My hens are dying.

[csovereign]

About a month ago I lost a year old hen from what I thought was lice/mites. I dusted her when I saw the bugs on her vent, completely cleaned and dusted the coop and dusted the flock with stuff recommended from farm and ranch store. I thought all was well, but this morning another one died, a four year old, and my best layer. I do not see evidence of any bugs this time. I am afraid I"ll lose my entire flock. It's been an exceptionally harsh winter, so they haven't been outside much. There is no coughing, discharge, etc. Does anybody have any thoughts to what this could be, or what to do to save my flock?

Edited to add: I just checked my flock and they are losing their breast and neck feathers, but I didn't see any bugs.

 

[ldrchickens]

Send them of for a necropsy. Make sure your not dealing with anything disease! My state does it for free. Call your State poultry vet

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sorry for your loss.

Please put your general location in your profile so we can make the best possible suggestions. If you are in the states here are some links... necropsy is the only way to know for sure...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

Need more symptoms from your first hen... could be egg binding, blocked crop, or any number of things. People deal with lice and mites every year at certain locations, it only causes serious issues if their is another problem in addition to those... they likely were not the cause of you first hens passing, especially at only one year old.

4 year old hen passing is not unheard of... was she eating, drinking, pooing? Labored breathing? Standing around hunched up? Staying in the egg box? When was her last egg?

See if this link helps you at all. For me it at least clues me in to things I didn't even know were symptoms and helps me figure out what to look for, even if it doesn't give me the exact answer...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

How many more birds have ya got? What do yo feed regularly including treats and supplements? Do your birds have a light on in the coop?

Hoping these two were just coincidental (since we all know when it rains it tends to pour) and the rest of your flock continues to thrive!