My chickens are dying.....Please help!

[Princefarms12]

I will try that. I added a second waterer yesterday, but I will try another feeder also. Like I said I always keep their food container full so they all have plenty of food. But I will be making some changes to the amount of food I give them. I hope that this works. It is getting really discouraging having so many die so close together. Thank you so much for all your advise. You are all so amazing!!

 

[MrsBachbach]

Right now They are contained in the coop. I have one feed station that I always have feed in, and I just put another watering container in the coop in which the two chickens I have with pale combs started drinking alot of water. I also noticed that one of the hens was trying to keep them away from the water.

I went and bought a bag of scratch and I put out about a 16 oz cup of scratch for them all.

This is my first time raising chickens so I am trying my best to keep them healthy

Oh, yes the roosters we sold were going crazy trying to mate with all the hens and not giving them a break and that is why we sold them. Also one of the roosters was pecking in one of the hens. but she isn't one of the pale ones.

To be honest the hen that died an month ago we did do our own inspection on her and we didn't fine anything out of the normal. We are a hunting family so even though it was a hard to do on our own chicken it had to be done.

Well, that sounds like that could have been your problem. Being kept from feeders and waterers by dominant hens or roosters. I would add another feeder also. I always separate my growing roosters around 10 wks or so because they claim the feeders and some of the hens usually don't get to eat. Growing males don't act like a full grown rooster, who usually lets the females eat. Growing males are all about themselves.
Just an FYI, but scratch is like a treat or candy to chickens. It is not nutritionally complete and your birds may only eat that instead of their layer feed. Too much in their diet and they will get fat and lose needed nutrients. Fat birds may not lay well and can have health problems (fatty liver). Scratch should only be given as a treat and in small amounts. Make sure they have chicken grit if you are feeding them scratch.

 

[Princefarms12]

Okay. At what age are they full grown? How much scratch would you recommend giving them and I have grit in the coop with them. When I went out this morning to check on my chickens, they were looking better. So that is hopeful. I may even have to let them back out to free range more. They seemed to do better when they were out during the day. My porch was very messy but they were happier.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Okay. At what age are they full grown? How much scratch would you recommend giving them and I have grit in the coop with them. When I went out this morning to check on my chickens, they were looking better. So that is hopeful. I may even have to let them back out to free range more. They seemed to do better when they were out during the day. My porch was very messy but they were happier.

Are roosters full grown? Is that your question? I would say when they start acting like an attentive male. Growing males are all about growing, sort of like young boys who aren't interested in girls, just food and the newest toy. That's why I move them, they dominate the feeders. I guess it really depends on the breed on when they are mature or may depend on the individual bird. When they start calling the girls to the food, instead of helping themselves to the feed first, I would say they are mature. I usually notice more mature behavior around eight months, but with cockerels(under a year old), it's all about breeding first. They take awhile to learn to be gentlemen.
If you are going to treat them with scratch, I wouldn't do it more than once a day. Some people scatter a handful out on the ground in the coop or sprinkle some in the feeders. I like to throw some out every other day or so when I let them out of the coop. I call them then just toss it out in a wide area on the bare ground and they have to hunt and peck for it. If you find them ignoring their food and waiting all day just to eat the scratch, you might want to skip it every other day. Just keep in mind it is chicken candy. You don't want them to have a diet of just candy. If you are looking for a specific amount, idk, never really considered it, but I would think something like a tablespoon per grown bird. That's just my idea of a small amount. Also, I have read you may want to give them some prior to roost in winter. I read it's harder to digest and takes longer and digestion warms up their body. So, based on that, I tend to avoid it during the hot summer days and give them a small portion prior to roost in the winter if I know it's going to be a very cold night. Whether that's truth or fiction, Idk, just thought I'd pass it on.

 

[Princefarms12]

This info really helps out. Thank you. The rooster we have now is a Barred Rock and the nicest one that we had. The others were very onry with the girls. He is about 7 months old now. I wouldn't say that he calls the girls to eat but he will share with them. I did put a second feeder in the coop yesterday and so far that seems to have helped. I seen a big difference in my hens yesterday, hopefully today they will look even better.

 

[Mygirls615]

How are the girls doing? Better with more water and feeders?? Hope all is going well, just wanted to check in

 

[Princefarms12]

Honestly I have had three more die. One of them had mearks though. But the other two I don't know what was wrong. I am totally frustrated right now. I started out with 24 and I only sold 7 and I am down to 9. I don't know what to do anymore. I just want to cry and give up. But I think I have learned who to buy chickens from and who not to buy them from. I am feeling totally defeated. But thank you for asking about them. The rest of them look like they are really healthy though. I just hop I don't loose anymore.

 

[tjmings]

Honestly I have had three more die.  One of them had mearks though.  But the other two I don't know what was wrong.  I am totally frustrated right now.  I started out with 24 and I only sold 7 and I am down to 9.  I don't know what to do anymore.  I just want to cry and give up.  But I think I have learned who to buy chickens from and who not to buy them from.  I am feeling totally defeated.  But thank you for asking about them. The rest of them look like they are really healthy though.  I just hop I don't loose anymore.

I am so sorry about your losses! I can't even imagine! I came here looking around because we just had a chicken die today. She had seemed perfectly fine and then we find her dead in the run. I have no idea what happened. The not knowing is the worst!!

 

[MrsBachbach]

Honestly I have had three more die. One of them had mearks though. But the other two I don't know what was wrong. I am totally frustrated right now. I started out with 24 and I only sold 7 and I am down to 9. I don't know what to do anymore. I just want to cry and give up. But I think I have learned who to buy chickens from and who not to buy them from. I am feeling totally defeated. But thank you for asking about them. The rest of them look like they are really healthy though. I just hop I don't loose anymore.

Are you sure they had mareks? What symptoms did you see? Sometimes there are no symptoms with Mareks and if that is indeed what you chickens died of, then you can be sure all the others have it now and it is likely what they all died from. So, the others will either succumb to it, or survive it, which if they do, they will have some immunity and may even be able to pass some genetic immunity to offspring.
If you think something else is going on, one thing I would check is the freshness of your feed. There is a manufacture date on the bag or seam and your feed shouldn't be older than three months. If it is, your birds may be lacking certain vitamins/minerals because feed will degrade with age and cause problems for your birds, mainly, the ability to fight off disease and some motor skill problems. I would find a vitamin/mineral supplement to put in their water a few days a week, looking particularly for A, the B vitamins, D, E, K, and selenium and minerals. You can find some at feed stores for livestock or they also make some just for poultry.