Young chickens dying HELP!!

[ChickyChick66]

Very hard to say now what the cause of death was, but those small coops can really heat up in the daytime. Heat exhaustion and dehydration could be possible. Are the windows all open? A thermometer would tell you how how it is getting inside. They should not be eating all those extras anyway, but especially without grit. When they eat other foods, they can dilute the good balance of nutrients that chick feed has. With chick feed grit isn’t necessary, but when on grass or eating other foods, grit is important to help the gizzard grind up food. Flat pans of shaded cool water can be placed around the run to step into and cool their legs on hot days. Look at your feed as well to check for any moisture or mold. Your state vet can do a necropsy on a body if you continue to loose more to get a diagnosis.

There’s no moldy food. I keep the food in the food storage where water can’t get to it. They also only go inside the coop at night and go to the bigger section of the coop during the day. The coop is under my run which is full of shade so the sun doesn’t hit the coop. I haven’t seen them excessively pant at all and they have their water in there to keep them hydrated. I just moved them on my porch with shade and surrounded them by a dog playplen and added in vitamins to their water in case the lack of it is the issue. I’ve been giving them corid for exactly a week.

 

[Eggcessive]

Corid is only used for 5-7 days, so it can be discontinued at any time. Those temps are hard on some chickens whether they are outside in the run or not. They are hard on most animals. I am just naming things to rule out. Your state vet can do a necropsy on one you lose, to help find a possible cause. Hopefully, it doesn’t happen anymore.

 

[ChickyChick66]

Corid is only used for 5-7 days, so it can be discontinued at any time. Those temps are hard on some chickens whether they are outside in the run or not. They are hard on most animals. I am just naming things to rule out. Your state vet can do a necropsy on one you lose, to help find a possible cause. Hopefully, it doesn’t happen anymore.

Thank you very much. I will consider that if the rest see the same fate as well.

 

[Gardenchicken334]

Green beans and peas kill chickens dont feed them in any amount they have a toxin in them which isnt even removed when cooked research before you feed

 

[mmikke]

Our batch we got yesterday from Murray and McMurray had two hens almost dead right out of the box with classic cocci symptoms.
They both died within 4 hours of us even opening the box, and they were in a sanitized 'tub' lined with newspaper. So no chance in hell they were exposed to our soil in our yard.

Since then, two have started going downhill very fast in less than 12 hours. One died already and the other isn't looking good.
Our hopes aren't very high for the rest because the cocci was contracted either at the hatchery(in my opinion most likely) or somehow exposed to it via the delivery process. So they all shared a confined space.

They were also supposedly vaccinated against cocci.

The two recent casualties went from being healthy normal chicks this morning, to extreme bloody and foamy stools, severe lethargy, and an inability or refusal to eat or drink anything.
Pretty upset about this and I've read similar stories recently.

And we're in Hawaii. The vet I called earlier told me that I'll likely not find any Corid in time because so few people here have issues with cocci. Most of the chicken owners I have talked to have never even heard of it and they've been keeping egg/meat flocks for literally decades.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Our batch we got yesterday from Murray and McMurray had two hens almost dead right out of the box with classic cocci symptoms.
They both died within 4 hours of us even opening the box, and they were in a sanitized 'tub' lined with newspaper. So no chance in hell they were exposed to our soil in our yard.

Since then, two have started going downhill very fast in less than 12 hours. One died already and the other isn't looking good.
Our hopes aren't very high for the rest because the cocci was contracted either at the hatchery(in my opinion most likely) or somehow exposed to it via the delivery process. So they all shared a confined space.

They were also supposedly vaccinated against cocci.

The two recent casualties went from being healthy normal chicks this morning, to extreme bloody and foamy stools, severe lethargy, and an inability or refusal to eat or drink anything.
Pretty upset about this and I've read similar stories recently.

And we're in Hawaii. The vet I called earlier told me that I'll likely not find any Corid in time because so few people here have issues with cocci. Most of the chicken owners I have talked to have never even heard of it and they've been keeping egg/meat flocks for literally decades.

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry about your chicks.
Can you post photos of them and their poop?
How old are they?
How long did it take for them to make the trip to HI?
Do you have any pet shops or feed stores that carry Corid? @ChickNanny13 any ideas?

Do try to find some Corid if you can. In the meantime, try giving them a wet soupy feed made with buttermilk or plain yogurt with a little water.

 

[mmikke]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry about your chicks.
Can you post photos of them and their poop?
How old are they?
How long did it take for them to make the trip to HI?
Do you have any pet shops or feed stores that carry Corid? @ChickNanny13 any ideas?

Do try to find some Corid if you can. In the meantime, try giving them a wet soupy feed made with buttermilk or plain yogurt with a little water.

The one singular place I've found on our island does carry it, but is out of stock.

Every single other feed/pet/country style store employee i talked to had no clue what I was talking about.
Apparently it is incredibly rare here, even tho the soil is almost always damp. (200" of rain minimum per year where we're at).
The entire neighborhood raises chicks/chickens.
They also roam feral.
Never once has anyone on my street, in my social circle, or in my town has even heard of cocci.

I work in fine antique restoration and brought home several very fine-tipped plastic 'syringes' usually used to administer glues with precision.
We've been using them to administer food and water.

Unfortunately the only photos I have are of them either dead or dying, but I will post if requested.
Only took the dead photos just in case Murray McMurray requires them for a refund.
(It's not about the money, but the principle. We're both extreme animal lovers and continually digging graves is breaking me down in a big way.
((Sure, you should expect some deaths while homesteading but this is very different from anything we've encountered))

The chicks were shipped day old, according to the paperwork, and were also supposedly vaccinated. I'm new to chicks and chickens but my S/O is a generational farmer and has never experienced this here on the islands

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Green beans and peas kill chickens dont feed them in any amount they have a toxin in them which isnt even removed when cooked research before you feed

Peas are a main staple in commercial chicken feed. Especially non-soy.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Our batch we got yesterday from Murray and McMurray had two hens almost dead right out of the box with classic cocci symptoms.
They both died within 4 hours of us even opening the box, and they were in a sanitized 'tub' lined with newspaper. So no chance in hell they were exposed to our soil in our yard.

Since then, two have started going downhill very fast in less than 12 hours. One died already and the other isn't looking good.
Our hopes aren't very high for the rest because the cocci was contracted either at the hatchery(in my opinion most likely) or somehow exposed to it via the delivery process. So they all shared a confined space.

They were also supposedly vaccinated against cocci.

The two recent casualties went from being healthy normal chicks this morning, to extreme bloody and foamy stools, severe lethargy, and an inability or refusal to eat or drink anything.
Pretty upset about this and I've read similar stories recently.

And we're in Hawaii. The vet I called earlier told me that I'll likely not find any Corid in time because so few people here have issues with cocci. Most of the chicken owners I have talked to have never even heard of it and they've been keeping egg/meat flocks for literally decades.

You can also use Acidified Copper Sulfate. 1oz to 5 gallons of water for 3 days. Not as immediate, but better than nothing.

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Hi everyone. I’m posting this thread because I would like to gather everyone’s thoughts and opinions about what’s going on with my young chickens. I had five 2 month old chickens and now I’m down to two that have died in a mysterious way. I’m not sure what’s the problem. I clean their coop and feed/water regularly. The ones that died became lethargic and very lazy, almost as if paralyzed. One died after the other and it’s a continuation of sadness. The first one that died was my Houdan. She looked like she was having seizures and kept flapping her wings until she died. I got them from a feed store and they didn’t come vaccinated from what I know. I didn’t see any issue when I got them, but why are they dying now? I did see bloody stool way before they died and treated for Coccidia with liquid amprolium and it went away. After my houdan died I assumed it came back so I treated for Coccidia again but the others still died. I live in Houston and the temperature has gotten really hot. Could it be from the heat? I put ice in their water and they have plenty of shade. Could it be mareks? Please help me

I'm in Houston too. You chooks are too young to be in a coop outside in this heat. The simple coops amplify Texas heat. My first year it hit 120° inside my coop and killed 3 birds because that's where I put the water.

For perspective, the health department requires cooked food to be 140° to be safe to eat.

First, add 1 tablespoon of baking soda per gallon of water in the summer. It replaces a necessary chemical in chickens and prevents acidosis in the lungs. Which is lethal.

Next, 1/4th teaspoon acidified copper Sulfate per gallon of water. Let them drink it. 3 days. No more.

You've treated for coccidiosis, but there is a similar protazoa in this area that Amprolium does not treat. The common name is Blackhead Disease. It is fairly lethal to young birds. Most people will tell you that Blackhead Disease is a Turkey affliction. It is NOT. It has a 100% mortality rate for turkeys, but it does affect chickens as well. It has a 10% mortality rate, but in this heat, at that age, it's much higher.

#1 get them out of the heat.
#2 Treat them.
#3 Augment nutrients, both coccidiosis and histomoniasis (Blackhead Disease) tear up thr GI tract and prevent proper absorption of nutrients.

There may be other issues, but they aren't important for now.