Mysterious chicken deaths - please help

uisceros

Chirping
Jun 2, 2022
85
116
91
Massachusetts, USA
Hi all!

I’ve come here several times before for the same problem, but I have a bit more of a story now.

About two months ago I noticed two chickens with diarrhea. They were acting relatively normally, so I put them in a hospital coop, and watched them. About a month later one randomly died. Less than a week later the one other died as well. The first was a Silkie - no real symptoms except diarrhea and feather loss from her vent to her stomach. The second was a Wyandotte. She had yellow diarrhea, but otherwise seemed normal. I found her close to death. She was holding her wings out, breathing heavily, and had a cyanotic comb. She died within an hour or two.

A month ago one of my little bantams started screaming. I took her to the vet, and they diagnosed constipation from an x-ray. She was on multiple meds - laxative, antibiotic, and pain medicine. I even gave her nightly warm bathes to help relax her. After two weeks the vet decided to have me do subcutaneous injections. I did that for awhile and the constipation improved. She was doing okay. One night I brought her sister inside with her because I was worried about the sisters feather loss. After than the constipated chicken went downhill. Her last days I was syringe feeding her, giving her subcutaneous fluids, and warm bathes. It didn’t help. This past Monday on the day I was bringing her back to the vet she passed. Her symptoms were mostly lethargy and lack of eating.

The last chicken I’m worried about is the sister of the constipated one. I noticed a bit of diarrhea, straining while pooping, and feather loss (which has become pretty extreme). At the vet she looked okay, but they tested her stool to look for parasites. I got the call today that she was negative for parasites (for which specifically I’m not sure - I’m going to call tomorrow).

The problem is she’s losing feathers in the same pattern the original chicken did - from her vent down her belly. She also has a line of diarrhea from her vent down. The vet prescribed her some antibiotics, which I will give to her twice a day. She’s laid three eggs recently. Two normal (bloody, but they were her first eggs), and one soft shell on Monday.

At this point I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried my utter best here and I can’t figure out why they keep dying. I don’t want to lose another one. I don’t believe this is respiratory related, as the only symptom is lethargy and diarrhea. I also cannot find anywhere to get a necropsy done.

I have the following at hand: sulfatrim from the vet, corid (liquid and powder), fenbendazole liquid, pour on ivermectin, vitamins, and nutridrench. I changed their food from Purina Layena to Scratch and Peck 16% to see if that helps anything.

One thought the vet had was lead in the soil, so I’m going to test for that.

I have 9 hens in a totally enclosed coop/run. I let them out of the run each day for 5-10 supervised minutes. They have food, water, a dirt bath, and access to grit and oyster shell. Their run floor is dirt/sani-care, their coop bedding is sani-care, and the lay boxes have straw.

I have a second flock inside my house (Seramas). They are all (as far as I can tell) healthy. I did lose my Serama rooster to what I’m pretty sure was Marek’s, but I don’t see any similar symptoms on any others.

Does anyone have any ideas? I’m so lost with this.

Apologies for the crappy pics, it’s nighttime. You can see her feather loss around her breast, and also on her vent/belly.
 

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Last edited:
I'm sorry to hear about your hens.
What is their diet?

Thanks! It's really frustrating because I don't know what's happening.

I had them on a mix of Purina Layena High Protein and Omega-3, with Purina Scratch Grains as a snack.

I just switched to Scratch and Peck 16% Layer feed, and Scratch and Peck Scratch grains, as I heard that was the best pre-mixed diet available.

For treats they get a mix of scratch grains, dried cranberries, mealworms, and black soldier fly larvae. I also occasionally feed them fresh fruit (melons, mangoes, strawberries, etc), and fresh vegetables (zucchini and cauliflower are their favorites). I never feed anything without make sure it's chicken-safe.
 
Thanks! It's really frustrating because I don't know what's happening.

I had them on a mix of Purina Layena High Protein and Omega-3, with Purina Scratch Grains as a snack.

I just switched to Scratch and Peck 16% Layer feed, and Scratch and Peck Scratch grains, as I heard that was the best pre-mixed diet available.

For treats they get a mix of scratch grains, dried cranberries, mealworms, and black soldier fly larvae. I also occasionally feed them fresh fruit (melons, mangoes, strawberries, etc), and fresh vegetables (zucchini and cauliflower are their favorites). I never feed anything without make sure it's chicken-safe.
Is the scratch and peck the whole grain type?
How often do they get treats?
 
How old are they? Laying eggs? Do your chickens seem bloated? The abdomen on the one pictured looks "full" to me. Could they be obese? That could cause some health issues. Too much scratch grains could cause that.
 
How old are they? Laying eggs? Do your chickens seem bloated? The abdomen on the one pictured looks "full" to me. Could they be obese? That could cause some health issues. Too much scratch grains could cause that
Actually, re-reading your post, they might be getting too much protein as well from the original high protein feed, meal worms, and soldier fly larvae. Too much protein can cause obesity, as well as liver disease.
 

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