Limping Chickens

[Islandia]

Last week I lost a huge beautiful Brahma pullet, 6 months old. She had a limp for several days. No sign of injury or infection. Then she suddenly weakened and died. Yesterday, a 2 month old pullet started limping, and now another of my 2 month old group is limping. I have brought no new birds into my flock. The coop is cleaned regularly and bedded with shavings, water changed daily. I have purchases hatching eggs on line and hatched them, however, the affected youngsters are from my own hatching eggs. I am terrified. I have altogether about 40 birds. I live in a very wet and cold area of the Pacific Northwest. They free range almost every day. However the young birds were not outside the coop until today, when they were moved to a new covered pen outside. I am just terrified.

 

[azygous]

I know how upsetting it is to find one of your flock dead, and you have my sympathy. It happens to all of us and it's never easy.

Now, it's important for you to understand why she died. Since it's been a whole week, I'm sure you've disposed of her body. If it happens again, god-for-bid, you need to refrigerate or freeze the body and then find some place to do a necropsy. This will tell you what the cause of death is, and hopefully allow you to take measures to save the remainder of the flock.

But right now, examine the bottoms of the feet of the birds that are limping. Are there any sores or bruises? Sometimes a condition called bumblefoot infects the feet and can cause infection and death if not treated.

But there are numerous chicken diseases where one symptom is progressive lameness. So it's very important to be ready to take steps for a necropsy should another death occur.