***URGENT*** Flock dropping like flys

[2cool4school]

Hey BYC, I just had three chickens die this morning and I have really no clue why and the rest of them haven't been laying eggs, I have around thirty-something hens and one rooster that wasn't doing so well either. I have them in chicken tractors and feed them organic dumor feed. When I feel the alive chickens they're as light as a feather Idk what's going on. I took my rooster out of the tractor and let him free-range along with a hen that free ranges and he's doing much better, we also gave him ivermectin. The chickens that died had crazy seizures, Idk what it could be a sign of. Please message if not enough details were provided.

 

[The Chick Addict]

Hey BYC, I just had three chickens die this morning and I have really no clue why and the rest of them haven't been laying eggs, I have around thirty-something hens and one rooster that wasn't doing so well either. I have them in chicken tractors and feed them organic dumor feed. When I feel the alive chickens they're as light as a feather Idk what's going on. I took my rooster out of the tractor and let him free-range along with a hen that free ranges and he's doing much better, we also gave him ivermectin. The chickens that died had crazy seizures, Idk what it could be a sign of. Please message if not enough details were provided.

@Wyorp Rock
@azygous
@Eggcessive
@aart

 

[azygous]

Do you have a vet that you take other pets to? This really calls for a few random fecal tests. Phone the vet and ask if you can bring them some chicken fecal samples for a fecal float test to determine if worms and coccidia are present.

How frequently have you been moving the tractors? If coccidia are present in the soil, they could be much more concentrated in the tractor areas if not moved frequently. Coccidiosis can kill. The fecal float would be very inexpensive, take about an hour to run, and it will let you know if coccidiosis is killing your chickens.

Intestinal worms can also be a big problem when tractors are not moved frequently. The fecal test can tell you what kind of worms and how heavy the load is. This will enable you to accurately treat whatever the test finds.

 

[Toastedone]

Also, knock on wood but ai is going around again for the first real time since april..South Dakota for sure, Cambodia, South Africa, Mexico, France...and seizures and death are symptoms, albeit probably the worst..

Wishing and praying for you and your flock

 

[2cool4school]

Thank you for your prayers @Toastedone and for your advice @azygous, I move the tractors everyday, sometimes even twice a day. I haven't thought about getting a vet sample. @Toastedone could you elaborate on AI? I've never heard of it, these are the first chickens we've had and raised them from a day old oct 26 last year.

 

[NatJ]

When I feel the alive chickens they're as light as a feather

Just to make sure: do they have access to unlimited food and water, all day long?

If you have any kind of automatic feeder or waterer, check to make sure it is working, not clogged up.

 

[2cool4school]

@NatJ They have unlimited water all day long, we live around thirty minutes south-east of Austin TX so we are very aware of the heat. As for food, they eat grass and bugs and we try to make sure they eat enough feed. Sometimes there's food left over at the end of the day.

 

[Toastedone]

Thank you for your prayers @Toastedone and for your advice @azygous, I move the tractors everyday, sometimes even twice a day. I haven't thought about getting a vet sample. @Toastedone could you elaborate on AI? I've never heard of it, these are the first chickens we've had and raised them from a day old oct 26 last year.

AI - Avian Influenza

 

[2cool4school]

Wow that's crazy, are they safe to eat? I'll have to investigate this.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. If you lose another, please have your state vet do a necropsy on a body. That is the best way to get a cause of death.