Two Dead Chickens in 24 Hours

[bluedayze]

In the past 24 hours I have lost two of my 6-month-old girls, a Sapphire Gem and a Barred Rock. They were acting fairly lethargic when I put them back in their run after free-ranging all day. They were found dead shortly after. I noticed that their combs were drooped, and a couple of other girls have drooping combs, too. I'm worried that they got into something, but I have no idea what it could be. I sprinkled some Sevin on my cabbage plants a few days before, and some Roundup was sprayed in the bed that they like to forage about a week earlier. These are the only culprits I can even consider. So I'm a little worried and not letting them out for now. I gave them some probiotic water which they seemed to like. But aside from that I'm not sure what to do. Any thoughts?

 

[M-H-Fielding]

Wow, that's hard! Sorry for your loss!
Maybe bird flu?

 

[black_cat]

Here are some experts that I'm going to tag: @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @azygous @HeatherKellyB
They should be able to help you. I'm so sorry about the loss of your hens

 

[gimmie birdies]

Do you have cedar chips with them, those are no good-nik.

 

[Jeanw]

 

[bluedayze]

Do you have cedar chips with them, those are no good-nik.

They have pine chips in their coop. I'm honestly not sure what the mulch around our house is. It's red, and old. We inherited it with the house. Possibly cedar?

 

[azygous]

Garden mulch is usually redwood. Even if it was cedar, it wouldn't affect the chickens in the open environment.

Unfortunately, there are lots of things that can kill chickens as they free range. I've lost chickens to insecticides, hydraulic fluid leaking onto the ground, moldy compost, paint thinner spilled on the sand in the run, and most recently, a poisonous caterpillar. Other people have lost chickens to engine coolant flushed out onto the ground where chickens hang out, peeling paint, poisonous plants and berries, poisonous mushrooms, and moldy feed. The list is endless.

I've also lost chickens mysteriously before I had a necropsy done on an eleven-month old rooster and found I have lymphoid leucosis in my flock. It causes cancerous tumors.

 

[centrarchid]

Can a picture be shown of birds? I would like to see color of comb and wattles. Based on information provided so far, I am not able to rule an intense internal parasite issue. My birds have also gotten into some toxic items as well although no losses.

Are the birds in good weight?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

In the past 24 hours I have lost two of my 6-month-old girls, a Sapphire Gem and a Barred Rock. They were acting fairly lethargic when I put them back in their run after free-ranging all day. They were found dead shortly after. I noticed that their combs were drooped, and a couple of other girls have drooping combs, too. I'm worried that they got into something, but I have no idea what it could be. I sprinkled some Sevin on my cabbage plants a few days before, and some Roundup was sprayed in the bed that they like to forage about a week earlier. These are the only culprits I can even consider. So I'm a little worried and not letting them out for now. I gave them some probiotic water which they seemed to like. But aside from that I'm not sure what to do. Any thoughts?

I'm sorry that you lost them so suddenly.
Photos may be helpful.
Good comments from everyone.

If you lose another one, refrigerating the body and sending it to your state lab may shed some light on the cause. https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

A few basics would be to check their feed to make sure it's not moldy, look them over for lice/mites. Ensure crops are empty in the morning as well.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I gave a friend some young chicks, I don't have pine- or cedar chips in my coop, he had pine, the chicks ate the pine chips and died.