Mysterious Deaths

[Peaky]

I live in central California and 6 weeks ago a rooster of mine died within a 48 hour time period. He went from perfectly healthy looking and acting and 36 hours later was standing on floor of coop in a complete daze and 12 hours later was dead. Eight days ago a hen went from being perfectly health to the next day isolating herself, not leaving the corner of the coop. She is in a daze. She has not died yet but acts very strange and if she comes Uout of the corner just sits. Then 2 days ago same thing has happened to another one of my hens. I can't imagine what is happening to their health. We don't have snow and very infrequently have freezing temps in night so it's not the weather. The only thing I'm wondering is if the mice that are around infected the chics with something
I am completely perplexed. All other 5 birds are healthy today. Is there anything like a chicken flu. I know in California the flu is running rampant among people. Possible it could be chicken flu?

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Hi Aron and Alice
I live in central California and 6 weeks ago a rooster of mine died within a 48 hour time period. He went from perfectly healthy looking and acting and 36 hours later was standing on floor of coop in a complete daze and 12 hours later was dead. Eight days ago a hen went from being perfectly health to the next day isolating herself, not leaving the corner of the coop. She is in a daze. She has not died yet but acts very strange and if she comes Uout of the corner just sits. Then 2 days ago same thing has happened to another one of my hens. I can't imagine what is happening to their health. We don't have snow and very infrequently have freezing temps in night so it's not the weather. The only thing I'm wondering is if the mice that are around infected the chics with something
I am completely perplexed. All other 5 birds are healthy today. Is there anything like a chicken flu. I know in California the flu is running rampant among people. Possible it could be chicken flu?

Hi,

Sorry to hear that you have lost some birds
Can you take them to a vet?
Are they showing any other symptoms? like leg paralysis, or not normal poop, fluffed up, disheveled feathers, etc
how old are they?

by chance did you start a thread on these birds? If not you may want to

 

[AaronandAlice]

Hi Aron and Alice
I live in central California and 6 weeks ago a rooster of mine died within a 48 hour time period. He went from perfectly healthy looking and acting and 36 hours later was standing on floor of coop in a complete daze and 12 hours later was dead. Eight days ago a hen went from being perfectly health to the next day isolating herself, not leaving the corner of the coop. She is in a daze. She has not died yet but acts very strange and if she comes Uout of the corner just sits. Then 2 days ago same thing has happened to another one of my hens. I can't imagine what is happening to their health. We don't have snow and very infrequently have freezing temps in night so it's not the weather. The only thing I'm wondering is if the mice that are around infected the chics with something
I am completely perplexed. All other 5 birds are healthy today. Is there anything like a chicken flu. I know in California the flu is running rampant among people. Possible it could be chicken flu?

Oh I’m sorry to hear. It’s sad to lose a flock member- especially when the cause is unclear. I would recommend making a new post so everyone is sure to see it- title it unexplained deaths. I’m new to keeping chickens so I’m not a great resource- but it sounds like an illness to me the way it seems to be spreading slowly. No new snacks or chances of something random in their feed?

 

[Peaky]

Oh I’m sorry to hear. It’s sad to lose a flock member- especially when the cause is unclear. I would recommend making a new post so everyone is sure to see it- title it unexplained deaths. I’m new to keeping chickens so I’m not a great resource- but it sounds like an illness to me the way it seems to be spreading slowly. No new snacks or chances of something random in their feed?

Oh I’m sorry to hear. It’s sad to lose a flock member- especially when the cause is unclear. I would recommend making a new post so everyone is sure to see it- title it unexplained deaths. I’m new to keeping chickens so I’m not a great resource- but it sounds like an illness to me the way it seems to be spreading slowly. No new snacks or chances of something random in their feed?

 

[Peaky]

Thanks for your reply. I am fairly new to raising chickens also so I know nothing. After racking my brain the only two things I can think of are
1. Mouse droppings. We have mice around the barn/ chicken area
2. I put in some pine tree shavings about 6 months ago in their run area
Most of the time my chics run free in a fence corral except for night time when they go into the coop. Other then those 2 things I am completely perplexed

 

[Peaky]

I had 7 hens and 3 rooster.
Last month one of my roosters was acting differently then usual (sitting down in coop, wavering back and forth on his legs when I lifted him up...almost in a daze). I of course picked him up to inspect him....no injuries. He had been completely healthy the day before. I gave him water, the next morning he was dead.
8 days ago one of my hens was acting differently...isolating, crotched down in the coop after being fine the day before. She also couldn't stand up without losing her balance. Stayed in coop....exact same behavior as the rooster. She has not died yet, but its been 8 days and she is still in the corner of the coop. I've put out water/food and apparently she much be eating/drinking cuz she is still alive. But doesn't move at all when I go to pick her up or put her down. Then day before yesterday a 3rd chicken acting the same. What on earth is going on??? I'm very concerned that the hen who has been sick for 8 days may be in pain. and maybe this second hen. Maybe i should "put them down." They are only 9 months old One is a well summer the other a wyandotte. The poop pretty much normal. I've live in central California and wether is mild. The only 2 ideas I have are the following:
1. Mice that we have in the barn where the chickens stay at night
2. Pine shaving that I put in their outside run that may have something in it that make the chickens sick/die.
They are all out roaming free during day. Any ideas?

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Can you attach a photo of the birds in question?
and of their poop?

can you bring them to a vet?

 

[Rugbygainz]

Do what the above poster said^^ but I would also do a quick google search for mareks and see if the symptoms listed fit your birds. Because this sounds like it could potentially be mareks.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old are the chickens? If pretty young, they can frequently suffer from coccidiosis. Symptoms include lethargy, standing puffed up or hunched with neck pulled into shoulders, not eating, and runny poops either with mucus or blood. Treatment is Corid from feed stores used in water for 5-7 days.
If they are older, they can suffer from reproductive problems, such as internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis.
Noting any unusual symptoms can help. Crop problems may also affect chickens. I would suggest looking at those possibilities, but if you lose another, get a necropsy, which is low cost in California by contacting your atate vet or poultry center. That can pinpoint a cause. Sorry you are losing birds.

 

[Chicken Whisper101]

Hi Aron and Alice
I live in central California and 6 weeks ago a rooster of mine died within a 48 hour time period. He went from perfectly healthy looking and acting and 36 hours later was standing on floor of coop in a complete daze and 12 hours later was dead. Eight days ago a hen went from being perfectly health to the next day isolating herself, not leaving the corner of the coop. She is in a daze. She has not died yet but acts very strange and if she comes Uout of the corner just sits. Then 2 days ago same thing has happened to another one of my hens. I can't imagine what is happening to their health. We don't have snow and very infrequently have freezing temps in night so it's not the weather. The only thing I'm wondering is if the mice that are around infected the chics with something
I am completely perplexed. All other 5 birds are healthy today. Is there anything like a chicken flu. I know in California the flu is running rampant among people. Possible it could be chicken flu?

I'm sorry for your losses, but I have no idea I'm sure some people will know.