Please help! My chickens keep dying!

[burbfarmer]

I started with 7 chickens that are different breeds and a duck. They are all about a year old except for the duck. She was given to me so I'm not sure how old but she's still laying. One died a few months ago by the neighbor dog (barred rock, Mable) but I've had 2 die within the last week and a half. The first one (white leghorn, Luna) one day didn't move much, the next wouldn't eat a whole lot and the next day died. The other one (buff orpington, Martha) was fine yesterday and dead today when I came home from work. Since the dog, I've changed their roaming area and their coop/ run is very secure so animals can't get inside. They get new water every other day and I have had them on the same food since they were about to start laying. What could be going on? I really don't want to lose anymore chickens.

 

[chickenlover432]

Where the chickens looking healthy before they died? They could have some sort of disease.

 

[kmollyhughes]

Could be egg bound from not enough calcium, could be the heat with no fresh cool water, or disease. They don't just keel over for nothing.

 

[missnu01]

Sometime they do keel over for what looks like nothing. There are a ton of internal things that can go wrong. They may have eaten something that made them sick..they might be too hot and having heat strokes. It could be a virus, heart attacks, fatty liver deposits, egg bound, could have gotten into something moldy, Could have been something stuck in their crop. A million things can go wrong.

 

[kmollyhughes]

Agreed, it can look like nothing, but when more than one passes, that can indicate a serious issue. I know no one likes to see their flock in trouble, that's why we have to stay on top of what they can get into and notice those "off" days. Like they said, day one was a little off...day three, gone. With there being 3 birds dead, something has to be up. Glad they are looking into it. Feel bad for the owners and flock.

 

[ten chicks]

I started with 7 chickens that are different breeds and a duck. They are all about a year old except for the duck. She was given to me so I'm not sure how old but she's still laying. One died a few months ago by the neighbor dog (barred rock, Mable) but I've had 2 die within the last week and a half. The first one (white leghorn, Luna) one day didn't move much, the next wouldn't eat a whole lot and the next day died. The other one (buff orpington, Martha) was fine yesterday and dead today when I came home from work. Since the dog, I've changed their roaming area and their coop/ run is very secure so animals can't get inside. They get new water every other day and I have had them on the same food since they were about to start laying. What could be going on? I really don't want to lose anymore chickens.

Do they have grit? Have you recently introduced any new birds? Give fresh water daily and look at all your birds for any unusual symptoms.

 

[mespe]

Not sure why you lost your birds, I've experienced an older hen dying in the middle of the night. Wife went to open the coop and this birds rolled out, wife first thought the bird was eager to get out, then realized it was dead.

I've lost a bird to eating plastic that got stuck in her beak.

And there is always the threat of animals.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I don't know where you are but most states have either a free or a reduced charge necropsy program at their agricultural college or university.

http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Anyone who wishes to know how to get in touch with your State Poultry Diagnostic Lab for a necropsy, click on the above link.

 

[The Lazy L]

Chickens were first and the duck came later?

If yes, perhaps the duck passed on a disease that the chick are sceptically to?