What is slowly killing my chickens? Any input appreciated...

[MamaHen76]

I'll try to make this quick... I had 2 birds die this spring/summer about 2 months apart, then another die yesterday. I have 17 or so birds total. Each death has been identical, except that with the last one I did no special measures to save her, so she died quicker (4 days versus over a week). I tube-fed the other two, to no avail. These are the symptoms...

Lethargic, getting emaciated, not interested in food, mostly sits, comb and face very very pale, fluffed sometimes. They have all been been reguarly wormed with Valbazen (even the recent one) and they do not have mites or lice. The crop doesn't totally empty, but isn't hard, and what does empty does so slowly. So the crops are somewhat down in the morning, but not all the way, and soft and squishly. There is no bad breath, and I really don't think it is sour crop. There are NO respiratory or eye symptoms. I actually had the roo x-rayed, and it was definately not an impacted crop. Slow, slow death over about 4-8 days. WHAT THE HECK IS THIS? I really appreciate your ideas...

 

[Ghostbelly]

look for mites they are pretty tiny look for them on the skin and if you see them get poultry dust to get rid of them. good luck

 

[MamaHen76]

I know for sure they didn't have mites. I use Ivermectin reguarly, and I do know the signs of mites.

 

[Ghostbelly]

when they die is it just they stop moving and slowly go to sleep?

 

[dawg53]

I'll try to make this quick... I had 2 birds die this spring/summer about 2 months apart, then another die yesterday. I have 17 or so birds total. Each death has been identical, except that with the last one I did no special measures to save her, so she died quicker (4 days versus over a week). I tube-fed the other two, to no avail. These are the symptoms... Lethargic, getting emaciated, not interested in food, mostly sits, comb and face very very pale, fluffed sometimes. They have all been been reguarly wormed with Valbazen (even the recent one) and they do not have mites or lice. The crop doesn't totally empty, but isn't hard, and what does empty does so slowly. So the crops are somewhat down in the morning, but not all the way, and soft and squishly. There is no bad breath, and I really don't think it is sour crop. There are NO respiratory or eye symptoms. I actually had the roo x-rayed, and it was definately not an impacted crop. Slow, slow death over about 4-8 days. WHAT THE HECK IS THIS? I really appreciate your ideas...

I recommend that you contact your local extension office or state department of agriculture and find out how to go about getting a necropsy performed on one of your dead birds. You can also contact a university veterninary school and perhaps they can help you.