my checken's cone is drying up. Then they dont want to walk around, they just set there. and before you know it there are dying. They have fresh water and food. There about 5 years old. I dont know what im doing wrong. They have plenty of room to run around. I clean there coop out. Its not hot weather, nor very cold. They have hay in there coop to keep warm.
If the comb is drying up, they are dehydrating. Because they aren't getting water. If they are 5 years old and had a hard life they might be dying of old age, gettin lethargic and such.
A sick chicken can get a very pale comb, indicating illness and needing help....
How many birds do you have and how many are sick or have died? When did the problem start?
Have you introduced any new birds to this flock lately?
What kinds of foods do you feed them?
The fresh water - is it fresh daily and in very clean containers?
Do they have oyster shell available?
Are they laying eggs?
Have they been (de)wormed?
Get some poultry vitamins - Durvet makes a vitamin and elctrolyte formula that can be put in their water (this is short term, maybe for a few days). OR Avia Charge 2000 can be added to their water daily (can be ordered on line).
JJ
i give them water when they get low. no they are not eatting oster shells know, they have before thow. How do you know if they have worms? 2 have died. and a few more are getting dryed combs.please reply thank you.
I would say maybe you need to give clean water EVERY DAY
chickens do not do well with bad water
also what kind of feed are they eating
just corn or are they on commercial feed?
Also if they are 5 yrs old they will be gone without any hesitation if you can't find some clean water
lack of clean water is life threating to a chickens health
are you in the hills of virginia?
maybe your water is poisoned by some kind of chemicals?
Sometimes you can see the worms in the poo. Most vets will do a fecal float test and tell you what they have and what to treat it with. Or if you feel you have sen worms, you can get wormer from the feed store -- but I am not familiar with what to use -- seems to me Ivermectin is supposed to get most worms, but I could be all wet here.
If they are 5 years old and you have never wormed them, it is a good possibility this is the problem.