Sudden hen death

[honor_christine]

I have a small backyard flock that free ranges and (until last week) has been very healthy. Last week I found one of my Jersey Giants dead in the coop. She was acting totally normal the day before, and was curled up in the straw against the wall (not on her back). I figured it was a weird one-off and buried her.
Then this morning I found another hen (Easter Egger breed) dead in a similar situation (also in the coop). I had noticed her looking lethargic yesterday; she was out in the yard but hunched over (she looked cold). I gave her water and put her in the coop for warmth and she seemed to perk up, but clearly there was an issue because she's dead today.
This time I did a necropsy. Her liver did not look good at all, and she had a very full crop (lots of what looked like mud). She also had some very small pieces of plastic in there.
My research points towards Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome, but my hens free range and they're not overweight at all (both hens seemed to be a healthy weight when they passed). The plastic pieces seemed too small to block the digestive system, but maybe? Does anyone have any ideas of what killed my birds?
It's been a little colder here in VA (20s and 30s) but nothing crazy. I feed my hens a mixture of 16% layer crumbles and some cracked corn, plus lots of table scraps. No sign of parasites or worms in their droppings, and the hen I necropsied looked clear.
Any tips to figure out the culprit and protect the rest of my flock would be appreciated!

 

[fuzzyfarmer]

I don't have anything helpful for you, but I'm having a very similar problem!

 

[AshVau22]

How often are they getting the cracked corn and table scraps? Also what are the tables scraps?
Any changes in their poop?

 

[theoldchick]

If another bird dies, have a vet send the remains to the state vet for necropsy. This is the best way to determine what is killing your birds. So sorry for your loss.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Do you have any pictures of the liver or other organs? Was their any yellow fluid seen inside the abdominal cavity, or large amounts of fat inside the skin and on the organs? How did the intestines look? Do you have poultry grit available for them to take as they need to help the gizzard to grind up food and grasses? Here is a list of poultry vet labs that can do a necropsy for you if you lose another:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[Luv Ducks]

If another bird dies, have a vet send the remains to the state vet for necropsy. This is the best way to determine what is killing your birds. So sorry for your loss.

I have heard of people doing this and if bird flu shows up they come out and destroy your whole flock. That would concern me if it were one of my birds. Just saying and so sorry for your losses.

 

[Beau plus penny]

I have a small backyard flock that free ranges and (until last week) has been very healthy. Last week I found one of my Jersey Giants dead in the coop. She was acting totally normal the day before, and was curled up in the straw against the wall (not on her back). I figured it was a weird one-off and buried her.
Then this morning I found another hen (Easter Egger breed) dead in a similar situation (also in the coop). I had noticed her looking lethargic yesterday; she was out in the yard but hunched over (she looked cold). I gave her water and put her in the coop for warmth and she seemed to perk up, but clearly there was an issue because she's dead today.
This time I did a necropsy. Her liver did not look good at all, and she had a very full crop (lots of what looked like mud). She also had some very small pieces of plastic in there.
My research points towards Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome, but my hens free range and they're not overweight at all (both hens seemed to be a healthy weight when they passed). The plastic pieces seemed too small to block the digestive system, but maybe? Does anyone have any ideas of what killed my birds?
It's been a little colder here in VA (20s and 30s) but nothing crazy. I feed my hens a mixture of 16% layer crumbles and some cracked corn, plus lots of table scraps. No sign of parasites or worms in their droppings, and the hen I necropsied looked clear.
Any tips to figure out the culprit and protect the rest of my flock would be appreciated!

to me this seems like a case of coccidiosis. i would get some corid

 

[Luv Ducks]

to me this seems like a case of coccidiosis. i would get some corid

I agree with you, my friends daughter that has chickens just lost one to that and the corid seems to have saved the rest of them.

 

[honor_christine]

How often are they getting the cracked corn and table scraps? Also what are the tables scraps?
Any changes in their poop?

They've been getting a lot of corn and scraps - definitely more than they should be, I'm realizing! Today I switched them to just an 18% layer feed and I plan to completely eliminate all corn and scraps for the next few weeks.
I have noticed some watery brown poop (no blood or parasites in it, just watery). Most seem to be pooping normally.
I did notice some watery white poop outside. That may have been from the bird that died, I have not seen it in any other spots.