Hi. I will make this post as concise as possible. I don't need urgent help since I just found my beautiful hen dead after seeing her 90 mins ago alert but laying down in a suspicious area.....I will try and set the scene, please ask for any details that may help me figure out what is going on....
Ok. Last summer, 2016, we got 6 juvenile hens from a semi-local farm, brought them home and all went well through the summer, fall and into winter 2017. Around February one of my hens prolapse her vent repeatedly and after many lengthy interventions the infections got too much and we had to dispatch her. Down to 5. (I will note winter 2016-17 was a brutal, snowy, frigid winter for us but the girls survived.)
Approx April 2017 we obtained 4 new baby chicks from a local big box feed store. We followed instructions on how to raise the chicks and all was going well. After moving the chicks to an outside coop one developed rapid onset neurologic ataxia and could not walk well eventually leading to paralysis...we quarantined her as soon as we saw symptoms, she lasted 3-4 more days but it became severe and we dispatched her. We monitored the entire flock and have not seen these symptoms in any of our other hens since. (Please note we scrubbed everything down with bleach and replaced all bedding).
Approx 1 month ago a chicken from my original flock (same breed as the one that prolapsed) began prolapsing and quickly went the route of her "sister".
ok, so 7 hens remaining, 4 from original flock and 3 juvenile layers. As we have gone through summer I have noted that the original flock, although acting normal and happy, appear scrawny-ier, missing feathers in patches and are not as "bright" appearing, if that makes sense. (Our 3 young hens as fluffy and bright, sort of how I remember the originals last summer).
So now to my current issue......I went to open the run this AM (my chickens free-range in my 1/2 acre suburban yard most of the day) and found 1 of my original hens bedded down on the floor of the coop in the hay beneath a nesting box. She looked alert but this is not a normal place for my hens to rest. (I do note this hen often "yelling" at her sisters when they are in "her" nesting box and she wants in. Since one of my young hens was in a nesting box I assumed that was what's going on).
I watched from the house for her to emerge, having a nagging feeling in my gut...but she never did. I went out 90 mins later and she was in the same spot and dead. Head face down in the straw, very sad. When I picked her up I smelled the same "infectious" odor I noted in my chickens who prolapsed. She wasn't dead long enough for her body to smell from death. (Sorry, that was gross. I am a nurse.)
I do note that I have not gotten an egg from her in two days, but otherwise I did not note any irregularities about her, even yesterday.
Additional environmental info....For the past month we have had temps in the 90's-100's, hot, humid and severe with smoke in the air from terrible wildfires on all sides of us (we live in central Oregon, high desert). Literally ash can be falling at any time. Terrible air quality. I am diligent about making sure they have fresh, cold water and food....but I can tell that the air is taking its toll on everyone....people and animals alike. Also I am noting alot of mouse activity in and around the coop and the shed nearby.
Anyway, I know this is a lot of info. If anyone has ideas, please let me know or if you need more details, please inquire, I am so sad and feel that I am failing my flock.
What is going on?
thanx
Ravin25
Ok. Last summer, 2016, we got 6 juvenile hens from a semi-local farm, brought them home and all went well through the summer, fall and into winter 2017. Around February one of my hens prolapse her vent repeatedly and after many lengthy interventions the infections got too much and we had to dispatch her. Down to 5. (I will note winter 2016-17 was a brutal, snowy, frigid winter for us but the girls survived.)
Approx April 2017 we obtained 4 new baby chicks from a local big box feed store. We followed instructions on how to raise the chicks and all was going well. After moving the chicks to an outside coop one developed rapid onset neurologic ataxia and could not walk well eventually leading to paralysis...we quarantined her as soon as we saw symptoms, she lasted 3-4 more days but it became severe and we dispatched her. We monitored the entire flock and have not seen these symptoms in any of our other hens since. (Please note we scrubbed everything down with bleach and replaced all bedding).
Approx 1 month ago a chicken from my original flock (same breed as the one that prolapsed) began prolapsing and quickly went the route of her "sister".
ok, so 7 hens remaining, 4 from original flock and 3 juvenile layers. As we have gone through summer I have noted that the original flock, although acting normal and happy, appear scrawny-ier, missing feathers in patches and are not as "bright" appearing, if that makes sense. (Our 3 young hens as fluffy and bright, sort of how I remember the originals last summer).
So now to my current issue......I went to open the run this AM (my chickens free-range in my 1/2 acre suburban yard most of the day) and found 1 of my original hens bedded down on the floor of the coop in the hay beneath a nesting box. She looked alert but this is not a normal place for my hens to rest. (I do note this hen often "yelling" at her sisters when they are in "her" nesting box and she wants in. Since one of my young hens was in a nesting box I assumed that was what's going on).
I watched from the house for her to emerge, having a nagging feeling in my gut...but she never did. I went out 90 mins later and she was in the same spot and dead. Head face down in the straw, very sad. When I picked her up I smelled the same "infectious" odor I noted in my chickens who prolapsed. She wasn't dead long enough for her body to smell from death. (Sorry, that was gross. I am a nurse.)
I do note that I have not gotten an egg from her in two days, but otherwise I did not note any irregularities about her, even yesterday.
Additional environmental info....For the past month we have had temps in the 90's-100's, hot, humid and severe with smoke in the air from terrible wildfires on all sides of us (we live in central Oregon, high desert). Literally ash can be falling at any time. Terrible air quality. I am diligent about making sure they have fresh, cold water and food....but I can tell that the air is taking its toll on everyone....people and animals alike. Also I am noting alot of mouse activity in and around the coop and the shed nearby.
Anyway, I know this is a lot of info. If anyone has ideas, please let me know or if you need more details, please inquire, I am so sad and feel that I am failing my flock.
What is going on?
thanx
Ravin25
I'm on the CA/OR coast and you are right the smoke is taking it's toll on many. 
