Losing chickens

[more_frosting]

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice. Over the last 6 weeks, I'm losing roughly a chicken a week. They look perfectly healthy one day and the next, I find one dead.

At first, I thought it was due to their age as it was the older ones dying, but then a couple of the younger chickens died.

I can't see any signs of red mite in the coop as I'm quite strict with the cleaning and can't see any other health problems, such as sneezing, nasal discharge or eye infections. Just wondering if there's anything else I should look out for?

 

[Beekissed]

Are you opening up these chickens and checking out the organs? If not, I'd be doing so. Breed? Ages? Habitat? Feed?

 

[CrealCritter]

Sorry to hear this... But I would be looking for spiders or venomous snakes. It only takes one bite from either and dead chicken.

 

[Rammy]

I agree with @Beekissed. Have a necropsy done or do it yourself and see if anything looks odd.

 

[baymule]

Maybe some sort of disease?

 

[tortoise]

My advice is to call your veterinarian and arrange to bring the next dead one for necropsy. They'll know what diseases and parasites are a concern in your area, or if something is going around! In USA even backyard flocks are [supposed to be] registered so when there are outbreaks everyone gets notified if they're in a concern or quarantine area. It's helpful to get insight from the people who know what risks are in your area and what is going around your area right now.

I am very curious, so if you find out please update!

 

[MistyWeeg13]

@more_frosting what happened? Are you on BYC, backyard chickens, they will be able to help so much with this. I highly recommend you join. How are you chickens doing? Did you figure out what was happening?