Sudden death [graphic pics]

[Brody's Broodello]

What Brand of feed did you feed them?

 

[X2Farm]

Steve, I'm so sorry to hear this is happening to you

I hope you can figure it out and the State Lab gets back to you asap with some helpful information.

 

[krcote]

I am so sorry this has happened, looking forward to answers.

 

[Player Hater]

sorry for your loss; such pretty girls

 

[GhostRider65]

So very sorry to hear about this I would suggest getting that feed tested as well, again so sorry for you, hope you figure out what happened. Kim

 

[NonnasBabies]

That's just horrible, hope you find out what happened real soon!!

 

[Moxiechick]

Yikes! So sorry for your loss!

Please keep us posted as to what the lab comes up with.

 

[SteveH]

It'll be a few days before I hear from the lab, but it was buffalo gnats. Since we traded some chickens, I called my neighbor to warn him I was having problems. He called back to report the buffalo gnats were driving his brooder chicks crazy and two or three were dead; and that people in this area have lost entire flocks to them before. He said they crawl in their beaks though the nostrils and get in their airways. He was putting up a fan to blow the gnats clear of the brooder. Another aquaintence called his cousin, who reported previous problems and claimed chlorine bleach spayed in the coop repels them. I saw them on my dead and dieing, but thought they had gathered on them after they went down.

Of 52 birds, I lost 45, including every pure bred. I'm left with 2 EE hens, 4 ISA Brown hens, and a white Ameraucana/CX pullet; one ISA is not healthy. I've dusted the survivor's bodies with Sevin, and hung glass containers of chlorine with holes punched in the lids in the coop and breeding pen/tractor.

I do have 14 chicks inside that hatched last week, and 42 eggs in the bator.

 

[ultasol]

for more info check this link out, has information from your neck of the woods,...
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/news/stories/news4053.html

 

[AngelzFyre]

I am so sorry for your losses!

I had not even heard of buffalo gnats before reading this and another post on BYC the other day, but have since looked them up and found this article...

http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/blackflies.htm

Scary!

Do you have them there regularly, or was this an unusual occurance for your area?

Be careful that the chlorine fumes don't damage the survivor's respiratory system

.

Would covering where they are with a fine mesh window screening help at all until the flies/gnats are gone?

Keeping you in thoughts and prayers!