Lord help me!!!!!!

[Bren1222]

Yes they are all in the same coop and run and it is just the roos that are dying.

The hens are great and are still laying an egg a day each.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

If you were providing ONLY scratch to the growing roosters then they are being malnourished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are growing very fast and need vitamins and trace minerals. Plus if they are consuming oyster shells the Ca ratio is all screwed up and they can not grow correct.

GET THOSE ROOSTERS SOME GROWER FEED!!!!!!!!!

Jim

 

[rooster-red]

Doesn't sound food related if the hens are eating the same feed, seems like if it were viral it would affect the hens too, hmmmmm....

 

[chickenannie]

Bren, I just wanted to say I can hear your frustrations -- I've often gotten conflicting advice on here and when talking to people -- its not really anybody'a fault, it's just that people have differing opinions on most topics. And you're concern is intensified because it's a life and death situation. I found reading a book on chickens was the most helpful because it explained the "why's" in more detail. It seems so easy -- "just get a couple of chickens and feed them chicken feed" but as with most things it's more complex. We've all had to learn as we go, and you will figure this one out too. You're getting some good advice now.

 

[ibpboo]

Quote:
What kind of roos are they? Could this be the answer? Sorry about all this, let us know if you figure it out. Good luck

 

[Bren1222]

I do appreciate everyone's advice. I need it! I was getting most of the conflicting information from people at work and the patients I see that raise chickens. My mind was racing. I don't want or meant to make it sound like I was upset will all of you. I trust all your opinions more them people I talk to including myself.

I feel a little better now. I am going to get some grower for the roos tomorrow and get them started on that right away. I am just afraid that at the rate it is going the whole flock will be dead in a month. We were thinking about keeping a couple roosters for the baby hens I have in the garage but now I am thinking that I don't even want to deal with Roos anymore.

I should have known that with my luck everything was going too well!

 

[Bren1222]

Quote:
What kind of roos are they? Could this be the answer? Sorry about all this, let us know if you figure it out. Good luck

They are the heavy breed collection we purchased through McMurray. I can't tell you all the breeds. It is a whole collection. I don't think any of them are a cornish x maybe I should try and take a picture and we could play the guessing game?

 

[chickenannie]

I copied the list from McMurray's web site. It does list Dark Cornish -- could they be dying at 8 weeks old like Cornish X?

"Each of these assortments will give you at least 5 different heavy breeds. Our choice of varieties, but we guarantee at least 5 different ones from this list: Black Australorps; Lt. Brahmas; Dark Cornish; Black and White Giants; Buff and White Orpingtons; New Hampshire, Rhode Island Reds, Barred, White, Partridge, Buff Rocks; Sussex, Turkens; White, Silver Laced, & Columbian Wyandottes, Red Star and Black Star." - McMurray Hatchery website

 

[farm_mom]

Quote:
I've raised Dark Cornish and they don't just die like that at any age, so I don't think that's the problem here. (no offense meant, I can see why you would make the suggestion.) My suggestion would be like the others. Buy grower and most importantly grit. (and make sure it's for chicks, not adult birds.) They need that grit to help digest all that scratch grain they were given. Hopefully it's not too late and you don't lose anymore. I would think the reason the roos are dying and not the hens is that the hens have a decent amount of pebbles and the like in their crop to digest the grains they were given. Good Luck!

 

[HillCountryMomma]

I didn't see anyone else mention it, but Bren mentioned the roos are huddled at night. How cold is it where you are Bren? If they roos have a full gizzard that isn't digesting well and then get really chilled over night I can see that causing some to die. Maybe not a chicken that's real healthy, but one that's been on nothing but scratch for 3 weeks isn't going to be the healthiest bird.

As others have said, scratch is not a complete feed. Think of it like eating nothing but McDonalds french fries day in and day out! Tasty, but not enough nutritional value to live on for very long.

Your plan to put the roostes on a grower feed is a good one. Though I don't think it'd hurt them to eat layer pellets either. As long as your feeding a 'complete' feed to confined chickens they'll do ok. Especially since the meat birds aren't going to have long enough lives for problems caused by extra calcium consumption.

Good luck and I hope you don't loose anymore!

Liz