out and sit depressed and sick looking and then a few hours later lay down and die. I treated the remaining 4 with Sulmet and they are going strong today and just beginning to lay. I replaced the 4 that died with chickens about the same age (4 months at that time) and they are all now seemingly healthy.

 

[Nimby Chickens]

Are you only feeding them scratch feed?

Hens need a balanced diet and scratch is JUST a treat. They need to be on either chick crumbles or layer pellets (they could easily eat either at 6 months...) you may wish to feed them the chick food for now to catch up nutritionally.

Have you checked them for lice or mites? They can slowly kill a chicken, especially one suffering from nutritional deficiencies.

If you are losing them and they don't have lice or mites, dose them for coccidiosis. Corid or Sulmet are medications from your feedstore that will work - Sulmet works more quickly and treats a broader spectrum of cocci strains, however it is harder on the body.

I do agree though that they seem a little old for cocci... but it's my best guess beyond the lice & mites.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Lanatwo is correct- scratch is a treat and doesn't have enough protein in it to use full-time.

Layer feed (crumbles or pellets) is your best bet- or some Flock raiser (even higher in protein) and give your scratch as a treat- a handful or two thrown out each day or so. (Or the chick crumbles as lanatwo said - don't get medicated because you will be eating eggs soon.)

Oyster shell given on the side to give them extra calcium- especially needed if feeding Flock raiser.