Need a little help

[rir264]

I am new to BYC and I need a little help or at least some suggestions. I was raised on a farm and my husband and I got an opportunity to have a small flock of chickens since I cannot have any other agriculture animals. I did quite a bit of research I thought I had done enough but maybe not. We settled on Rhode Island Reds for three reasons they are suppose to be able to take the temp. change here in Florida, and my husband had them when he was younger I grew up with White Legghorns. When we bought the birds there was one that seemed to be not as energetic as the other two as time went by I just thought that was her normal. Then when I went out to open the coop door to let them out one morning I had a dead bird, not the non-energetic but healthy one that hung out with the slower one (Racheal). She had no signs of sickness so I thought maybe she fell off her roost and broke her neck? Two weeks later Racheal got very lethargic she was eating, not great, and drinking well the only issue I saw was that her stool was yellow in color but not runny. Four days later she was dead the last stools she had were very running, brown and stinky and one that was black and tarry again runny. What am I doing wrong I give them good food, grit, oyster shell, a little scratch and a few mealworms. I keep there water clean with vitamins added to it. I am on well water. I do not free range them because there are a lot of hawks here and I did not want to lose my birds to a predator so they are in an enclosed coop. Small birds can fly into. The coop area through the wire. A couple of days ago I brought home two more eight week old birds, they seem very healthy and I have them penned off from the others or I should say the other one. I do not want to lose any more birds and I really need help, suggestions or any useful comments. Maybe I have overlooked something. Thanks for your time and posts in advance.

 

[donrae]

I can't really help you but just wanted to say we have a section for illness/emergencies....you might get better response there? Hope you can figure out what's going on.

 

[Judy]

I don't know what was wrong with your birds. There are a number of diseases chickens can get, and many are incurable and contagious. it may be the wise course would be to put down the remaining bird from the first group and disinfect thoroughly. You may want to look into having your state vet do a necropsy to determine the cause for certain. Usually this is inexpensive or even free.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/40141/link-find-your-state-vet-for-a-necropsy/0_20

This is a discussion of the common diseases. Scroll down to the charts at the bottom for a breakdown by symptoms.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Mrs. K]

well, sometimes chickens die..... really rather easily. Sometimes it is genetic, sometimes it is age, and sometimes they just get sick.

I am thinking the first one had a heart attack. Probably a physical weakness. It sucks when it happens, they were just fine the day before and dead the next day. I have had this happen, and I have read of others on this forum that it has happened to too.

You say you bought the hens, so how old were they? While there are posts on here of very old birds, it really is rather uncommon for them to live a long time..... for me, a 3 year old bird is a pretty old bird. The lethargic bird sounds old to me. They just get tired, and slow, stiff and cranky.

If you are feeding them good food, clean water, and keep their bedding fairly fresh, you are doing just fine. The thing is, you are going to have deaths when you have chickens. It is a fact of life. I know it seriously bothers some people, and chickens are probably not a good match for them.

I would not go to the vet. He/She probably does not know too much about birds. I would just get some more chickens.

Mrs K

 

[TimsHens]

I am new to BYC and I need a little help or at least some suggestions. I was raised on a farm and my husband and I got an opportunity to have a small flock of chickens since I cannot have any other agriculture animals. I did quite a bit of research I thought I had done enough but maybe not. We settled on Rhode Island Reds for three reasons they are suppose to be able to take the temp. change here in Florida, and my husband had them when he was younger I grew up with White Legghorns. When we bought the birds there was one that seemed to be not as energetic as the other two as time went by I just thought that was her normal. Then when I went out to open the coop door to let them out one morning I had a dead bird, not the non-energetic but healthy one that hung out with the slower one (Racheal). She had no signs of sickness so I thought maybe she fell off her roost and broke her neck? Two weeks later Racheal got very lethargic she was eating, not great, and drinking well the only issue I saw was that her stool was yellow in color but not runny. Four days later she was dead the last stools she had were very running, brown and stinky and one that was black and tarry again runny. What am I doing wrong I give them good food, grit, oyster shell, a little scratch and a few mealworms. I keep there water clean with vitamins added to it. I am on well water. I do not free range them because there are a lot of hawks here and I did not want to lose my birds to a predator so they are in an enclosed coop. Small birds can fly into. The coop area through the wire. A couple of days ago I brought home two more eight week old birds, they seem very healthy and I have them penned off from the others or I should say the other one. I do not want to lose any more birds and I really need help, suggestions or any useful comments. Maybe I have overlooked something. Thanks for your time and posts in advance.

try using appy cider vinegar with the mother in it, I use 1 tbs per gal. I had same problem with my Jersey Giant chick and she is doing just fine now its supposed to keep stomach acidy enough to kill out worms from what family has told me and all 17 of mine are doing jus fine now

 

[rir264]

Mrs. K, I know sometimes birds die but these were or at least suppose to be approximately 27 weeks old and I got them in October (end) of last year. The first one could have been a fall or a heart attack, I hadn't thought of that, but the second one had either was sick or old. I do not know how to look at a 27-30 week old bird appose an older bird, but she never acted like the other ones. The new birds I got are 8 weeks old and I know that they are old birds! You have given me some food for thought. I enjoy my birds and have loved watching them play. I just want them healthy and safe. So thanks for your comments.

TimHeens,I will have to try the cider vinegar, is it regular cider vinegar or natural like what you would buy at a health food store? Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[TimsHens]

Mrs. K, I know sometimes birds die but these were or at least suppose to be approximately 27 weeks old and I got them in October (end) of last year. The first one could have been a fall or a heart attack, I hadn't thought of that, but the second one had either was sick or old. I do not know how to look at a 27-30 week old bird appose an older bird, but she never acted like the other ones. The new birds I got are 8 weeks old and I know that they are old birds! You have given me some food for thought. I enjoy my birds and have loved watching them play. I just want them healthy and safe. So thanks for your comments.

TimHeens,I will have to try the cider vinegar, is it regular cider vinegar or natural like what you would buy at a health food store? Thanks for the suggestion.

the natural make sure has " with the mother" in iti use 1 tbs per gal