Just lost half of my first hatch, dying every few hours...

[Scubadeaux]

My first hatch ever, Silkies, hatched 10 two months ago. Had two sets of eggs from two different places, 5 from each hatched.

They have been in a outside coop/run with 6 others from the brooder. They all get along great, and have been out there about a week doing fine. This morning, one was dead, and the others were not acting right, sleepy, lethargic...soon another one died..
I pulled them from the coop, and slowly one at a time one would die, down to 5 now. The other chickens are doing fine....

They drink the same water, eat the same food, and no sign of any injury...looks more like an illness, poison????
Are Silkies more susceptible to some things than others...cannot for the life of me figure out what is killing these guys....


I am going back to see if I have lost any more...any help, advice or experience with this is much appreciated...

 

[Scubadeaux]

please, anyone....
just lost another one, it stood up had a seizure, then died.... what is this!!

 

[onthespot]

Sounds serious. Best thing is to get one to a state lab ASAP. Don't freeze it. Just refrigerate until you are ready to take it in, sooner rather than later.

 

[chickensioux]

Have you done anything in the area lately? spray for bugs? weeds? New feed? I am so sorry for these losses. I hope you figure it out. Only a necropsy will tell for sure.

 

[Scubadeaux]

no changes at all...and the 6 others that were in the new coop/run, which are different breeds, are doing fine and my grown free range flock are ok too.

The one I just lost, stood up and just began flopping around...I just cannot figure out why just these guys are sick.
It is so sad going in to check on them, I can tell who is gonna be next. And sure enough within a few hours they are dead...

 

[Scubadeaux]

and odd, their stool is normal, so I am not thinking coccidiosis. The seizure makes me think of a neurotoxin of sorts???

 

[max101]

Silies are prone to die in drafty conditions.

Have you put them back under the heat lamp

Putting some vitamins in their water may help

Good luck

 

[Scubadeaux]

thank you for the reply, not drafty. I live in south Louisiana, it is mild and warm...and I pulled them and put them back in the brooder under some heat, and slowly they are dying off....

 

[max101]

This is a long shot ..
Silies sleep on the ground generally, have you checked where they sleep
could they have got access to mold at all??
Other chickens sleep on roosts
Maybe if all else fails you could try a mild flush
Only as a last resort though

I really hope you find an answer soon
best wishes

 

[Scubadeaux]

They were in a new coop made of untreated, unpainted plywood. And some do sleep on a small roost near the floor, some in a pile. Coop bedding pine shavings, clean and the coop is big enough.

Could a mold or poison be the culprit? And how do I explain the remaining chickens in the coop doing good, free range flock great, even my broody hen with her new babies are fine. I am so confused...I cannot figure out why they die off one at a time...