Lost 2 chickens in a week. :(

[MrsHappyHen]

We are new to chicken farming and are really enjoying the girls! We started this spring with 12 chickens, but are down to 10. In the last week, we've lost two. A roo and a hen. We think they both overheated after being "chased" by our kids. They weren't trying to be hurtful, they were trying to catch them to "play with" them. We have instructed them to leave the chickens alone and of course, they feel terrible. What would cause a chicken to overheat like that? They were two healthy birds. The rooster, it was a hot, middle of the day "chase". I can kinda see that. But, the hen, it was a cool, rainy evening. I don't want to lose any more peeps.

Suggestions?

 

[tammye]

where do you live? and yes chickens can be affected by the heat. I have had two hens looking rather worn out and panting with this heat. They seem to eat less when they are not feeling well from the heat so they can get dehydrated, so that adds to there demise. I have been putting ice in their water and giving them chilled veggies and fruit to help cool them off. I syour coop in the shade, these coops, if not insulated can become a hot box really fast, if your coop is not on shade you may want to make some shade by putting a trap over it .

 

[h8snags]

I lost two girls in a week too

so now I am down to 6 girls.
I have no idea what happened to mine, the first one I lost was 19 1/2 weeks old. It was at 5:30 in the evening.She died so quick, in less than a minute. One minute she was standing there, the next.. she dropped, flapped her wings a couple times, and was gone. Then yesterday morning at 8:00 am, the same exact thing happened to my other girl. She was 20 1/2 weeks old.
I am still racking my brain trying to figure out what happened. Not sure if it's genetics, or what. They both (all mine are) very healthy and happy. No mites, worms, injuries, sores, or any physical signs of sickness. They have a huge covered run, a large outdoor run, with a playground, and free range with me in the afternoons. There is tons of shade as well as frozen grapes and ice in their water when it gets too hot. Yes.. they are spoiled! I love my baby girls, so this has been very hard on me. I don't want to lose anymore, but if it happens, I will take her to the state extension office for a necropsy. If it happens again to you, (please no!!) I think it would be a good idea for you to do the same.
Not sure if the heat would have killed your birds.. it's possible, but they are very tough! Mine get manhandled whenever my neices and nephews come over, as well as me! I love to hold them and love them... They have never showed any signs of stress or anything. So sad, we may never know what happened to them.

I am sorry I'm know I'm not much help! I have searched and searched. The only thing I have found remotely close was sudden death syndrome, or flip over disease, but that happens to broiler birds, when they are very young.
I am so sorry for your loss.

Good luck to you and your babies!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Might have been a combination of heat and the stress of being chased. Kids chasing chickens really stresses them, a big no-no here. Teach the kids to sit quietly with treats and soon they'll be covered with chickens.

So sorry you've lost them, it's even harder when it's a mystery. Have you see any symptoms of illness?