Unexplained Deaths (I have one isolated now)(Keeps Getting Weirder!!!)

[mjdtexan]

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Thank You for the information. Gonna get to it today, I got to make a trip to the feed store to pick up supplies.

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Really? I had not heard that. Why is that? Am I making it to hard for them to perch?

 

[Country4ever]

May I jump in with a question about bumblefoot?

Do you all think that some of her chickens died because some of them became septic sooner than the others who didn't die? Does the fact that some of them died so quickly after the initial visual symptoms mean that they must have had it for awhile, or does bumblefoot just spread more quickly to the vascular system in some than in others?
I didn't realize that it could be fatal so quickly............or does that mean that they probably had it for awhile?
Thanks for letting me ask this here.

 

[mjdtexan]

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Anybody can always jump in with what ever they want to in my threads. Never hurts my feelings. I be a him though. Those are good questions though.

 

[mjdtexan]

After a review of some bumble foot google images I do not believe my chickens have bumble foot. It does however look like a bite mark. I am going to have to assume that rats are biting my chickens. I dont know how this is happening. I've built them a fortress so that they can not be gotten to at night. I guess I am going to have to review that further.

I would like to introduce something to their diet though to help stave off infections. Any suggestions for something to add to their water or feed on a regular basis?

Mike

 

[ruth]

I'm going to take a big Sherlock Holmes guess based on "clues" I think I've read:

Clues:

You said each hen shows up with a clean cut, bleeding, on top of foot. Then goes to roost and won't come down and later dies. Prior to that they are seen crowding in front of the fan for cool air.

Is it possible the fan is cutting their feet? If not, something is or they are stepping on one another's feet and injuiring them in their efforts to get to the cool air. Once they've been injured, I think it scares them and they get back on the high roost and won't come down. Once up there, in the heat of the day, they die of heat stroke. Hot air rises - plus if they stay up there any length of time during the heat of the day, they aren't getting enough cool water.

I would watch them while they are in front of fan and see what takes place. I don't think a rat is running into a group of chickens and biting the top of their feet. It wouldn't leave a nice clean cut anyway. I think they are cutting each other's feet by crowding or fighting to get in front of fan - or the fan is cutting their feet.

We have an old hen house with ceiling roosts about 8 feet up. The chickens go up there at night. But during the heat of the day they are all on the floor of the coop - often crowded together, in front of the fan. Their coop stays reasonably cool because it has a high vaulted ceiling and lots of ventilation but they still stay on the floor - often digging holes and laying flat out, face down, in the cool dirt floor.

If it's hot where you are and they are trying to get cool but then something hurts them and they go and stay where they are "safe" like a high roost - the heat up there will kill them quickly espcially if they don't come down for water.

Try moving the fan where they can get the breeze easier - or adding another fan. We bolted our fan to the wall and angled it down to the ground but it is also covered with a plastic cage so they can't hurt themselves. Also, try putting shallow pans of water for them to stand in or leave the water hose running on low in their run so the ground floods and they can get in the water and wet dirt - this is my chickens and ducks favorite thing to do. Mine all freerange our farm but with temps at 100 degrees it's hard for even them to stay cool under bushes and such, I can't imagine what cooped up chickens must be enduring. We have water hoses running on low all over our property and that's where everyone congregates.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

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That's not true. I have chickens that roost in trees similar to crepe myrtles, it's their preferred place to go at night. These are gamefowl, bantams, & regular ole heavy layer breeds.

 

[Country4ever]

Ruth.....that's a good guesstimation.
CSI Chickens!

Based on your theory, maybe the ones she ....oops HE (sorry about that!) isolated and then survived were able to better cool themselves off, get water??
Another reason the injured ones may have been staying up on the roost is that the others might have been picking on them because of their injury.??
This really is a mystery!

 

[ruth]

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Yes, that's the point - once they have a bleeding injury the others will peck them to death if they don't get away and they know that so they go up on the roost and stay there but it's too hot up there and they don't get enough water.

Mystery is what is causing the bleeding gash on top of foot to begin with?????

 

[mjdtexan]

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No, its not possible. I have the building I use as their coop divided in half. Half is for their living quarters and the other half is for their tack. I have a wall of studs and chicken wire dividing the area (and door). The fan is in the tack area out of reach of the chickens

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I have added another fan. Its on the wall where it will help move the air around some. It has cooled off a few degrees (4 or 5) here and now I am getting more eggs again and their health seems to have improved.


The pullet I have isolated is starting to eat this morning. I am glad to see it.

Since I have removed that sliver of wood from in front of the fan area I have not noticed any more cuts. I have not noticed them forceing themselves in between the fan and their water though either. I think it may have cooled down just enough. It will heat back up though. Our hottest month around here tends to be August

I really want to Thank Yall for your help. It really has helped. It has caused me to re-evaluate (sp?) my coop and coop practices. Its good to do that on occasion. I just hate that I had to loose three birds to get there.

I think I am going to call Ideal Poultry and order 10 more pullets when it cools off.

Mike

 

[CountryMom]

Keep your eyes posted for snakes also. I have killed so many in and around our coops here lately it isn't funny. Dog got it last night when I stepped on the wrong end of the snake and it struck her. She is fine now and isn't the first time she has gotten bit. Also all of the snakes I am killing are copper heads - and not so big either. Last night it was a small one under one foot.

*And please, I don't want to hear about not killing snakes. These are snakes that are near my barns and house where my children are also. I won't take chances with my kids being bit. Kid's lives are more important than a snake anyday.*

Anyhow, just wanted you to be aware that you may have one of those in your coop also and could be hard to spot. Most animals do way better with copperhead bites than humans.