What is going on here? :(

[Mommi3130]

I have lost 3 Roos/Cockerals this week

My first one just got kind of moppy and we found him sleeping under the deck, my son took him out to the coop and put him in his favorite spot to sleep (a corner on the floor) and the next morning he was dead. Then the next day one of my Polish Roos came up missing and we haven't seen him since.
Now today we left for a little bit and came back and my 14 wk old Splash Silkie Cockeral was laying in the "Big" brooder on his side. My son picked him up and he was cold but still breathing, we tried electrolytes and everything but he had what felt like a seizure in my hand and was gone. I swear he looked into my eyes and you could see him saying put me out of my misery. What is going on here.
The odd thing is they aren't even in the same coop, they are seperated. None of my other chickens seem sick right now and the other odd thing is they were all male. Any ideas of what is going on? Please.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
I'm so sorry for all the losses. How dreadful and heartbreaking.

First, we'll need some information. Are these all the same age, or are there different ages in together? If the latter, how many ages, and how long have they been on the same ground?

What are you feeding them - exactly, including protein percentages, types (layer, grower, etc), treats, etc.

Where are they kept? Coop/run? Free range with shelter? Etc.

Have you had a lot of rain lately? Any chance they could have gotten into any wet grains, soured feed? Have you checked your feed carefully and smelled it, looked for mildew? Is the feed under a month old, kept in an air-tight container off the ground, in a cool place? Do they get a lot of grains, particularly scratch or corn? Do they all have access to free choice grit, granite type?

Do any of them have access to hay, puddles, compost piles? Is the heat there bad, are they panting, and have you used electrolytes or not?

Any new additions within the last 31 days?

First thing I would do would be go through your entire flock and check them all - one at a time. I'm going to paste my troubleshooting exam list below as a guide for you. Any of the questions or anything unusual you can tell us will be very very helpful.

The more information you provide, the more information (and accurate information) we can provide back. I sure hope we can help you.

Nathalie Ross's troubleshooting and exam check list:
The Examination:
Examine her body for weight: is she thin, heavy, skinny, lumpy, fat? Can you feel her keel like a spatula, or just slightly, or within a crease of fatty flesh?
Examine her eyes: are they clear and bright? No discoloration on the eye’s surface? Any drainage? Pupils both round and reactive to light?
Examine her beak/throat: are her nares (nostrils) clear? Is the inside of her mouth healthy and pink? Does she have excess mucus? Is her beak pale in color? Does she have bad breath or a sour smell?
Examine her crop: Is she holding feed after a night of not eating? Are her crop contents appropriate to what she’s been eating? Does she get granite type grit?
Examine her skin: check carefully for lice/mites (see below**). Look for any broken skin, redness of vent, scratches, anything abnormal.
Examine her abdomen: Feel delicately between her legs and back up to her vent - do you feel any lumpiness, or is she firm, or is she hard-bodied?
Listen to her respiratory system: With your ear against her throat and chest, listen to her breathing. Do you hear hiccups, wheezes, rales, or rattles? Do you hear any strange noises or whistles near her nostrils?
Examine her vent: Other than the clinging droppings, do you see white or black waxy stuff near her vent? Any sores from the droppings? Is her actual vent opening tight and dry, or is it dilated (open) and moist. (This can indicate if she's trying to lay.)

Flock history:
Tell us more about diet: do your hens have access to both granite type grit as well as oyster shell? Is she on diet appropriate for her age and type? (Grower,starter-grower, layer, layer-breeder)? Does she have more grains than complete (crumble/pellet) feed? What does her entire diet consist of? Do you use any products in your waterers? If so, what kind?
Tell us more about the environment: Is your ill bird kept with others of different ages? Were any new birds added recently? Are you birds kept in a coop/coop with run/free range, or other arrangement? If injury, is it possible that it was caused by the other chickens,, or a predator? What type of bedding do you use? (shavings, straw, sand, etc) Has the environment been wet lately – because of weather or spilled waterers? Do the chickens have 2 square feet of room each? Do they have plenty of ventilation and fresh air, or is the room in which they are kept rather air tight? Do you smell any smells in their housing?
Worming: do you worm? If so, when did you last worm, and with what products?
Misc Environment: does she have access to any compost, kitchen scraps, manure piles, ponds?
New additions: Were any birds, including this one, vaccinated for anything of which you’re aware? Were they or her purchased from a feedstore/flea market/private breeder/hatchery?


**Mites and lice: they're nearly microscopic, and mites only go onto the birds at night often enough and then occassionally they just remain off the bird while they lay their eggs in the wood of the coops, etc. Check them at night, with a flashlight (and the coop light on), and a light colored pillowcase to help you find mites. Ruffle through all of their feathers. Pay careful attention to the warm/moist areas under the wing feathers, near the vent, along all the feather shafts, etc. If you find them, you must treat the bird and the premises and the birds must be retreated at least once in 7 days - preferably twice. Recheck a few times this week and next to try to find mites. Let us know if you find anything like this and we'll advise on treatment.

 

[dlhunicorn]

I notice all the deaths have been roosters...
Are you providing a separte feeder of a NON layer feed (whcih has too much calcium in it for the boys) for them?
Have you ever wormed your birds?