Two Dead Chickens in 24 Hours

[HeatherKellyB]

I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you. How are your other birds? Are they acting completely normal? I really hope you can get this figured out.
Just by chance because I just read about this recently, do you birds use a plastic or metal drinker?
You've got some of the best minds working on this with you. I'm wishing you the very best with your flock

 

[bluedayze]

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?

Sorry, they have already been buried, but the birds were perfectly healthy. Combs were bright red, just drooping a little the day it happened.

 

[bluedayze]

I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you. How are your other birds? Are they acting completely normal? I really hope you can get this figured out.
Just by chance because I just read about this recently, do you birds use a plastic or metal drinker?
You've got some of the best minds working on this with you. I'm wishing you the very best with your flock

Thank you. All of the other birds seem fine. They drink out of a plastic bucket with metal nipples.

 

[NatJ]

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.

Any recent changes in the weather? (Hot, cold, wet, dry, windy)
Did their waterer run empty?
Any chance that a dog or something chased them around?

(You might be right about them getting into something toxic. I'm just trying to help check other things that you might not have thought of, that could possibly have caused stress and some deaths.)

 

[bluedayze]

Any recent changes in the weather? (Hot, cold, wet, dry, windy)
Did their waterer run empty?
Any chance that a dog or something chased them around?

(You might be right about them getting into something toxic. I'm just trying to help check other things that you might not have thought of, that could possibly have caused stress and some deaths.)

Thanks, but no. Nothing else out of the ordinary happened. Their food and water were full.

 

[bluedayze]

Today there are two more exhibiting symptoms. I have taken pictures of them. It's one of my Black Australorps and my other Barred Rock. They are very lethargic. Puffed up, tail in the air, like when they sleep. Combs are dull and drooped. Not eating or drinking well at all. None of my girls are laying (I only have 6 left). I gave them vinegar in their water today and diatomaceous earth will arrive tomorrow. Is there anything else I can do? I just hate seeing them go down one by one!

 

[bluedayze]

Sorry, they have already been buried, but the birds were perfectly healthy. Combs were bright red, just drooping a little the day it happened.

I just posted pictures of two more of my birds that are exhibiting similar symptoms. Can you take a look and let me know what you think?

 

[azygous]

Have you told us where you live? I'm wondering if your chickens have New Castle Disease or one of the other nasty chicken diseases. If I were in your shoes, I would start doing some investigating. Call your state lab. Call your university extension office. Ask if there's a rampant chicken disease killing chickens in your region.

Do you have city water or well water?

 

[bluedayze]

Have you told us where you live? I'm wondering if your chickens have New Castle Disease or one of the other nasty chicken diseases. If I were in your shoes, I would start doing some investigating. Call your state lab. Call your university extension office. Ask if there's a rampant chicken disease killing chickens in your region.

Do you have city water or well water?

Thanks. I'm in central Illinois, near So. Louis. We have city water.

 

[azygous]

There's a possibility your chickens could be infected with avian influenza. https://ansc.illinois.edu/news/poultry-midwest-infected-bird-flu-illinois-prepares

You need to call your state lab and find out. https://agriculture.illinoisstate.edu/facilities/ Ask about necropsies.