SECOND Chicken Death Please HELP!!!

[sondieblondie]

I don't know what is happening to my birds. I am new at chicken raising as this is my first batch of hens but I'm starting to get nervous as I just now had my second one pass...

I started out with 6 chickens and 2 ducks:
1 salmon favorelle born 5/23
2 Easter Eggers born 6/6
1 Gray Olive Egger born 5/23
1 Copper Maranvborn 5/23
1 Dominque born 6/6
2 Magpie Ducks

First my salmon favorelle died nine days ago at 13 weeks old (my friend Debbie who we got our birds the same time SF died 16 days before mine) so I thought maybe that batch didn't get vaccinated by mistake.

My easter egger passed away TODAY at only 11 weeks old. I don't know what is going on! She was roosting on the coop this morning before I went to work with the other girls.

The only signs I have had with my SF is that she was roosting alone at the time (they are a loner bird so I thought this was normal) and then instead of roosting alone in the coop she would try and roost outside on a pallet I have leaned up on the coop, the next night she was sleeping on the ground so I knew something wasn't right when I picked her up she tweaked out but did not make any noises. She was found the next morning dead I was devastated.

Eating and drinking was normal. I still feed them grower as they are not ready for laying feed. I have a 16'x12' run, three different water's (as I have ducks in the run with the chickens) and the coop is well ventilated and they can come and go inside the coop/run all day and night as they please as I never shut the door. The weather has been nice over here but nothing over 75-80 degree's so I doubt it is heat.

The only sign I noticed with my EE was she wasn't as quirky as normal yesterday. She was a pistol (I named her Colt) and had a big personality for such a little bird. But she too was eating and drinking normal. She even was munching on a papaya right next to me yesterday! I found her once I got home dead under the root wad I have for them to play on. Head was still moving around once I picked her up so she didn't pass away that long ago.

The chickens and ducks get along fine, I haven't had any problems with them as I purchased them all together. I haven't yet had them out of the coop or run (want to wait until I have a fenced backyard and after they start laying in the nesting boxes) I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I put Apple Cider Vinegar in the water and some garlic in the food.

I'm heartbroken, discouraged, and devastated. I don't think I will do well with another one passing. Please help!

 

[HugHess]

I am way to new to even hazard a guess...but with the information you have you may want to save their little bodies for a professional exam to determine exactly what has happened to your 'babies'.
Hopefully, the pros here may give you some type of insight and or solace so such a devastating loss can be another 'lesson' to help the rest of us understand when a 'silent' unknowing killer lurks outside of your grasp...

My deepest condolences on the loss of your pets.
Hope you can get to the bottom of their c.o.d.

 

[iwiw60]

So very sorry for your loss...it's never easy. I personally can't help with the "why" but just wanted you to know I'm so sorry....

 

[Eggcessive]

With chickens under 20 weeks dying, and their is more than one loss, I would probably treat for coccidiosis, even if they don't seem to fit the symptoms. Treatment is Corid (amprollium) for 5 days. Other things to consider would be possibly moldy feed, poisoning, heat intolerance, or they may be kept from eating or drinking by the others. I have salmon faverolles, and they are always at the bottom of the pecking order so providing more than one feeder and waterer is a must. Also I have lost 2 out of 8 of mine within their first year, while my other chickens stay healthy, so it could have been the breed in the first death. Getting a necropsy by your state vet on any other deaths would be something you could do to find a cause. Here is a link to help your the state vet: http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/statevets.aspx

 

[sondieblondie]

Thanks for the advice and thoughts everyone. I truly appreciate it. I have three different water sources because the ducks tend to be messy so it gives them an opportunity to have clean water I might introduce more but at this point I'm still thinking of it. I contacted the place where I purchased them to get some insight and ended up feeling like I had done everything wrong does anyone give their girls grit? My other chicken friends do not. Just want to see what options I can do because well who doesn't want to do the best thing for their girls

 

[cafarmgirl]

Yes, chickens need grit. Unless your soil is very rocky/pebbly so they are able to find what they need. Where I live the soil is very fine so I keep grit available all the time so they can always get what they need. I agree with Eggcessive about running a course of Corid. It would be wise to rule coccidiosis as a possible cause.

 

[Nambroth]

My Salmon Faverolles are also at the bottom of the pecking order, and are very, very easily pushed off of their feed. I have to provide multiple feeders and check their crops daily to make sure they are getting enough to eat. I even weigh them every two weeks or so just to keep an eye on them! After keeping them for some years, I now would not put them in a mixed flock with sassy breeds again. Some people do it with success, but mine are just such powderpuffs!
Add pushy ducks into the mix and it's possible your hen wasn't getting enough to eat. I'm not saying your ducks are mean! My other chickens are not mean, just... more pushy and self-confident than my Faverolles. All it takes is another chicken of higher rank to walk near the feeder and my Faverolles will abandon it and walk off. Were you able to check on her regularly to see that she was?

I'm sorry about your Easter Egger. I truly hope you don't lose another, but if you do, you might want to consider having a necropsy done to help get answers.

Chickens that eat grain and other whole foods need grit. If your birds are outside and can find small, rough pebbles to eat, they will probably not need supplemental grit. If you are unsure if they are finding such pebbles, or if they don't have access to an area that has them, it would be in your best interest to provide grit. Chicks on chick starter do not need it as their food is already finely ground, but adult birds will need some form of grit or small pebble/rock to properly grind foods in their gizzards. I do not personally provide grit because my birds have access to several tons of gravel; but if they did not, I would offer it.

 

[SCchickens2011]

I too am having another issue. Another white leghorn has died, mine are 2 1/2 years old though. I had originally 6 WLH's, and about a year ago I hasd to cull one because she had a large lump under her beak. Well now in the past few weeks, I had another of the WLH's develop a smallish lump under her left ear/cheek, it has never got bigger than a pinky finger nail size, and she fared well despite it. As time went on her comb (which was small but very stiff upright) started to flop over, then she started to lose weight, and in the last few days she would walk around very slowly, she didn't eat or drink alot, and would fall over when stationary if another chicken brushed by her. This morning I found her dead in the coop. Is this a defect in WLH's??? All my other chickens have never had any issues, even after the one with the big lump, and they are all still very peppy and seem to have NO issues at all. I had placed everyone on a 14 day regimen of antibiotics after the first chicken, but I am hesitant to do it again because I currently have 19 hens and I threw out ALOT of eggs last time! Does anyone know if an egg can be affected by whatever is going on with the chicken? I don;t beleive she was laying any eggs the last few weeks since this started, but what about the others??? Any advice out there??? OH and no vets in my area do necropsies, I am at the mercy of the experienced chicken moms and dads! LOL.