what killed my chickens?

[AmyJane725]

I'm sorry they died. ;-;

It's awful when you don't even know the reason.

I find it very suspicious that they both died at roughly the same time. Odds of fatty liver disease striking so suddenly in two young animals seems unlikely. My greatest suspicion is that that dead bird was carrying some kind of disease that got to the other two. I wonder if the one in the coop had come upon the dead bird, gotten sick and tried to go back to the coop to roost because she didn't feel good...

I'm no expert, so don't put too much stock in anything I say. I'm pretty much with the other people on here who say that you should put them in the freezer and get the necropsy (and hand in that dead wild bird too). Best way to know if the rest of your flock is at risk for something that you could have the chance to prevent.

 

[lilnuggets]

I'm sorry they died. ;-;

It's awful when you don't even know the reason.

I find it very suspicious that they both died at roughly the same time. Odds of fatty liver disease striking so suddenly in two young animals seems unlikely. My greatest suspicion is that that dead bird was carrying some kind of disease that got to the other two. I wonder if the one in the coop had come upon the dead bird, gotten sick and tried to go back to the coop to roost because she didn't feel good...

I'm no expert, so don't put too much stock in anything I say. I'm pretty much with the other people on here who say that you should put them in the freezer and get the necropsy (and hand in that dead wild bird too). Best way to know if the rest of your flock is at risk for something that you could have the chance to prevent.

The other random bird and that fact 2 went at the same time it's what worries me too. I know sometimes they just have a heart attack and go randomly but 3 birds in the same day is suspicious. I will be definitely keeping a close eye on everyone else for a while.

I don't have any freezer space right now. We just did our stocking up for the next few months and are completely full.

How common is it for the cause of death for a hen to be transferred to their eggs? Should I be discarding eggs with an unknown cause of death?

 

[Fishkeeper]

3 birds didn't have a heart attack on the same day.

I really hope I'm wrong, but Newcastle disease has been in the news lately in California. Have there been any reports of it anywhere near you?

 

[lilnuggets]

3 birds didn't have a heart attack on the same day.

I really hope I'm wrong, but Newcastle disease has been in the news lately in California. Have there been any reports of it anywhere near you?

I agree highly unlikely they were all heart attacks. And no reports on new Castle over here. But I will do some more research on the symptoms of new Castle so I know what to look for in case.