Why are my chickens dying?

[dcsaina]

Yea I don't know how much protein they really get because we generally don't feed them, they just dig around all day and eat what they want. When they are thirsty I do wonder if they go down to their coop where there is water because they like to hang around their house where there usually isn't any water for them. I have been feeding the remaining two cooked rice and they love it, they won't leave me alone, even jump up trying to peck my hands for some rice. But they are looking well, clear eyes, full feathers, definately have a healthy apetite! I have checked for swelling and their feet and legs look pretty skinny to me? But I will definately look out for that. Thank you

 

[dcsaina]

I just walked outside and found two piles of diarrhea :S one was just a very watery consistancy, not a whole lot of water and was a muddy brown colour, the other pile was extremely watery, was mainly water with a white colour with some red piles in the middle. Is this blood

 

[casportpony]

Could be an infection, I'd have a necropsy done.

 

[Hennigan]

I'd bring the two inside and monitor them. See who eats what and poops what. Travel to your feed store (if I read correctly you said that you don't have chicken grain for them) and buy some food for them to eat- since they will be inside the more food they eat the more poop right? So you can see how consistently the poop is different and that should tell you how serious the problem. When I want my hens to eat ill add some warm water to the feed and let it soak for a few minutes and it'll swell up like oat meal- they love it and since a chickens digestive tract will take two hours to get your results you should have more information quickly. Check their feathers- see if they have any external parasites- lice, mites, spiders/spider bites on the skin and if nothing is there the food will be your best answer. Moving them in side and to smaller area will help you eliminate a myriad of factors and help find more simptoms. Let me know if their poop is still bad after the food has gotten a chance to go through their system- because then the problem is probably internal- and you move on from there.. Chicken feed is realitivly inexpensive- and gets more inexpensive the larger the quantity. It's worth the money if you want a fighting chance to know what's wrong.

 

[Hennigan]

I hope the problem isn't internal paracites. 1 out of every 10 chicken poops though- I'm sure you've noticed will be brown wet and smelly- which means their systems are working fine- but this sounds different correct?

 

[dcsaina]

We do have chicken feed, I fill it up for them every 2 or 3 days, they always demolish it. I have thought maybe the white watery poo with red bits in it maybe the from the ducks?? But yes I will definately take your advice on board and let you know what happens. Thank you very much

 

[dcsaina]

We have already disposed the bodies, but will monitor how these 2 go for the next week then I think we will take them to get checked out and see whether it is safe enough to buy some more chickens. Thanks