Two chickens dead, Please Help!

[Number7hen]

Yesterday we lost an older hen about 4 years old. We figured she died of the cold, or of old age. Before she died she walked around all fluffed up, her comb was pale, and she seemed to be getting weaker, by way of not perching with the other birds and sleeping on the floor. The day she died she was curled up in a corner of the coop, When I picked her up she was still alive, she moved a little, but her head was in her feathers, but it didn't seem like she could move her neck and her eyes were closed. She passed away in a few hours. This morning we lost a little banty roo, he was also curled up on the floor. Didn't see many symptoms, or reasons why he died. We assume it was the cold that got him, as our coop is pretty drafty, But I want to make sure there isn't a sickness going around, before we lose any more! Could it be Cocci? Can it happen in a cold winter?

 

[loveourbirds]

cocci can happen in any weather, but if you haven't added any chickens to your flock recently the chances are pretty slim.

im going to guess from what your saying temperature fluctuations are part of your problem. normally roosters, and oldest hens are affected first - larger combed breeeds have more trouble with it. bantam birds also have more trouble because of the smaller size.

it could also be respiratory infection, or changes (or mold) in feed. watch for swelling around the eyes, combs, and wattles. also watch for stopped up nostrils, and mucus under the wings. these are more serious symptoms and *may* be chronic illnesses.

not knowing the exact cause of the problem, i would start with a raw ACV flush followed by water soluable antibiotics by instructions. when the antibiotic treatment is over, i would give them a small amount of yogurt, or a probiotic mix to help rebuild stomach flora.

if you can get a vet to assess them you will probably be better off.

 

[casportpony]

Sorry for your losses... If you're in the US call a lab in your State and see how much it costs to have a necropsy done.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

This is an old post I did:

How to Send a Bird for a Necropsy​

They need the whole bird, refrigerated, not frozen. If you live in CA, there are four labs that do free necropsies on poultry (chickens, turkeys, waterfowl). I know that they do out of state necropsies, but I think they charge for those. You could call them and ask what they charge for out of state "backyard poultry". The lab I use is the one in Tulare, CA. If you are in CA, call them and ask for their FedEx account number, it will save a bunch on shipping charges.

CAHFS
18830 Road 112
Tulare, CA 93274-9042
(559) 688-7543
(559) 686-4231 (FAX)
[email protected]


The other labs are listed here:
http://www.cahfs.ucdavis.edu/services/lab_locations.cfm

If it's Friday, unless you want to overnight for Saturday delivery, I would suggest shipping on Monday for Tuesday delivery. What you need to do, if you haven't already done so, is put your bird in your refrigerator, NOT the freezer! Then you need to find a box, line it with styrofoam (I use the 4'x8'x1" stuff from Home Depot. You can also get smaller pieces at an art store like Michael's, but is way more expensive. Click here to see foam options. You'll also need at least one ice pack. Here are some pictures that I took of the last bird that I sent:

Box lined with foam on four sides and bottom. Seams of foam taped sealed.


Box, sides, bottom and and top.


Frozen ice pack in ziplock baggie.


Brown paper on top of ice pack.


Hen in ziplock baggie on top of brown paper.


Brown paper on top of hen.


Ice pack on top of brown paper.


Lid on top of brown paper.
​

Inside the box you should also include a submission form in a ziplock baggie. Do not tell anyone at FedEx that you're shipping a dead animal... that seems to really worry them. Just make sure that nothing will leak.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

This seems to be the time of year that a weak chicken will die. Worms, internal laying with egg yolk peritonitis, coccidiosis, and cold stress can get them. Have you added any new chickens lately? Mareks disease can sometimes act this way, although more times you will see stumbling or leg weakness first. I would probably worm them all with Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer or horse paste since those tend to get most chicken worms, rather than Wazine that gets only round worm. Then I might think about treating with a round of Corid for 5 days in case coccidiosis is around--cocci can cause decreased immunity to other diseases. Getting a necropsy on one bird that has been refrigerated, not frozen, could help you determine the cause. I also have a drafty coop which is fine in summer, but in winter I take plastic feed bags and staple them to the walls cutting down on any drafts in my coop. It's not pretty, but it helps.

 

[casportpony]

This seems to be the time of year that a weak chicken will die. Worms, internal laying with egg yolk peritonitis, coccidiosis, and cold stress can get them. Have you added any new chickens lately? Mareks disease can sometimes act this way, although more times you will see stumbling or leg weakness first. I would probably worm them all with Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer or horse paste since those tend to get most chicken worms, rather than Wazine that gets only round worm. Then I might think about treating with a round of Corid for 5 days in case coccidiosis is around--cocci can cause decreased immunity to other diseases. Getting a necropsy on one bird that has been refrigerated, not frozen, could help you determine the cause. I also have a drafty coop which is fine in summer, but in winter I take plastic feed bags and staple them to the walls cutting down on any drafts in my coop. It's not pretty, but it helps.

 

[Number7hen]

Thank you all for your support! By what your saying I don't think it's Cocci. The only new birds we've had recently are two new chicks which hatched this summer. I would also like to know more about Mareks, the older hen that died did stumble about. Is it contagious? The roo didn't show any sign, except the day before we left the door open and he was standing out in the cold while the other birds were inside. I don't see anything wrong with the other birds, there all up and eating, and acting just fine. Will keep an eye on them. Thanks for the heating tips!

 

[casportpony]

Might be a good idea to get a baseline weight all of your birds so that you can monitor their health easier. Weight loss/lack of gain is usually the first symptom you'll see and it's only detectable in the early stages by actually physically weighing them. By the time one notices that they look thin it's usually too late. Remember that a young bird should make daily weight gains.

You should also think about de-worming your flock with a proper wormer like Safeguard or Valbazen. While you're at it, dust/treat for mites/lice.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is my hillbilly coop in an old horse barn. The feed bags come off in April and go back on in November. If you like color, you can put the other side out, but the white lightens up a dark coop. Just leave some ventilation at the top for fresh air and for moisture to escape.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are 2 good links for mareks disease:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf

 

[casportpony]

Here is my hillbilly coop in an old horse barn. The feed bags come off in April and go back on in November. If you like color, you can put the other side out, but the white lightens up a dark coop. Just leave some ventilation at the top for fresh air and for moisture to escape.

That's a lovely coop!

-Kathy