two dead chickens, help

[kris41]

First let me say that my whole flock has seemed healthy and has not shown any signs of being ill at all. Then about one week agon, my male Polish all of a sudden just stopped moving much and stood in one place most the day. I was worried that he had gotten sick so I separated him from the others. In the following 48 hrs, it slowly got worse. He couldn;t seem to stand on his own and kept using his wing to prop himself up and then the next morning he was gone. I thought this was a fluke thing, but yesterday my andulasian hen did the same thing. She was fine all day, free ranging with the others, laid an egg, then all of a sudden, she just stopped moving around. I picked her up and she just kind of pulled her legs up and stayed there. She still seemed alert at this time. About 1 hr later, the others started putting themselves to bed for the night but she just crawled under a bush. I picked her up and put her in the henhouse for the night, probably stupid, I know. Today, she has sat in a nest box all day with her eyes kind of rolled back. I don't think she will make it till morning. I am on the verge of having my hubby end it for her. I hate to see her suffer, but don't want her to be in pain either.

Sorry this is so long, but does anyone have any ideas? There has been no coughing, sneezing, blood or anything else. I am baffled. Thanks so much.

Kristie

 

[Jenski]

So sorry to hear about your birds.

Do they free range, or are they penned?

How old?

Breed/s?

What do you feed?

Have you noticed the condition of their droppings?

How do their eyes/faces/nostrils look? Clear and bright, or eyes closed, noses crusty, discharge, etc?

 

[Sequin]

If they free range I would check the areas where they are allowed to range for any possible poisons. Even mice/moles/shrews etc killed by poison can poison whatever animal eats it once it is dead. And we all know chickens will eat pretty much anything. My guess is that they got into some sort of poison that caused a paralysis followed by death. Unless you think a poisonous snake or spider bit them before they ate the critter? But it doesn't really sound like an illness. Sounds more like a venom or poison. I am really Really sorry to hear of your loss!!