Rooster died seemingly out of nowhere

[ivan3]

Sorry about your roo. Though the feed is a possibility, it is less likely than others (particularly in a ~one year old, slow growth breed). Depending on the `breeding' of this roo (show quality?) and the sudden death (gout manifests itself over a longer period of time in slower growing breeds - commercial broilers are another matter entirely) might indicate a genetic fault. As other members have mentioned, even a gross necroscopy would rule out quite a bit (easy to ID discoloration of heart - heart attack - munged up GI tract - foreign object for instance).

 

[casportpony]

I read somewhere that Sebrights are very susceptible to getting Marek's, but I didn't bookmark that link.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Don't know how true it is, but it's worth considering, IMO

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebright_(chicken)
Adults are generally hardy birds, but are especially susceptible to Marek's disease.[17]

http://www.poultryclub.org/poultry/health-and-diseases/
Vaccination is feasible, especially if Silkies or Sebrights are kept. These are very susceptible to clinical signs of Marek's and there would be few of these breeds seen at exhibitions if vaccination was not used.

-Kathy

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Thank you so much, you're probably right. I think I'm just gonna change feed so my other roosters aren't harmed. I have free choice calf manna for the hens and they get a lot of vegetables so I will look for a food they can all eat.

Calf Manna is not a food it is a powerful supplement.

Calf Manna in small amounts is fine for hens as well as roosters, maybe 1% -2% of their total ration should be Calf Manna, never over 5%. Free choice Calf Manna is too much of a good thing ever for a calf.

If your laying ration don't give them gout, all the Calf Manna that a chicken can stuff into its beak surely will.

 

[casportpony]

Calf Manna
Feeding Instructions:
Dairy Calves

Up to 1 lb per day

Goats

1/4 to 1/2 lb per day
Lactating Cows

1 to 1 ½ lbs per day

Baby Pigs

1/8 to 1/4 lb per day
Beef Calves

10% of the creep feed ration

Show Hogs

1/2 to 1 lb per day
Show Cattle

1 to 2 lbs per day

Gestating Sows

1/8 to 1/4 lb per day
Brood Cows

1 lb per day

Lactating Sows

1/2 to 3/4 lb per day
Bulls

1 lb per day

Boars

1/4 to 1/2 lb per day
Foals

1/2 lb per day

Rabbits (growing)

1 teaspoon per day
Growing Horses

1 to 1 ½ lb per day

Rabbits (lactating)

1 tablespoon per day
Broodmares and Stallions

1 ½ to 2 lbs per day

Poultry

1 tablespoon per day Or 5-10% of the ration
Performance Horses

1 to 2 lbs per day
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_library...667cc8-f772-432a-a5c6-32b4237ab606&showText=1

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If your laying ration don't give them gout, all the Calf Manna that a chicken can stuff into its beak surely will.

Excellent point.

Best bet for a mixed flock where all birds aren't actively laying is a grower or finisher feed in the range of 15-18% protein and 1% calcium with free choice oyster shell in a separate container. If you want to up the protein for some you can include some BOSS or fishmeal.

 

[casportpony]

It sure would be helpful if more people started their thread here by answering the questions in this link.

• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/3569/have-an-emergency-disease-please-read-first

-Kathy

 

[shmccarthy]

One of my leghorns were laying really soft shell eggs or ones that would break really easily. Someone told me to put te calf manna available as free choice and the ones that need it will eat it and the ones that won't will not eat it. Only a little has been consumed and I've kept it on the bottom story of the coop so it stays dry and out of the way.
He wasn't a super special bird, just one from tractor supply so I'm not certain if their supplier vaccined them for Mareks.

I feed them in the run because I don't like putting food in the coop. Is flock raiser a good feed for all of them? I have mostly 12 hens a large fowl rooster 5 bantam hens and 2 bantam roosters.

 

[novicechik]

HELP!!!
I am a newbie to back yard chicken raising.... In less than 3 days I have had 5 chickens die for apparent no reasons... I had 40 chickens 15 female amerucanas, 5 male ; 15 Rhode Island Red females and 5 males all in a 16 x 18x 10 foot from floor to roof Coop it is all brick and they have their own laying houses which they all use.. I have raised then since they were 8 days old... They are 8 months old now and have been relatively fine laying eggs and docile up until 3 days ago... We thought it was the roosters that were attacking and gang raping the females.. Literally they were in a line and crouched on top of the first chicken.and no sooner did one finish the other 4 pounced on her.. Suffocating her and she was dead.. This was the first so we took action and seperated the males from the females except for 2 male ameraucanas which all amerucanas seem very docile the reds are more aggressive..and now we lost 3 yesterday and 2 in between this morning and the afternoon.. Except that the other 4 didn't have signs of trauma.. They are also pecking at each others tail feathers now and have rare behinds.. Some have bleed...(we seperated an reintroduced then and they were fine after) We've checked their water, and their feed (which is a mixture of crumble and dried corn) for rot or spores and find nothing. I am so distraught bc we have done everything in our power to make sure they are well taken care of.. They have posts to rest on and we graze them every other day and without coercion they enter their home.. We lock them up so no predators have access to them.. Although today my husband put a key lock on just in case there is some lunatic that likes to have fun with chickens out around my property... Youll understand why in a bit.. They have adequate sunlight, water and food plus flying room.. But they are dying and I have no idea why? Back to the original problem WE think the roosters left gaping holes in their backside and it looked like they were violated by a very thick large stick! Help I really don't know what else to do!

 

[ivan3]

It sure would be helpful if more people started their thread here by answering the questions in this link.

• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/3569/have-an-emergency-disease-please-read-first

-Kathy

Fight the good fight...

I used to post a lot in EDIC, but questions (with no ancillary, not to mention essential, info) such as: "I sat on my chicken!!! What do I do???? ? "Stand up and get off your chicken, yes?" and I pretty much retreated to just `touch-and-go' when I don't have to make too many assumptions (lots of photos of condition are usually bait to this writer).

For a while, I'd just copy/paste FAQ Q's into first reply and wait...
Also, if folks would take a few minutes to learn how to use the ADVANCED SEARCH FUNCTION (and all that is really difficult about that is remembering to USE THE SEARCH BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE AFTER DEFINING THE PARAMETERS IN THE SEARCH FIELDS) to examine previous Q's & A's for same issue(s), questions in current thread could be refined even further.

Sorry, pet peeve being flailed by excess caffeine

Not directed at OP - sudden death in an apparently healthy one year old roo will admit to a near infinity of hypotheses as to causative `agents' (doubt it was the feed, however)...