What is going on??

[Oceanseve]

I woke up this morning and my 1 m/o roo is dead, no signs of trauma, what? pulled the other three 1 m/o out of the coop just in case, the three of them are being very quiet and not very active. The two 2 m/o in the coop are hardly coming out of the house at all??? What's going on? We've had a lot of rain the last few days and the ground is just now starting to dry out. Totally confused?? Help??

 

[Chirpy]

I'm sorry - it's so hard to lose them for any reason.

It sounds like they are very scared! If that's so then my thoughts would be that a predator either got in and killed the Roo (they can be killed without a mark on them) or that a predator tried to get in and literally scared the Roo to death.

You need to thoroughly inspect your coop for the smallest of holes or entrance points. (A weasel or snake can get into a 1" hole with no problems.)

It could be an illness also in which case you want to keep a close eye on the others and see if they snap out of it in a day or two or not.

And, sometimes, chickens just die ... no known reason, you just find them dead.

But, considering the current actions of the others I'm going with a predator.

 

[Matt A NC]

Have you checked their poo for worms? What about mites, lice, fleas in the coup?

I had a little dutch cockerel get slow, so I put 2 drops of Ivermec on his neck where he coudn't reach it. He was 50% better the next day and 100% after 2 days.

When I looked under his wing I couldn't see any blood veins. That was because he was so anemic.

Matt

 

[Oceanseve]

I can use ivomec on them? I have the injectable bovine kind I use to worm my dogs orally. Think I could use it on them if I ever need to?

I haven't seen any signs of sickness, no worms, no mites or fleas. The big girls are out eating right now. He died pretty quick, I didn't see him there this morning at 7 then by 10:30 dead. No squaking or anything, they usually make lots of sound if one of the cats is harrassing them through the fence. Maybe a cat claw got him just right (or wrong as the case may be?)

 

[Matt A NC]

It is not ideal to use the Ivermec so young, but it won't hurt as long as you are careful. 2 drops at the most of the 1% ivermec on the back at the base of the neck. Part the feathers/fluff to get to the skin. I would do this just in case that is the problem. It keeps mites, fleas, and lice away for several weeks. Also, what little bit gets obsorbed or they injust rom picking at each other's wet spot will worm them.

I used it safely on 1 month olds this year, so I know it is safe. That included some bantams.

Matt

 

[Oceanseve]

Well, they were acting so punny I put the drops on them, Lost one more within 15 minutes, another is actually on the roost now which is encouraging, and the other is just somewhere in between. Thanks for the help, I hope it works on these two left.