Lost 3 birds in 1.5 Months need input please (Not a Predator)

[ublyhunter]

I have lost 3 birds out of my flock of 18. (I have 1 rooster)

Saphire Gem(Adult) (Lathargic, she stayed isolated, Signs of sour crop, bloated) could not save her

Brown Leg-Horn (10 weeks old) - Died in my coop after 2 weeks being introduced to the new flock

Buff Orphington (Adult) - (Lathergic, laying on her side with head bobbing today, eyes closed and can not stand up.

----
All of these events have happened in the last 5 weeks.

Hard to tell if it's the same cause or a different cause with each.

My birds free range and I am wondering if they are getting into something? So many possibilities?

What are your thoughts? (Regular water and feeding)

 

[nightowl223]

The problem with drilling down to a cause is that chickens hide their problems instinctively. Their instinct is to look as healthy as possible until they no longer can, and then it's often too late to do anything. If a necropsy doesn't tell you anything, then you're left with a mystery that is nearly impossible to solve. And I'm assuming you didn't do a necropsy on any of the losses.

Have you wormed everyone recently? Have you checked for exterior parasites, like feather lice, which can basically bleed them dry? Are the ones that died just not gaining weight, or were they extra skinny, compared to everyone else?

The younger one could just have been too scared to get in there with all the adults and shove their way to to the feed and water. That loss could have been completely different than the adults dying.

 

[ublyhunter]

Thanks for the feedback! I have not wormed any of my birds. My birds are well fed and the ones that died were at perfect weight. No weight loss. No sign of parasites. Similar weather as you Michigan birds. We are still running temps 38- 55 degrees this week with on and off rain over the last 3 weeks.

 

[Ms Clucky]

I'm really sorry you lost your chickens. Is it really wet there? If so, maybe they ate mold from somewhere. Or maybe they tried to eat a leech. Poisoned by something/someone?

 

[nightowl223]

Thanks for the feedback! I have not wormed any of my birds. My birds are well fed and the ones that died were at perfect weight. No weight loss. No sign of parasites. Similar weather as you Michigan birds. We are still running temps 38- 55 degrees this week with on and off rain over the last 3 weeks.

Well, I'm from MO, not MI, but that's neither here nor there. No outside symptoms, I assume? No stumbling around and acting like they're "drunk" (which could indicate neurological problems)? No swollen eyes or drainage or anything visible as far as infection, I assume? And I take it no necropsy done on either of the adults? Either by you or a professional?

 

[nightowl223]

Thanks for the feedback! I have not wormed any of my birds. My birds are well fed and the ones that died were at perfect weight. No weight loss. No sign of parasites. Similar weather as you Michigan birds. We are still running temps 38- 55 degrees this week with on and off rain over the last 3 weeks.

With the wet spring weather, there's always the chance of a mold infestation, either in the feed (before you got it, even!) or in the muck that they manage to pile up in the corners, or if you use hay or straw, it can have mold, too.

As well, for the adults, you didn't say how old they were. Some breeds aren't very good at living a long time, in my experience. Those that are heavy layers, especially, seem to just wear themselves out with egg laying, and will just drop dead, with no discernable reason to be found.

 

[ublyhunter]

Both of the adult birds that died were 14 months old.