My chickens keep dying, all different symptoms at different times.

[tori729]

A couple years ago we got 8 chickens. After a year we decided to expand the flock a bit with some chicks. Ever since then, we've had constant bouts with random sicknesses. First, one of our original 8 just couldn't stand and passed within 24 hours. Then our young rooster keeled over with what I think was some sort of respiratory disease that I didn't catch. A few months later, another one of our chicks was limping around and even though I separated her and threw all kinds of antidotes at her, she died as well (also seemed respiratory). I had bought some abx online for her that I never used so I kept those on hand. Finally just this week another one of our originals was acting funny, standing around and not running and just lethargic and kind of dazed. She's on her way out right now even though I've given her abx (probably not helpful b/c of course this time it doesn't seem respiratory), wormed her, threw her electrolytes, etc etc.

My point is, it just seems like once we actually notice anything (and we check on the chickens regularly and my kids notice when they are acting weird), it's just too late. I try researching the heck out of their symptoms and it always seems like it could be so many things that it's overwhelming and I can't ever get it right OR they are just too far gone.

Most of my chickens are from TSC. Is it possible that we need to look at local hatcheries or feed stores or breeders for our chicks instead? I don't think it's an environment thing; we have two older chickens we got from a friend, one of which is probably 7+ years old and she's always been fine. I just wonder if there's something to the TSC quality. OR is it that we introduced too many chickens and they just don't have enough space? They only stay in their coop at night, have a nice run area and we free range them pretty regularly (although not as much in the winter as we had some hawk attacks). I try to treat their water with vitamins and ACV every time there is a sick chicken and other than the two that died within a day of each other (with different symptoms tho), we haven't had any flock breakouts where several die, it's always isolated. I'm just at a loss as to what to do. We want to add some more chicks as we have a broody hen who successfully raised chicks last year but I'm worried that it's going to go bad again. Do I just make better purchases from here on out?

Sorry for the lengthy post; I knew having chickens would be tough b/c they don't live as long as other pets but I did think we would get more than a couple years from them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Unfortunately chickens are like a lot of prey livestock, where by the time they show symptoms, its because they can't hide them anymore

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. When I had some older chickens who were having some reproductive issues and dying off due to an early infection of infectious bronchitis virus, and later a case of possible mycoplasma in a rooster from purchased hatching eggs from a BYC member, I decided to keep my chickens in a closed flock until the last one died off. It took almost 11 years, and a bobcat who happened by took the last 3 out of 4. Whenever I start my new flock, it will be healthy baby chicks from the nearest hatchery to me.

I would contact your state vet at Clemson for information on how to get a necropsy when or if you lose another. Keep the body cold on ice in a cooler or wrapped in plastic bags in a refrigerator (don’t freeze it.) here is a list of state vets:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...L5h4Xt137GBu32pWJZSRUY5DYhQyVrd4ODmF-Ab8otocc

What do you feed? Many people feed too many scraps or treats instead of mainly feeding a balanced layer or all flock feed. Provide grit and crushed oyster shell in separate containers from feed. I would also look over your chickens often, check for lice or mites, feel some crops early in the morning before they eat to see if they are emptying normally, check their skin under the vents and elsewhere for lice or mites, and comsider worming them with Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I am also curious about feed. What breeds do you have and how big are your coop and run?

 

[tori729]

I feed them local layer pellets that they have free access to. We give them scraps and treats but not enough to affect their diet and mostly fruits and veggies.

They also have access to grit and oyster/egg shells in containers in their run. The coop is ... 6x6 I think? I use pine chips inside and change them every few months. The run is bigger, takes up a good corner of our yard. I don't think it's a space issue but I could be wrong.

We have ALL kinds of breeds but most are standard with one fiesty sweet bantam. The others are BCM, BR, RIR, buff brahmas, orp, and sapphire gem.