Sudden death

[countrybumpkin5]

Aflatoxin is most commonly found on corn and peanuts. I *think* it may also be found in soil.

Can be on all grains unfortunately. It's ubiquitous, and the grain mills just try and mix it with "good" grain at low enough concentrations that the amounts of toxins are below the threshold for danger for most species. Doesn't always work and aflatoxins cannot be heat treated or processed away. That said, if all the hens died literally at the same time, within seconds or minutes, it's really not likely that is the cause of death. It's not that instant and would have had to have been a really large acute exposure which is unlikely to be in the feed.

 

[Furby Ray]

yes- they want to test the scratch grains that we were giving the birds. We are also doing some additional histopathology to see if they can narrow down the variety of toxin. Whatever type, it kills suddenly. The liver or kidneys rupture.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

yes- they want to test the scratch grains that we were giving the birds. We are also doing some additional histopathology to see if they can narrow down the variety of toxin. Whatever type, it kills suddenly. The liver or kidneys rupture.

I certainly hope they can narrow it down. It's very unlikely that was from the feed however if it's a purchased bagged feed. A home mixed feed from various farmers bins could certainly have enough to kill. It's still highly unusual to have all chickens die at the same time from a food exposure, for a whole host of reasons. As well, if they were eating the same grains the entire time, it would've been a build up of toxicity and not cause the very sudden instant deaths of all chickens at the same time. Something isn't quite adding up, in my opinion and experience with grains and aflatoxins.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

yes- they want to test the scratch grains that we were giving the birds. We are also doing some additional histopathology to see if they can narrow down the variety of toxin. Whatever type, it kills suddenly. The liver or kidneys rupture.

If you are feeding whole or cracked grains and not a processed pelletized feed, you can see the aflatoxins with a black light. Just a cheap $8 black light flashlight will work. The toxins will glow.
Was the grain kept fresh and dry?