Losing a hen once a month.

[Fishsticks06]

I'm having a hard time right now as I keep losing a bird once a month. Started in May, lost a year old Light Brahma. No prior incidences, but couldn't walk and refused to eat. Didn't pant/show signs of heat stroke. Happened when I let all of my birds out on a cool, but humid morning. Coops are ventilated. I put her away in a shady, cool place to rest by herself with accessible food and water. Came home from a conference and she was dead in a corner. She was very purple in the face, beak was wet. No signs of laceration, egg binding, or other bodily damage. Her vent was clean and droppings were healthy prior.

Second hen was a red sex link that was 3 years old, had impacted crop a year prior as well as some reproductive infection a couple months back. She was doing fine once I got her back to healthy weight, until one week she just hid under the coop all day. She had shade, food, and water all accessible. Began to loose leg strength in one leg entirely and died a day later. Was there to witness entire death. Multiple short-lived seizures, proceeded to die and leak fluid from the mouth.

Third hen was found dead just today in a corner. She was pale in the face, and her beak was wet. Nowhere near water. It was shady, but her body was already cold. Neck was limp. She did have a very early case of bumblefoot after inspected the body, nothing serious enough to impede with movement. I seriously feel helpless. Is it all heat stroke? Please help.

 

[MysteryChicken]

How hot has it been, what do you feed including treats/how often, & is it possible you can take the next bird that drops dead to a lab for necropsy?

 

[Fishsticks06]

How hot has it been, what do you feed including treats/how often, & is it possible you can take the next bird that drops dead to a lab for necropsy?

The hottest part of the day is around mid 90's. I feed them scratch grains Autumn-Spring, garden scraps, table scraps that are deemed safe, and free-fed layer pellets. They have a large fenced area for foraging, and no food in it is unhealthy. I'd send a bird in for a necropsy, but wife says no dead birds in the freezer.

 

[affacat]

I am not an expert in chicken medicine, but it doesn't seem like heat or food to me? That is, it sounds like you're doing more than most to keep them safe and well fed. 90s temperature for short periods isn't that bad, chickens shouldn't be dropping dead unless they have no water.

Are they all of similar age? We get a random chicken death here and there but generally never feel like they are connected... Just due to general old age / chicken fragility. It sounds like yours are all disconnected as well?

 

[Fishsticks06]

I am not an expert in chicken medicine, but it doesn't seem like heat or food to me? That is, it sounds like you're doing more than most to keep them safe and well fed. 90s temperature for short periods isn't that bad, chickens shouldn't be dropping dead unless they have no water.

Are they all of similar age? We get a random chicken death here and there but generally never feel like they are connected... Just due to general old age / chicken fragility. It sounds like yours are all disconnected as well?

2 birds were around a year old, I doubt it.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

“Random” deaths like these can be due to a viral disease. The best way to find out is to get a necropsy done. I don’t think you need to keep the dead bird in the freezer, though it should be kept in a cool location. I don’t believe they’re dying of heatstroke.

 

[MysteryChicken]

The hottest part of the day is around mid 90's. I feed them scratch grains Autumn-Spring, garden scraps, table scraps that are deemed safe, and free-fed layer pellets. They have a large fenced area for foraging, and no food in it is unhealthy. I'd send a bird in for a necropsy, but wife says no dead birds in the freezer.

How often are the scratch grains, & garden scraps, & table scraps are given out?

 

[Chickenlover2009]

I'm having a hard time right now as I keep losing a bird once a month. Started in May, lost a year old Light Brahma. No prior incidences, but couldn't walk and refused to eat. Didn't pant/show signs of heat stroke. Happened when I let all of my birds out on a cool, but humid morning. Coops are ventilated. I put her away in a shady, cool place to rest by herself with accessible food and water. Came home from a conference and she was dead in a corner. She was very purple in the face, beak was wet. No signs of laceration, egg binding, or other bodily damage. Her vent was clean and droppings were healthy prior.

Second hen was a red sex link that was 3 years old, had impacted crop a year prior as well as some reproductive infection a couple months back. She was doing fine once I got her back to healthy weight, until one week she just hid under the coop all day. She had shade, food, and water all accessible. Began to loose leg strength in one leg entirely and died a day later. Was there to witness entire death. Multiple short-lived seizures, proceeded to die and leak fluid from the mouth.

Third hen was found dead just today in a corner. She was pale in the face, and her beak was wet. Nowhere near water. It was shady, but her body was already cold. Neck was limp. She did have a very early case of bumblefoot after inspected the body, nothing serious enough to impede with movement. I seriously feel helpless. Is it all heat stroke? Please help.

To me, it doesn't sound like heatstroke. It might be a disease like Mareks disease or Coccidiosis but I think it would spread faster and more would die faster. If there face is purple or blue it means they are having g trouble breathing. I would ask a poultry vet or do some research.
I love poultry and am so sorry about your chickens.

 

[Fishsticks06]

How often are the scratch grains, & garden scraps, & table scraps are given out?

It depends, some times a will have a lot of harvests for my garden that I don’t want and I’ll throw to my chickens, and I’ll throw out excess food scraps such as lettuce, blueberries.. before they go to waste. Maybe once a week at the least, and 3 times a week at the most. Amount of content and times fluctuate. I don’t feed scratch grains in the summer as it’ll increase body temperature which isn’t a good idea to do in scorching months. I’ve never had an issue with this in the past.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It depends, some times a will have a lot of harvests for my garden that I don’t want and I’ll throw to my chickens, and I’ll throw out excess food scraps such as lettuce, blueberries.. before they go to waste. Maybe once a week at the least, and 3 times a week at the most. Amount of content and times fluctuate. I don’t feed scratch grains in the summer as it’ll increase body temperature which isn’t a good idea to do in scorching months. I’ve never had an issue with this in the past.

I'd reduce the amount of scraps to maybe, once every other week. Too much can make hens overweight, & cause fatty liver Disease, which can be deadly. See if this makes a difference in your remaining birds.

I've given scratch out as a treat in the summer, without my birds having overheating issues.