Two chickens dead in three days?

[ParksPoultry]

I have a small flock and it’s getting smaller. All of my chickens seem perfectly healthy. Red combs, clean food and water, walking normally. All of them are a year or younger. I lost a leghorn a few days ago. I found her in the morning dead under the roosts. My second one I found just now (husband let the chickens out and didn’t check on them ) also under the roost. I have no way of knowing if she died while roosting, but she was stiff enough that I think she’s been dead for several hours. Both were laying.

The only thing I can think of is I put a few fir pellets down to help keep the coop dry underneath the roosts. I did notice the one who died pecking at the poop tray (where the pellets were) underneath the roosts, but I shooed her away. Could it be impaction? It’s not cedar. It’s the same burning pellets I use for kitty litter. Poo is normal and all other chicken behavior is normal; no sneezing, lesions, discharge, etc. They have egg-layer crumbles/pellets and seed/bug treats when they free range. Free ranging has been limited due to some lurking hawks, but I don’t think that would cause them enough stress. They do have a run so they’re not just in the coop.

I just hope it’s nothing more serious, but how can so be sure? I’m going to go remove the pellets now.

 

[Beathebutton]

I haven’t had this problem myself but I use the same kind of pellets in my horses beds… they’re super absorbent and if a chicken ate enough could potentially serverly dehydrate or as you say cause impaction, did you notice any symptoms?

 

[Sally PB]

If you still have the body of any of them, you can send it in for a professional necropsy. Keep the body cold, but DO NOT FREEZE it.

Here's a site to find the lab nearest you.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

Sorry for your losses!
It could be just sudden death syndrome as you said that they are less than a year old.
Was there any swelling near there hind end?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try to get a necropsy if you have one of the bodies. You can send it to your state vet lab, and sometimes doing a home necropsy and taking pictures may help us help you. Keep the body cold, not frozen if you are taking it to the state lab. Here is a list of state vets to contact:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[ParksPoultry]

No swelling or bleeding from the vent. Both appeared to have died overnight. I always make sure they are up in their roosts before closing up the coop at night, and they all were. Can something really kill them so quickly and both overnight? They aren’t dying in the middle of the day, so it seems to be some sort of pattern that they die at night. It almost makes me think crop impaction but how could it go so undetected and die so quickly? I’m stumped and so feel so awful for my little flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

Check them over to make sure crops are empty first thing in the morning. What do droppings look like? Check your feed bin for mold or a bad odor. Any moisture that gets into a container will cause mold, and it can happen overnight. I would be tempted to remove those pellets and get a new bag of feed. Hopefully, you can get answers because losing 2 young ones in a few days is out of the ordinary. Do the bodies looked like they were squeezed anywhere or were any feathers missing?

 

[ParksPoultry]

Check them over to make sure crops are empty first thing in the morning. What do droppings look like? Check your feed bin for mold or a bad odor. Any moisture that gets into a container will cause mold, and it can happen overnight. I would be tempted to remove those pellets and get a new bag of feed. Hopefully, you can get answers because losing 2 young ones in a few days is out of the ordinary. Do the bodies looked like they were squeezed anywhere or were any feathers missing?

I cleaned the feeder. We have a pvc feeder set up. Moisture had gotten in there and there was some mold. It was where I couldn’t see. We’ve had a lot of rain here the last week…so now I’ll just do a daily feeding vs. pvc fill-up. I just feel terrible. Would mold exposure kill them that quickly with no symptoms?

I checked both bodies for any blood, mites, discharge, etc. feathers did not come out with a tug (no botulism), and no feathers were missing. They didn’t look squished or deformed in anyway. I don’t think any of the flock messed with the bodies. I don’t mind performing my own necropsy but their bodies have been dead for awhile and they were stiff upon finding them.

 

[Eggcessive]

It may or may not be mold, but I would have another bird necropsied by the state vet. Watch for any problems walking or getting around, decrease in eating, or abnormal droppings. Here is some reading about mold or mycotoxin poisoning:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/mycotoxicosis