My Roosters keep Dying.

[Bama_chickma]

Hello Everyone.
I unfortunately am no stranger to sudden chicken death and chicken death in general as we have had several rough goes in the last year. However, we had since made adjustments and everyone has been super healthy and thriving until about a few weeks ago.
We've lost 3 Roos almost back to back in the last 3 weeks.
2 were large, heavy, healthy White Cornish Rocks roosters who suddenly became lethargic and basically went to sleep and died a few days after. One seemed to have quite a bit of fluid coming out if its face afterward but that was the only oddity. Otherwise, aside from isolating themselves and becoming non active, they appeared to be fine. Nice yellow feet, healthy red cones. Etc.
Then this morning our big Road Island Roo Jeff passed. Out of the blue and the only thing I noticed on him was maybe a darker cone than usual but no blue tint and no blackening. Just a darker red.
None of the birds had signs of trauma or attack. They all ate regularly up until the day before they passed.
All of our birds roam free during the day and are closed in at night. They all get fed later pellets and scratch grains in the AM and then forage throughout the rest of the day.
None of the hens seem to be having any issues either. Solely our roos.
I am at a loss. Can anyone help?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Ages? It's not uncommon for CXs to pass away unexpectedly over the course of 24 hours back-to-back. They're not bred for longevity, though they can usually live 2-3 years, but they are often dead and gone suddenly from organ problems.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Additionally, because it's your roos, if they're more than 2-3 years old I'd say the problem is most likely your layer pellets. Layer pellets can cause organ failures in roos. Usually this happens sometime in the range of 3-6 years old. The excess calcium basically builds up in their system and causes kidney failure.

This is pretty uncommon in birds less than 3 years but could happen, especially in CXs. You may want to consider switching to an 18% all flock feed and giving oyster shell in a separate container.

 

[Shadrach]

Hello Everyone.
I unfortunately am no stranger to sudden chicken death and chicken death in general as we have had several rough goes in the last year. However, we had since made adjustments and everyone has been super healthy and thriving until about a few weeks ago.
We've lost 3 Roos almost back to back in the last 3 weeks.
2 were large, heavy, healthy White Cornish Rocks roosters who suddenly became lethargic and basically went to sleep and died a few days after. One seemed to have quite a bit of fluid coming out if its face afterward but that was the only oddity. Otherwise, aside from isolating themselves and becoming non active, they appeared to be fine. Nice yellow feet, healthy red cones. Etc.
Then this morning our big Road Island Roo Jeff passed. Out of the blue and the only thing I noticed on him was maybe a darker cone than usual but no blue tint and no blackening. Just a darker red.
None of the birds had signs of trauma or attack. They all ate regularly up until the day before they passed.
All of our birds roam free during the day and are closed in at night. They all get fed later pellets and scratch grains in the AM and then forage throughout the rest of the day.
None of the hens seem to be having any issues either. Solely our roos.
I am at a loss. Can anyone help?

I obviously don't know if your roosters have died from eating layer pellets but I'm pretty certain this has been the cause of at least 4 rooster deaths here.
There is often a largely unrecognized problem with roosters going hypercalcemic.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

X2
Ages, location and description of housing would help.
Depending on the age of the Cornish Cross, (which aren't designed to live more than a couple months) my first thought was heart attacks.
But with the RIR and possibly the others, layer feed was a possible culprit.
Roosters aren't layers so shouldn't be fed layer feed.
You can send your birds to your state poultry diagnostic lab and then you'll know for sure if the bird is fresh.
What state are you in?

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

Even hens and pullets can suffer from excessive calcium if not actively producing egg shells.

And for future reference, the things on their heads are called combs.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I suggest trying to preform a necropsy on your dead roosters and see what you can find to help diagnose the problem.
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/chicken-necropsy-guide

The kidneys should be pretty obvious if they have stones or not.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The abnormal kidneys will also be asymmetrical. There are 2 kidneys with 3 segments each. Possibly some will be atrophied and some would be enlarged.
A bird can have damaged kidneys and have no symptoms until one of the last 2 functioning kidney segments fail. Death can come in as little as 24 hours or less.

 

[Bama_chickma]

Ages? It's not uncommon for CXs to pass away unexpectedly over the course of 24 hours back-to-back. They're not bred for longevity, though they can usually live 2-3 years, but they are often dead and gone suddenly from organ problems.

They are all less than 2 years of age.
And we think perhaps our unfortunate wet conditions were playing a part and well. It rained in our area of Alabama almost every day for near a month. Thank you for your response.