What am I doing wrong?! Please help

[Maiadab]

I'm ready to give up!!!

We bought 7 pullets at the end of January ages 12 - 16 weeks old. The woman we bought them from said a couple of them should be laying by mid/late February.

3/4 days after bringing them home 3 of the 7 presented with a respiratory illness. Thanks to all of you here I was able to save all but one.

The end of February we went out to the coop to find a dead hen. No warning nothing she was just dead. She never really grew like the other hens did, she stayed the same size as when we brought her home. I thought maybe she had eaten my sago palm (which I know is poison to chickens).

Yesterday the top hen became lethargic, bloated, diarrhea, and clear watery liquid would run from her mouth when she would bend over to eat. I thought maybe she had a sour crop but there was no foul odor or a crop for that matter. I went out this morning to check on her and she was dead!!

None of the hens have laid ANY eggs yet either and they are now all 22 - 26+ weeks old.

I'm now wondering if the woman sold us bad hens? I know she sent us home with sick ones? Or am I doing something wrong?

They have a coop with constant access to water and food. They free range 10 or more hours a day. I keep garlic and apple cider vinegar in their water.

I'm so disappointed.

Plus now that they have all had or been around hens that have had a respiratory illness I can't introduce anymore hens to the flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you take them back? I think I would if she will take them. Then you would have to clean everything very well with bleach water or oxine. It is the perfect time to get chicks, or find a healthy flock (perhaps from someone on BYC) that won't sell you sick birds.

 

[Maiadab]

Nope she won't take them. I tried after bird #2 died.

 

[snowflake]

not sure what the problem is, hope someone with more exp. chimes in. does sound like it could be poisoning?? If you don't know what the respiratory illness was and they are now better,why can't you add more?? If you are unsure, you may want to cull all and start over with birds treated for Mareks and cocci, and I think you can pre treat with something for respiratory. how ever making sure your coop is dry and well ventilated is the best prevention.

I hope you don't give up, if the birds were not healthy when you got them, there is little you can do. ....chickens some times die for no apparent reason, some times they have /or can get sick, from things wild birds bring in. once you get a good healthy bunch going they sure are a lot of fun!!

 

[AZGardenFarmer]

* 1st I would change out the water and put Fresh Water in. And ONLY that. No garlic or vinegar. Sounds like too much, too soon. They're still kinda young for that mess. I don't know anyone who has given their chickens either or both, at the same time. My Uncle was a Breeder, Showman, and Judge in poultry shows. He never gave them that stuff.
Vinegar is an Acid. Even mixed with water, it's still and acid, no matter how diluted.
Mine got a Water Vitamin Supplement at 6months old. And that's the only thing I've put in their water in the past 11 months.
As for laying eggs, they can start between 28 and a year old depending on the breed. Ie mine's a Frizzle - they start around a year old. So I'm patiently waiting.
Anyways, change out the water. I don't know where people get their ideas from. The things people make up these days is hilarious. Lots of Luck. *

 

[Zrcalo]

I say the apple cider vinegar could actually be killing your hens. You're only supposed to be adding a few drops to several gallons. so about one small drop per gallon. Any more and your birds could actually kill off the beneficial bacteria in their guts due to high acidity levels which leads them prone to severe infections.

http://www.upatsix.com/chats/macaw-connection/topic90808.html

This is an interesting thread about it.

I would stay away from apple cider vinegar!!

 

[Maiadab]

Thank you all.

Read the link you provided Zrcalo. Thanks. I was only putting 1/4c for 5 gallons of water. I will quite going forward though.

That leads me to the next question on watering though. How do you water your birds? We built an automatic waterer, from a plan we got from BYC. We change it completely once a week. Do you all give your chickens distilled or bottled water? I'd never read to do that before. Our waterer is just hooked up to a hose.

 

[AZGardenFarmer]

* I use a water feeder from the Feed store. I fill it with our hose. My water is from a Ground Well. I give my chickens a vitamin supplement every 6 months. It's in a powder form. Works great too. *

 

[Maiadab]

* I use a water feeder from the Feed store. I fill it with our hose. My water is from a Ground Well. I give my chickens a vitamin supplement every 6 months. It's in a powder form. Works great too. *

Okay, that is what we do too. I was thinking all this time I was supposed to be giving them bottled water. LOL
Thanks!

What does everyone do to stop parasites and bacteria then if you don't use vinegar?

 

[AZGardenFarmer]

* There's this stuff I get at the Feed store. Just add it to their food. *