Sudden Chicken Death Syndrome?

[misscalculated]

We just lost two 8 week old chicks in the space of two days of each other. Now two days later their mother has suddenly died. There were no signs of illness. They were all happily pecking round the yard. We're mystified.

 

[scoopi321]

I started out with 10 hens as chicks, in the am after they were 6 weeks old all were dead but 1. to this day she is fine, so I had bought 10 more just like her. and lost 3, the seller asked if I dewormed them, I never have before, but I did this and the rest 8 were good. til they reached 4 months old and 1 each day were dead in the am, so signs of injury or breathing problems, just 1 wing dragging a little. now im down to 3 left. I don't know what happened to the rest, we did deworm them again, but that didn't stop some from dying. but then I read about marek desease in chickens. don't know much about it. but it is something to look into. sorry for your loss. Sandra. if I loose the rest I wont be getting anymore for a while.

 

[buttonsamy]

I just put food out for my chickens this morning that are almost 2.5 months old. One EE was dead, nothing wrong with it, just dead. (No broken neck, no sign of trauma, etc) another peep, a blue silkie, was very near death. The only thing I could think of was that they ate something bad or they got crushed by the rest of the chickens during the night. I live in Wisconsin and the weather has been getting much colder at night (mid 40's) they have been off their heat lamp now for over a month (obviously) and the weather is pretty warm during the day (70's)

Anyone else have this happen? The other peeps seem to be cold; fluffing their feathers up and standing around in the sun, Today I put a heat lamp on, just in case. Is this the right thing to do?

I am so sad at the passing of my peeps! I do not want to loose any more. We have been feeding them normal feed, grit and we give tons of greens from the garden and any vegetables like overripe tomatoes, yellowing cukes, etc. NEVER potato, beans, etc.

HELP! Any ideas?
Thanks and sorry for everyone's losses-
Amy

 

[eculver]

My 5mo old hen died about two weeks ago and the rooster has been quite loud and pacing...just went out to check on him and he normally does not let me near him....opened his coop and just laying there won't move (not dead yet) and hasn't made a noise so sad I just know he is also going to pass....They are fed well, kept in a coop (we do let him out to roam the yard) it hasn't been hot so quite upset not sure what we did wrong...this is our first time raising chickens....I heard that it could of been mites....any suggestions? We are looking at getting more but want to make sure we are doing all right

 

[bird zoo]

ya, im sad today. one of my wyendotes dropped dead today. I am sad. her name was izzy. I put a rooster statue by her grave. I hope its not contagious.....

 

[bird zoo]

what breeds are you getting? and were do you live? if it gets cold were you live, I would consider cold hardy birds. even If they are cold hardy, they need a heat lamp in their coop.

 

[bird zoo]

you might need two lamps. if the are still a little little, keep them inside when there is a forecast of 60's and lower.

 

[Fitchiechicky]

<\3 so heartbroken I went out to find my sizzle silkie layed stiff on the ground no apparent wounds or blood her eyes were just closed and her legs stuck out; I am afraid the other birds might catch something I it is a disease? This is my first flock of chickens so I'm unsure of what to look for

 

[Sue Gremlin]

Sorry about your loss, Fitchie. I know how sad that is. One day they are fine and the next, they're gone!

There is really no way to know if what your chicken died of was an infectious disease or something else without taking her to a veterinarian for a postmortem exam. I can tell you that this exact thing happened to one of my chickens and I was able to do an exam on her. She had something called fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome. It is extremely common in laying hens, particularly the good producers. Their liver gets very fatty and as a result, very fragile. The liver breaks, they hemorrhage. As a result, I quit feeding my chickens fatty leftovers and have not lost any more.

This is not contagious and is only one of the more common possibilities to explain why your chicken died.

 

[Tikkijane]

Sorry about your loss, Fitchie. I know how sad that is. One day they are fine and the next, they're gone!

There is really no way to know if what your chicken died of was an infectious disease or something else without taking her to a veterinarian for a postmortem exam. I can tell you that this exact thing happened to one of my chickens and I was able to do an exam on her. She had something called fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome. It is extremely common in laying hens, particularly the good producers. Their liver gets very fatty and as a result, very fragile. The liver breaks, they hemorrhage. As a result, I quit feeding my chickens fatty leftovers and have not lost any more.

This is not contagious and is only one of the more common possibilities to explain why your chicken died.

Many states will do a free necropsy, fwiw. So sorry to hear.