Lost 2 chickens within 2 weeks & Both were healthy

[Rajni1love]

Please help, I just lost my second chicken in 2 weeks. I have broke only one rule, and that was to integrate other chickens without a holding period. However, I have a very small flock. When I introduced the 1st one everything was fine for 2 months before i lost my first chicken. After the death of sweetie pie, I got 2 new ones from the same flock. Have only had them for 1 week and the new one I first introduced now is dead. They both were very healthy, no signs of illness or unusual behavior. Both Just dropped dead. The first one I thought maybe heart failure as i heard that can happen, but now 2 weeks apart, I am worried I have a bigger problem. What are your suggestions.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Do you still have the bird that died?
When one loses more than one bird, it is time to have a necropsy and lab work. I do that if I lose ANY birds. Every state has at least one poultry lab. What state/country are you in and I can give you their contact information.
There are way too many things that can cause a bird to die suddenly to speculate without evidence.

I'm not understanding whether the birds that died were your original birds or the new ones.

They SEEMED healthy because they are good at hiding illness. Chickens that show signs of illness are targeted by their flock mates to eliminate a bird that can be a danger to the flock.

I know you understand that you should have quarantined. New birds can bring in disease and parasites but they can also suffer from things that your original birds carry they had never been exposed to.

Ideally, 40 days and as far from your flock as possible. Care for your birds first each day before visiting the quarantined flock. Change clothes and wash up between flock visits. During that time, check the new birds for lice and mites.

 

[Rajni1love]

Thanks for your response.

I saved the dead bird aside most of the day yesterday, but then we disposed of her. I looked her over real good and still didn't see any signs. But please do send me the contact in case i lose another, I will try to do that if it's not too expensive. I live in South Dakota.

I only have 3 birds left, two are the newer ones so I'm not sure if at this point it would do any good to isolate any of them. But in the future, I will follow the protocol for introducing new birds.

What i did do, is a thorough cleaning of the coop area with vinegar & water. Then sprinkled some food grade diatomaceous earth in the corners of the coop. (Never have done this before.) My husband suggested that i needed to use Bleach to clean the coop out, but i rather not use harsh chemicals. Do you have an opinion about what to clean your coop with, Vinegar or Bleach or something else? I know many illnesses are airborne so maybe it won't make a difference, but Its the only I could think to do.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks for your response.

I saved the dead bird aside most of the day yesterday, but then we disposed of her. I looked her over real good and still didn't see any signs. But please do send me the contact in case i lose another, I will try to do that if it's not too expensive. I live in South Dakota.

I only have 3 birds left, two are the newer ones so I'm not sure if at this point it would do any good to isolate any of them. But in the future, I will follow the protocol for introducing new birds.

What i did do, is a thorough cleaning of the coop area with vinegar & water. Then sprinkled some food grade diatomaceous earth in the corners of the coop. (Never have done this before.) My husband suggested that i needed to use Bleach to clean the coop out, but i rather not use harsh chemicals. Do you have an opinion about what to clean your coop with, Vinegar or Bleach or something else? I know many illnesses are airborne so maybe it won't make a difference, but Its the only I could think to do.

Here is your state lab. Call them to see how they want birds shipped and what the cost is. A necropsy is free in some states. Most labs have a FedEx account and they'll send you a shipping label.
If you have a bird die, refrigerate it, don't freeze it. If you have sick birds and intend on getting a necropsy, don't medicate as that can skew the results.
I breed an extremely rare bird so it's imperative to know what is ailing my flock. I've paid for 3 necropsies with the full array of lab tests. I think it was about $85 for the whole enchilada. I know California offers necropsies free.


South Dakota

Animal Disease Research & Diagnostic Laboratory
South Dakota State University
Box 2175, N. Campus Dr.
Brookings, South Dakota 57007-0001
Phone: 605-688-5171
IAV-A, ASF, CSF, CWD*, FMD, ISA*, ND, PRV, IAV-S*, VHS*, VSV

If I'm not sure what to suggest. I would use bleach. I'm a fan of ammonia too. I doubt vinegar would affect most of the bad guys. To know precisely what to use for disinfecting, you would need to know what killed the birds. Everything requires a different treatment/response.
I try to go as low on meds and harsh chemicals as possible but when you have a problem, you have to fight fire with fire.
Most things are airborne. Some can travel a quarter mile or farther. The DE will affect lice and mites but that's about it. I sprinkle it in corners after a thorough cleaning before I add the new pine shavings.