Two dead Roosters in 3 days! ???

[bigal]

Two of the last 3 days I've gone out to let the birds out of the coop in morning and found one dead. The deceased are 14 week old RIR roosters. I could not find any injuries on them. The birds all seemed to be doing well. I live in Hawaii and I don't have any predators around here. The coop is built so that not even a rat could get in. The temp. in the day time has gotten to around 85. There is plenty of shade. Also this evening I noticed another of the Roosters looked lethargic. I havn't watched to see if this particular rooster was eating or drinking, but when I let them out to range around the garden he was out there with the rest of them. I'm concerned I will find him dead tommorow also. The flock now consists of 2 RIR hens, 2 RIR roos, one black star roo, and one black star hen. These are all the same age (14 weeks) and have been raised together. I also have 9 six week old hens I got as chicks from a large hatchery. In the evenings when I put the birds to bed they seemed fine with the exception of the one Roo. They are fed a commercial chicken feed and there are waterers in the run and in the coop. Any ideas???




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[Rainbowbirds-of-a-Feather]

Aloha Bigal,

Wow, I can't believe that your roo passed. I had that happen to two of my hens recently. What I have been doing due to the change in temp. is put Ice in the waterers. Like rabbits w/ water bottles. Did any of the birds take dust bathes? My chooks would bathe to cool down and even pant a lot. My chooks have kinda open air house w/ shade but I really do not have any other problem after I added the ice. (thank goodness) You may want to try that, it worked for me.

 

[bigal]

I don't think it's the heat. I live on the kona side of the big island at about 1000 foot elevation where it stays pretty cool. I don't see the birds acting as if they were hot. When and how often do you add ice to the water? It seems like it would have to be done several times a day.
Mahalo for the reply.
Tim

 

[Rainbowbirds-of-a-Feather]

Hi Bigal,

I am glad it ain't the heat. I usually add cubes in the afternoon when I return home from work. It depends the day and time. Noon if I am home. It is so cute they peck at the cubes. So funny. God I spoil them.

Morning/ late evening it is cool. Thank goodness the have shade though for the days I can't do that. Only Summer times I do the ice. But try it, it wouldn't hurt. But it is something I experimented with 2 years ago so, again it is up to you.

 

[threehorses]

Which formulation of chicken food are you feeding? Is there anything in your garden area, any plants or chemicals, that they could be getting into that might harm them? Do you have a compost pile?

You'll want to pick them up and check them all individually. There are a lot of cases of mites and lice this time of year and there are birds dying from them. Check them very carefully all over their body, along their feather shafts, etc for this, especially around the vent and the back of the neck.

Also check their weight (they shouldn't have very prominant keels), their breathing (listen for wheezes, etc), etc for any abnormalities.

Can you also tell us what their droppings are like? Coloration, texture, etc?

Maybe this will help us help you out. I'm very sorry for your losses. How very sad.

 

[sammi]

I saw your other thread..

too many roos vs. hens...

the dominant roo is most likely bullying the young ones away from food and water.

but see my post in the other thread.

 

[bigal]

I've now lost 3 roos as of today and started another thread. Please read the other thread to answer some of your questions. I do have a compost pile near the run but have never seen them over there. I watch them when I let them free run to make sure the nieghbor dog doesn't come over. The only chemical's I've use was 7 dust in the run and in the shavings in the coop. This was as a preventative measure and it was probably 6 weeks ago. The last roo that died was thin and I'm starting to look at what I'm feeding them.
Mahalo,
Tim

 

[dlhunicorn]

There is a type of ascites associated with high elevation and this might have something to do with the sudden deaths of your birds.

 

[threehorses]

Of one is thin, then they're probably not getting to the food. When that happened with me, I just divided them into two groups -the wimps on one side, the bullies on the other (pretty much the cockerels on one side, the wimpy cockerels on the other side with the pullets).

Also they should be eating mainly a grower ration at their age now (or starter/grower is what some people have). Since they free range, they should have an appropriately sized grit avaiable.

Also, can you link the other thread please? There are lots and they move around a bit.

I'd watch the compost pile - make a wire covering. Because of the nature of compost piles, they tend to be an area where there is decay, maggots, etc. Great for making compost, unfortunately also great for making botulism. It can quickly kill birds. So just you know - disallow their access, make sure when it rains the compost water doesn't flow at all into their run area, etc.

Need more help with feed ideas?