Need some help....

[ajaldridge]

I am new on here and need some help. We got my son some chickens last spring and things were going great. However a couple weeks ago one died, then this past week another one died and now less than a week later yet another one died. This time I noticed something different, I went to pull the chicken out of the coop and noticed blood from the chickens back side. It appears that the chicken laid an egg and had had started bleeding from it. I am not sure if this is what caused the chicken to die but it is the only thing I can find. We are feeding the chickens pellets, Crushed Corn grain, and Crushed Granite (I think its granite and I can check when I get home. I am really concerned about what is going on and what I can do to stop it from happening again. I haven't had chickens since I was my sons age and I don't remember much about it then, my parents and grandparents took care of the chickens back then. We are down to five chickens out of eight, both the Americanas are gone and they were my sons Favorite and before I get more to replace them I just want to make sure I can handle this issue if it happens again.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I'm no expert, however,
I'm sure some more knowledgeable writers will help, but it might help to know if there were other symptoms, how old the birds are, and any recent changes to their living conditions, feed etc.

Welcome to the forum, by the way. I'm sorry your first post is a sad one. I hope you get the help you need.

 

[ajaldridge]

They were baby chicks when we got them in spring. No changes in food or anything other than this is Georgia and it's starting to get cold now, but even then its not really cold yet. No other symptoms that we noticed really either.

 

[ajaldridge]

Thanks. My son is so upset. The chickens were his babies. He is nine and has mild autism and having chickens to help raise and care for is part of his occupational therpy, after talking to his therapist she agreed it would help him and up until this point it has. I'm just worried they'll all die and he won't be able to handle it.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Does their poo look normal? Have they been laying up to this point? Any chance they could have gotten into anything toxic? Sometimes answers slow down on the forum at night. If you don't get more help tonight, give your thread a bump up by adding to it in the morning. Good luck.

(My grandson is on the spectrum as well. He lives out of state, but comes to visit and loves the chickens and my dogs)

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Hello and

I'm sorry to hear about your dying birds. It sounds like it could be coccidiosis, but more detail would be needed to know. Post your question here and someone will be able to help you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=10 Good luck.