Sudden Chicken Death Syndrome?

[megan80568]

I'm new to the hobby And just lost my first 5 day old Polish chick. Its so sad. He left his buddy all alone, I out a stuffed toy in there for him.

 

[missnu01]

Are you sure your biggest egg is only 1.4 oz? Because that is only like 35 grams, which is really small. Really small. My buff Orpington lays 73 gram eggs everyday, which is like 2.6 oz, my smallest eggs are 47-50 grams...there are 28 grams in an ounce, so a 1.4 oz egg is really small. You might want to check your scale again.

 

[tallguysmom]

Yes, 1.4 is my largest egg so far. Others weigh 1.1 oz, or 1.2 oz. They have only been laying for 3 months. There isn't anything wrong with my scale. My Cochin Bantams eggs are lucky if theirs weigh an ounce. They are pullet eggs, was told they would be smaller and may increase in size after the first moult.

 

[missnu01]

Ok. I wasn't trying to insult your scale, but I get 70- 73 gram eggs from a BO that's been laying for a few weeks, 60-65g eggs from a leghorn that's been laying for a couple years and 40-50 gram eggs from some slightly larger than bantam sized pullets that just started laying this week. Seems like a barred rock would lay near leghorn sized eggs. But hey to each their own sized eggs I guess. You really might wanna check your scale though. All those numbers just seem so low. Pullet eggs are smaller, but not like half their mature size. And if the size increase that much after a molt what sort of egg is my poor BO going to try to lay?! Whoa and ouch. Anyway what are you feeding them? I believe there was someone on here the other day saying they had a small chicken that started with an s Sumatra maybe that lays 40 gram eggs most of the time...not sure, either way those are some tiny eggs. The 40-50 gram eggs are what looks like medium store eggs. Perhaps there is something wrong making their eggs small and perhaps killing them in the end?

 

[missnu01]

I count myself supremely lucky that i haven't had any hens just die so far..it would be so bewildering

 

[tallguysmom]

Sorry, I didn't meant to sound like an ***. lol But I use my scale for baking and the measurements have to be spot on. So I know there isn't a problem with my scale. They eat Purina Layena pellet crumble mixed with Omega fields egg maker. They are really small chickens. I can use two bantam eggs to equal one large egg in my recipes. I really don't care if they get bigger or not. I didn't get them for the eggs anyway. They were my reward for beating breast cancer. I got them after my chemo and radiation was over. They are just pets with benefits. Because I have a Roo, most of my eggs get given to the neighbors for tolerating his crowing. (They are also "underground" chickens) So I am waiting to be put into the pokey any day now. lol According to all the information I have read, they are pretty close to the size they were supposed to be when reaching adulthood.

 

[missnu01]

Sorry, I didn't meant to sound like an ***. lol But I use my scale for baking and the measurements have to be spot on. So I know there isn't a problem with my scale. They eat Purina Layena pellet crumble mixed with Omega fields egg maker. They are really small chickens. I can use two bantam eggs to equal one large egg in my recipes. I really don't care if they get bigger or not. I didn't get them for the eggs anyway. They were my reward for beating breast cancer. I got them after my chemo and radiation was over. They are just pets with benefits. Because I have a Roo, most of my eggs get given to the neighbors for tolerating his crowing. (They are also "underground" chickens) So I am waiting to be put into the pokey any day now. lol According to all the information I have read, they are pretty close to the size they were supposed to be when reaching adulthood.

Ya know what? It's my fault...I totally missed the keyword bantam in front of barred rock! There's nothing wrong with a bantam laying tiny eggs...lol. I thought you were describing an obviously ill standard barred rock...my fault. Sorry again.

 

[kisses4chickens]

Long time lurker, first time poster, hi everyone. Today, I went out to give my girls some fresh greens, and I was terribly shocked to find my beautiful RIR, Ginger, dead. She had been eating, drinking, and running around, so I had no idea what could have caused her death. Once I got over the initial shock and sadness, I decided to find out why she died. I did a necropsy and first found that her vent looked like it had prolapsed. I also found that her gizzard was full to the point that it had enlarged in size. I opened her gizzard and found it packed with dirt, feathers, nails and screws. I'm guessing she found the nails and screws beneath the dirt. I have no idea where they came from. Anyway, I'm guessing her gizzard was so packed that it was blocked and caused her sudden death. RIP Ginger

 

[AmberRex]

There is always that final moment. One second you're alive, the next you are not. It could have been anything from old age to disease. A bit of a strange one if he had no symptoms at all but it does happen, especially in juvenile birds...

 

[appps]

It would be interesting to do a bit of a breed count. I wonder if certain breeds are more at risk of organ failure due to being breed for fast growth etc?