Sick chicken

[davimi]

Hi. Over the past 6 months, I have had 5 chickens die. They have not died at the same time. Everyone looks good, plenty of food, water, clean coop. Then one will be lethargic, a little stumbly the comb looks discolored, and then after a couple days, it dies. When one was sick, I tried to soak it in warm water, thinking maybe egg bound. Well... just checked on them and another chicken is acting strange. There is no discharge from their nose or mouth. Help!

 

[davimi]

Hi. Over the past 6 months, I have had 5 chickens die. They have not died at the same time. Everyone looks good, plenty of food, water, clean coop. Then one will be lethargic, a little stumbly the comb looks discolored, and then after a couple days, it dies. When one was sick, I tried to soak it in warm water, thinking maybe egg bound. Well... just checked on them and another chicken is acting strange. There is no discharge from their nose or mouth. Help!

Also, these chickens are anywhere from 1.5-3 years old

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Sorry you are losing your chickens...

What can you say about your chickens?
What do you feed them...?
Do you use any chemical product they could have been in contact with?
Do they freerange? And if so : do they have access to any toxic plant?
(...Do you have a cell phone tower, wind turbine, or a solar farm near your area...?)

If these chickens were mines...
...I would carefully rub (a lot of) food grade Diatomaceous Earth on them, just in case they have lice and/or mites...
And, of course, spray it in their coop, run, and sand bath...!

And in order to get rid of worms and whatever parasites they could be infected with, I would also :
• 1 - add 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar per liter of water (in a PLASTIC waterer; never put Vinegar in a metal one!!) - during 24 to 48 hours;
• 2 - mix food grade Diatomaceous Earth in their food - during 14 days AT LEAST.

(...Still : I hope for you you will get better advices!)

Also, these chickens are anywhere from 1.5-3 years old

If these chickens are prolific layers, then at least the 3-years-old ones could "just" be dying from "old age".

 

[davimi]

Hi.

Sorry you are losing your chickens...

What can you say about your chickens?
What do you feed them...?
Do you use any chemical product they could have been in contact with?
Do they freerange? And if so : do they have access to any toxic plant?
(...Do you have a cell phone tower, wind turbine, or a solar farm near your area...?)

If these chickens were mines...
...I would carefully rub (a lot of) food grade Diatomaceous Earth on them, just in case they have lice and/or mites...
And, of course, spray it in their coop, run, and sand bath...!

And in order to get rid of worms and whatever parasites they could be infected with, I would also :
• 1 - add 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar per liter of water (in a PLASTIC waterer; never put Vinegar in a metal one!!) - during 24 to 48 hours;
• 2 - mix food grade Diatomaceous Earth in their food - during 14 days AT LEAST.

(...Still : I hope for you you will get better advices!)



If these chickens are prolific layers, then at least the 3-years-old ones could "just" be dying from "old age".

Thank you for your response!
I feed them layers chicken feed from feed store, they do not free range, no cell tower,wind turbines or solar farms. I did add apple cider to their water which is in a food grade plastic can. I added a smaller waterer and added probiotics to it today. I have noticed that a few of them have poopy looking butt's and missing butt feathers. Their poop was checked by a vet and was all good.

 

[Papaye]

Thank you for your response!

You are welcome.

I feed them layers chicken feed from feed store,

Are they pellets? (I ask, because I live in France, and I don't know what you have in America.)

If so : I would recommend to mix some mix of grains (wheat, peas, etc) with it... and/or give some fruits to your chickens sometimes...

...But first, much more important : you should give them Oyster Shells Grit if you are not already doing it.
Just... do NOT mix it to their food : you can just throw it on the ground; or if not possible, put it in another feeder (so it is not mixed with their food).

they do not free range,

How big is their run?
(...Do you think it is big enough for them to not be stressed?)

How is the ground?
Is it generally wet, or dry?

And are your chickens protected from wind and rain in their run?
(Or heat? I don't know where you are from, so I don't know how is your climate...)

...Since they don't freerange, you can at least (relatively easily) spray food grade Diatomaceous Earth on the ground... assuming you have it, or can get it - and in a sufficient amount?

I did add apple cider to their water which is in a food grade plastic can. I added a smaller waterer and added probiotics to it today.

You did good!!

I have noticed that a few of them have poopy looking butt's and missing butt feathers.

Hmmm... my chickens have already started their molt...
Could yours have started theirs...?

If they are dirty, don't hesitate to bathe them.
When I have a chicken that have a much too dirty butt, I just wash it in my bathroom... after what, the chicken is cleaner (of course) and happier!
Besides, if you do wash your chickens, you will then be able to see if they have lice or mites eggs on their butt feathers!

 

[davimi]

Our run is quite large. It is dry with sand on the bottom, and covered on top tp prevent high amounts of water from rain, and completely safe from predators. It has plenty of shade from the hot sun. I feed them pellets. I did soak a couple of the chickens today, did not see signs of lice. They have been molting but the only bald areas are on some of their butts. I did sprinkle a thin layer over the run and sprinkled some in the coop and nesting boxes. I do offer grit and calcium sprinkled on floor.