URGENT:Dead Chickens

[DevinRichard]

I have an EMERGENCY!! 18 of my chickens have died in the last year! I am devastated and I need help!!!! How can I solve my problem Without going to the Veternarian?

WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DIE !!!!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be helpful to provide details of what they were like before they died, if you want help. You need to describe ages, where you got them(swap, breeder, hatchery,) what they were fed, symptoms, what meds you tried, etc.

 

[cafarmgirl]

X2. Much more info is needed. There are many people here who can offer suggestions and may be able to help you figure it out but a lot of background info is needed to even be able to make a guess.

 

[BantamLover21]

X2. Much more info is needed. There are many people here who can offer suggestions and may be able to help you figure it out but a lot of background info is needed to even be able to make a guess.

x3

 

[Wyandottes7]

x3

X4. We need more information.

 

[DevinRichard]

My Chickens died unexpectedly - one minute they're happily pecking, the next they're looking depressed and tired - and the next they have a seizure and die! I can't diagnose them because I am a only 15 and I don't understand much about chickens. I've only owned them for a year and they're just dying left and right!

Here is a list of their pre-death symptoms

Pre-Death Symptoms:

- Depression
- Dark Purple Comb
- Cycles Between Tiredness and Regular Chicken Behavior
- Chickens Weigh Lighter than Usual
- Diarrhea
- Seizures Right Before Death
- Spasms Right Before Death
- Eyes Lull Around Head
- Body Fluids Have Left Body After Death

I have fed my chickens the usual 4-8 cups of Cracked Corn and Scratch Grain (I have about 17 chickens now so ... is this enough food?) and I fill a 5 gallon water hanging waterer daily in the morning. I have often waken up to a dead chicken in my Coop/Run. I am still worried that one day I may wake up to another dead chicken.

PLEASE HELP,
Devin R., A Young And Worried Chicken Owner

THANK YOU !!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Okay, first thing is your chickens should be fed a 16% protein balanced chicken feed, not scratch or corn that only has 8% protein. Chicken feed only costs $1 more than scratch per 50# bag. It is hard to diagnose what might be wrong. There is definitely some sort of disease going on. Coccidiosis could be the problem, or something like E. Coli, fowl cholera or many more. Your state vet could do a necropsy on a dead chicken if it is refrigerated (not frozen.) Otherwise you might want to look at some common chicken diseases and see if any match up to what you are seeing. Here is the link for your state vet: http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/statevets.aspx

And here is a link for diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[ten chicks]

My Chickens died unexpectedly - one minute they're happily pecking, the next they're looking depressed and tired - and the next they have a seizure and die! I can't diagnose them because I am a only 15 and I don't understand much about chickens. I've only owned them for a year and they're just dying left and right!

Here is a list of their pre-death symptoms

Pre-Death Symptoms:

- Depression
- Dark Purple Comb
- Cycles Between Tiredness and Regular Chicken Behavior
- Chickens Weigh Lighter than Usual
- Diarrhea
- Seizures Right Before Death
- Spasms Right Before Death
- Eyes Lull Around Head
- Body Fluids Have Left Body After Death

I have fed my chickens the usual 4-8 cups of Cracked Corn and Scratch Grain (I have about 17 chickens now so ... is this enough food?) and I fill a 5 gallon water hanging waterer daily in the morning. I have often waken up to a dead chicken in my Coop/Run. I am still worried that one day I may wake up to another dead chicken.

PLEASE HELP,
Devin R., A Young And Worried Chicken Owner

THANK YOU !!!

The food they are on is definitely an issue like Eggcessive already stated. Do they have access to grit? How big is their run? Also 4-8 cups for 17 or more chickens is not enough food. They require constant food,all day long. This constant supply of food is needed to fuel their high metabolism.

 

[Michael Apple]

My Chickens died unexpectedly - one minute they're happily pecking, the next they're looking depressed and tired - and the next they have a seizure and die! I can't diagnose them because I am a only 15 and I don't understand much about chickens. I've only owned them for a year and they're just dying left and right!

Here is a list of their pre-death symptoms

Pre-Death Symptoms:

- Depression
- Dark Purple Comb
- Cycles Between Tiredness and Regular Chicken Behavior
- Chickens Weigh Lighter than Usual
- Diarrhea
- Seizures Right Before Death
- Spasms Right Before Death
- Eyes Lull Around Head
- Body Fluids Have Left Body After Death

I have fed my chickens the usual 4-8 cups of Cracked Corn and Scratch Grain (I have about 17 chickens now so ... is this enough food?) and I fill a 5 gallon water hanging waterer daily in the morning. I have often waken up to a dead chicken in my Coop/Run. I am still worried that one day I may wake up to another dead chicken.

PLEASE HELP,
Devin R., A Young And Worried Chicken Owner

THANK YOU !!!

The feed needs to be nutritionally balanced, but I see something else here that might be possible. When birds come in contact with the bacteria called Pasteurella Multicoda, the germ that causes Fowl Cholera, it can cause rapid death in severe outbreaks. Chickens will drink more and eat less, show weight loss, lameness in legs, head turning blue, greenish yellow to white diarrhea, difficulty breathing, face and waddles swelling sometimes. It causes the lungs to bleed and destroys the liver.

If that is the case, Sulfadimethoxine powder at 1/2 tsp per gallon of water for 3 days has stopped this for me in the past. You can also use a product called Sulmet, but Sulfadimethoxine is easier on the bird's system.

Dead carcasses on moist soil, stagnant water, wild birds, rats, mice, and coons can bring cholera into the environment. Disinfectants will kill the bacteria as will sunlight heat and dryness. Cholera is not an uncommon disease.

 

[DevinRichard]

Thank You ALL,

But, My Prize Rooster just died ! I am sad and I am just considering giving them away and giving up on chickens! My chickens don't even lay eggs and I have like 17 hens! But I might Keep them If you give me enough reasons to keep them!

Thanks,
Devin Richard