Why do my hens keep dying?

[cclman]

I've had same thing happening all summer. I go out in the morning and BANG a dead hen I've lost about 14 of the original 45 My 2 roosters are just fine. I oredred 25 tops hats in May and they are all gone too. We have had a hot summer and had fans in the coop.... The floor is dirt with large wood chip shavings on top... fresh water 2 x @ day clean & unexpired scratch and 15% crumble.. They free range during the day.. I don't think it's cocci as I havne't seen any abnormal poo.

Thanks for all your input.... Andrew in SW GA

 

[dazz02]

mine haven't died them selves they have just gone off their feet and lay on the ground all puffed up. When i try to lift them up sometimes they will stand up and support their weight but most of the time they just fall back down. Even if they can support their own weight they don't move and if i try to push them along gently they just fall over. So i have to finish them off which i feel is better than just letting them suffer as from my experience once they go off their feet they don't get better on their own and i don't know whats wrong to treat them. I am not paying for an autopsy as this would cost too much. Any further help would be greatly received.

 

[greenegglover]

Im not for sure what you have going on with your chickens, but thought I would at least check with you on some basics. 1) Have you ever wormed them? 2) Any sign of lice/mites? 3) Respitory issues?(gargling, bubbly eyes etc) 4) Possible environment contamination? (poison or plants that are poisonous to chickens)

Just some things to kind of think of and double check, but without a necroscopy you will never truly know.

 

[dazz02]

They haven't been wormed since i got them which is about 1 year, it isn't worth me buying the medicine in as i only have 6 at the moment. None of them have respiratory problems. They may have lice but i am unsure, they are always rolling in the dirt when its dry warm day so maybe they have. For environmental problems i am unsure there are wild plants growing in their run but they started dying before i had that run made but the only thing i can think of it that there is lots of ivy growing around the run which they have always been in. Thanks for all the help - keep it coming!

 

[dazz02]

i have been reading that cocci only affects young birds so i am now unsure to whether this is the problem any help please let me know.