need help asap please introducing birds

[mamabyrd2014]

Thank you all for the replies

 

[mamabyrd2014]

Recent turn of events. A couple days ago I noticed my head hen seemed a bit under the weather. She only laid two eggs that week and the most recent I found in a puddle from the heavy rain. Quite unusual for her. During the day she was standing on the water dish for hours. Her butt looked a lil poopy and she had loose stool. But according to the poop chart was in the normal range. I chalked it up to her being too hot cause its been high temps these last few days. I provided them with another waterer with electrolytes. She would use the roost at night. Yesterday afternoon I went back out to check on her and found her face first dead in the water bowl.
Now I have not introduced the chicks yet. This situation leaves me feverishly trying to disinfectant the coop (I never seperated her because I'm new to this & thought it was the heat). I have one full grown hen left in the coop. And the 5 chicks right next door. I was thinking with the head hen gone this may be a good opportunity to introduce them all. But I need to make sure the coop and run are safe for all my birds.
So my questions are, do you have advice on how to clean the coop? Also the run always gets muddy and hard to clean! How do I get all the poo out of a run that chickens are living in 24/7? This step is obviously vital but I need suggestions. Thank you guys again. I was thinking that I'm going to put sand in the run because I can't move the coop & run and my yard is just an awful sponge for rains.

 

[TalkALittle]

Well, frankly, they've been side by side for a month so if your hen died of something contagious chances are your chicks have already been exposed to it. Disinfect your feeders and waterers and if your super concerned you could lime the soil in the run. Empty all bedding from the coop and spray the inside of the coop with a 10% bleach solution. Let everything dry and then take the opportunity to dust the coop for mites. Put in clean bedding and you're good to go.

 

[aart]

Oh, Bummer!

Pretty hard to totally disinfect the entire coop and run....but...those birds living so close to one another have already been exposed to what ever might have killed the hen.
If it was even a disease that killed the hen.

Figuring out what causes a sudden death, other than a predator,
is almost impossible without a necropsy, which you might be able to get for free or a fee from your state vet.....it may have just been the heat.