Overnight-Dead hens and some are weak

[Elphaba2140]

I woke up and let the girls out. Noticed that one came out and laid right down. I came out a bit later and several are laying down. That is when I saw that some didn't come out of the coop. They were dead. I picked them up. There is no trauma. There was one young bird in the nest box that couldn't walk. Carried him out and set him down. Cannot stand.

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
6 or so are 1 year old hens – Normal weight-Found dead
A few are just laying around on the ground but get up when I walk to them.
A few are 12 week olds. They were introduced about 2 weeks ago.
The main flock and 12 week olds have all been vaccinated for Mareks. The ones that are dead I got from a farm store (Cackle supplied) and ones I hatched from bought eggs.
They had not been vaccinated.
I do have another separate group of the same 12 week old chicks (roos) and bantams and there is nothing wrong with them. They are in another shed.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Woke up this morning to dead hens in coop. Several with weak legs. Came out of coop and laid down.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
All appeared normal through last night.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
One of the 12 week olds is displaying weakness

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
None

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Nothing.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
All were eating and drinking yesterday. They get 21% meat producer.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Most poops are normal – I noticed a few have been loose and green (normal green).

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Nothing just found the hens.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Will medicate if that is the treatment needed.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
No wounds.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
On pine chips since I got them around a year ago. Same company no changes.

Any help would be appreciated. I live close to a farm store and can hopefully get whatever supplies I need to get the flock better!

 

[MareeZoCool]

I am sorry about your chickens!

So sad I cannot help you with any advice or knowledge.

I wonder what it is that has affected your chickens. I will be monitoring this post, in hopes an experienced member will supply some answers for you.

 

[ranchhand]

Any kind of poison or poisonous plant(s) they could have gotten into? Mold? Ammonia?
Very odd to lose so many all at once. Were all the new birds quarantined each time you brought some in?
What strikes me is that the separated ones are not getting ill, though I have no idea why not. The 12 week olds may have introduced something to the others, that they are immune to. Or it could be environmental, something in that one location.

Very sorry, hope you can take care of it asap.

 

[Elphaba2140]

Thank you. I am really shocked and sad. I have been researching here to find answers and making a list of antibiotics that may prove helpful.

 

[Elphaba2140]

Ranchhand-

Any kind of poison or poisonous plant(s) they could have gotten into? Mold? Ammonia? They are in a coop with attached moveable pen - it is a tractor but has been stationary since winter.
I do feed scraps but they haven't had any for days now. I only feed leftover table food so nothing that I wouldn't eat.

Very odd to lose so many all at once. Were all the new birds quarantined each time you brought some in? The ones I hatched were separated yes. They went in when they were fully feathered and have been there since-so about July of last year. The new birds were separate for 12 weeks-got them as day olds from the hatchery and they were vaccinated.

What strikes me is that the separated ones are not getting ill, though I have no idea why not. The 12 week olds may have introduced something to the others, that they are immune to. Or it could be environmental, something in that one location. I only introduced the pullets of the chicks since I planned to keep them. They all seem ok this morning. It is very bizarre. I have never had any problems since getting birds last April.

 

[Elphaba2140]

I gave them water with electrolytes and went to the store and bought Corid. Added that. The remaining hen from my hatched group was so weak she couldn't move all day. I would go out and lift her up to drink and she did this every couple of hours. She seems more alert but still cannot stand. She did not eat at all. There are two cockerals of the 12 week olds that were very weak. They are moving better, one can now walk and was able to stand to drink, the other shuffles for lack of a better word. I lifted him up and he drank today also.

No new sick ones or any showing signs of weakness.

Still clueless.

 

[WooingWyandotte]

Have they been around rat poison or weed killer? Miracle Gro? Things like that can definitely kill your chickens. I'm really sorry.

 

[Atomic Ranch]

Wow, that's terrible.

Very sorry.

Any mass animal death/illness certainly sounds like toxicity or sepsis of some kind. I don't mean to cause any undue alarm because it's likely something mentioned above, but is there any reason anyone would have malicious intentions in the neighborhood?

 

[chkn]

I wonder if their food is moldy or toxic for some reason. Open up a fresh bag?

 

[RareBreedFancier]

I am terribly sorry you lost so many birds.

Is there any way you could have one or a few birds autopsied? So many sudden deaths is very odd and I'd want to know what it was right away. You may be able to get it done free or cheap through your state vet/animal health/disease management organization. I'm not sure how things work in your area but there should be something like that available.

My first instinct is some kind of poison. Are the healthy group and sick group eating from the same bag of feed? If not I'd stop using the bag the sick group has been eating. It could have got damp and have mold spores in it.

Make sure you practice good bio-security, if it is something contagious you don't want to pass it around. Good luck.