My Chickens keep dying.

[Revan]

Does your neighbor also free-range her birds? If so, then I am leaning towards some sort of poisonous plant that's in that area, especially given the length of time this has been going on and you still have birds, and that birds dying is not just isolated to you. Not to say that I am ruling out a disease, but poison seems to be a likely culprit. I am unfamiliar with Arizona plant life, so you'll need to take a look around and see what sorts of plants and shrubs are in your area and look-up online if they are poisonous in any way. If there are any, unfortunately you may have to stop free-ranging and build a large chicken run instead.

 

[Skipper81]

@RaZ

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Why some birds die and not others... different immune system strengths and weakness. Marek's only showed symptoms in 2 out of my 82 birds last year. Some things won't rear their ugly head until there is another compromise like worm load, molt, or other.

At 4 years old, many people do see death start to occur. I mean, it could possibly be unrelated.

I have all kinds of poisonous (or considered toxic) plants in my pasture. Of course I try to get rid of them but there came a point when I had to decide if I wanted to stress too hard to keep chickens or just try. I decided to just try. Turns out it often isn't a problem unless they are locked in with the plant, since they usually keep moving while grazing. Some things do build up over time though instead of processing out of the body. I'm not saying it isn't a plant or other toxin... just sharing my experience.

As far as I can tell, necropsy is going to be key. I would try to convince your neighbor to get a necropsy also. So sorry for your experience, it can be a real joy kill.

 

[3riverschick]

Locoweed. Could they be eating it?

 

[Skipper81]

I live in southern Arizona. My chickens range from 4 years old to 6 months. They have a 8 foot by two foot coop with a 8 foot by 16 foot yard off of their coop. I have four of these and I live on 10 acres and let them free range during the day and at night I put them up except when I have to work which is three days a week. When all of this started I was feeding them lay crumble with a little scratch mixed in to the older ones(I forgot I would put out a little oyster shell for them also). The younger ones I gave grow crumble and a little scratch. And during the three days I work I would put some food scraps out for them since they could not free range those days. I have Buff Orpingtons, Bard Rocks, Ameraucanas and Rhode Island Reds. My friend has Bard Rock and Silies and Leghorn. I also have Turkeys, Ducks, Goats, Pigs, dogs and cats. Did have rabbits until my neighbor's dog decide to go on a killing spree and killed all 13 of them. All of my chickens I bought from the same feed store where they got them I don't know. My friend on the other hand bought hers from different places. And by the way my friend and I live about five miles apart.

Do you have wild birds that hang out in your yard ? Not sure if it can be passed to chickens but possibly something to look into
http://www.azfamily.com/story/35411...eighborhood-seasonal-parasite-may-be-to-blame

 

[Sal2249]

No she does not free range hers at all they have a coop and a fence yard with a top on it.

 

[Sal2249]

I called the Lab she had listed on her web page and they want $256.00 to do a necropsy.

 

[lazy gardener]

How many birds in flock? How many birds lost over 9 month period. Coop run specifics??? A single coop, or multiple coops? What is the total sq. ft of coop space, and total sq. ft. of run space? If these specifics are stated in the thread, I lost them some where over the last 3 pages.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I called the Lab she had listed on her web page and they want $256.00 to do a necropsy.

On who's page?

My own vet was going to charge me about that much too.... and they would have sent the body to the same lab in Davis and simply relay the results. So their fee was for packing and shipping essentially.

That's quite a bit and don't think I could ever do it at that cost.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I live in southern Arizona. My chickens range from 4 years old to 6 months. They have a 8 foot by two foot coop with a 8 foot by 16 foot yard off of their coop. I have four of these and I live on 10 acres and let them free range during the day and at night I put them up except when I have to work which is three days a week. When all of this started I was feeding them lay crumble with a little scratch mixed in to the older ones(I forgot I would put out a little oyster shell for them also). The younger ones I gave grow crumble and a little scratch. And during the three days I work I would put some food scraps out for them since they could not free range those days. I have Buff Orpingtons, Bard Rocks, Ameraucanas and Rhode Island Reds. My friend has Bard Rock and Silies and Leghorn. I also have Turkeys, Ducks, Goats, Pigs, dogs and cats. Did have rabbits until my neighbor's dog decide to go on a killing spree and killed all 13 of them. All of my chickens I bought from the same feed store where they got them I don't know. My friend on the other hand bought hers from different places. And by the way my friend and I live about five miles apart.

How many birds in flock? How many birds lost over 9 month period. Coop run specifics??? A single coop, or multiple coops? What is the total sq. ft of coop space, and total sq. ft. of run space? If these specifics are stated in the thread, I lost them some where over the last 3 pages.

I found the coop info......sort of.

We still need info on number of birds, number of coops, how spaced out the deaths are etc.

2x8 is a pretty small coop.