Chicken Sickness

We just started raising chickens and have about 28 chickens but in the last month about every 10 days we find a dead chicken. They are 5 months old now and they look very healthy. When we find a dead chicken we check it out and have not found anything wrong with them. I was in the pen one day and one of them seemed to be gasping for air I had never seen them do this before and then it died. What could be wrong with them? Please help

Okay, you did start a new thread. I know some wise person can help you here. Good luck Pammy!

ooops i didn't see u opened a thread so will re answer u hear so u see it faster. without more info i can't narrow it down but sounds like it could be a mink and preditor probs which i doubt cuz i see now u wrote gasping. or a severe respitory infection or possible poisoning even mabe. is there any probs with their eyes, sinuses anything look abnormal to u at all?? what breed r they? do u free range or r they cooped?? what is their food and beddings?? i'm thinking......

We have Rd. Island Red. They are cooped but are in a very large area so they have plenty of room to roam. There bedding is straw, and are fed lay pelletts with cracked corn amd oats as a treat. We have checked there eyes and sinus cavities , every part of there body and can not find anything on the outside of there bodies that looks abnormal. This is our first try with chickens should be be giving them any vitamins are any supplements. We have raised them from Chicks and they are 5 months old now. As a matter of fact they started crowing this morning for the first time. Music to my ears. Now if I could just get a egg.

The gasping thing makes me worry about some sort of respiratory thing going through the coop or something that they are getting into that is poisoning them. That being said, I'm new to chickens as of July and am by no means an expert.

If it is a disease of some sort you might be able to help them out by starting some ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) in their water, 1 TBS to 1 gallon water. This helps to raise the acidity in the body and makes the body less inhabitable by germs.

You could also give them garlic in their treats - cottage cheese or rice worked great for me. This also helps with the immune system.

There are definitely vitamins and supplements out there, but if you haven't done it yet, I'm guessing you were wanting them natural? Since you don't know what you're fighting you can't be sure what to give them.

I'm really sorry for your losses. I hope that you find something that tips you off as to what you are up against.

Thanks for the advice I will start with this today. Right now I will take all I get. And yes I really wanted natural. My son is going to be selling these eggs and we wanted to be able to advertise all natural. This is funny -When they were babies I would go out and when I got close to the pen I would start singing Jesus Loves Me to get them use to my voice now when I go out and start singing they come running. My son said not only can we advertise all natural we can say they are Christian Chickens also. It's a joke now.

lol that is funny, christian chickens. I got about 30 new chickens last night and they even come a running when I am outside.

That is a riot. I use to sing to my first batch. The song Daisy Daisy...Well Daisy turned out to be a roo but he still comes when I call him like that! :( One confussed roo! His name is Duke now.

Harry, Harry, here is my answer true
I'll not marry over the likes of you...
I don't need a stylish marriage
You can't afford a carriage...
And I'll be da*ned if I'll be crammed
On a bicycle built for two....

LOL!

LOL, you all crack me up. Today we are picking up a new sheep from a farm where they have a website that is completely religious and full of bible verses and stuff and I said to Kelly, since he's going to pick her up, don't tell them that their sheep is going to a Pagan household, they might want a refund! Hee hee!

CLaire the dictionary says the meaning of Pagan is Heathen i don't think you are saying thats what you believe is it?

LOL LOL

I have my silkies running to me when I say toooot tooot toooot... where's my tooot tooots? LOL

From Wikipedia...

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Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller, rustic") is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world. It is a term which, from a Western perspective, has modern connotations of spiritualist, animist or shamanic practices or beliefs of any folk religion contemporary. It has also been used as an equivalent term for polytheistic religions.

The term has been defined broadly, to encompass the faith traditions outside the Abrahamic monotheistic group of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The group so defined includes many of the Eastern religions, Native American religions and mythologies, as well as non-Abrahamic ethnic religions in general. More narrow definitions will not include any of the world religions and restrict the term to local or rural currents not organized as civil religions. Characteristic of pagan traditions is the absence of proselytism and the presence of a living mythology which explains religious practice.
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Using the broad definition, I certainly do not fall into the monotheistic groups of Judaism, Christianity or Islam. I do not belong to any organized religion. But I do believe in the spirits of the earth, which I cannot define really, except to say that I think there are mystical powers in the earth, the water, the trees, the natural world as a whole. So I guess I call that a form of paganism. If one of our chickens dies, we bury it in summer or cremate it in winter, and I always add a sprig of lavender under their wing and say a prayer to Mother Earth to take its soul to peace, and I envision her beams of white light coming to surround it on its journey.

But I don't think the animals judge us on our beliefs - as long as they are well loved and cared for, they are happy. If only people could be more like animals, maybe there would be less wars in the world.

Pammy - I keep studying my Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow and I cannot find anything that fits the symptoms. There are certain diseases in young birds that can cause gasping for breath, but this is usually accompanied by other things like wheezing, rattling, wet eyes, nasal discharge, etc. Newcastle disease has only wheezing, gasping, coughing, chirping and sometimes nervous disorders. I wonder if that's a possibility? Goodness, I wish we could figure this out for you!

Oh Claire Your Description of how you believe in the mystical powers in the earth, water and trees.
Then how you bury your chickens with a sprig of lavender and pray mother earth for peace for their souls. That touched me and it was JUST BEAUTIFUL (gave me chills) :).....

I love it to. The older I get the more I believe the Native American way of some of my ancestors. the great spirit is in every one and ever thing.

Amen Claire!

Thanks Harmony - I'm glad you can see the simple beauty in what I do with my chickens who have died. I can't just throw them in the trash or whatever. I feel they have brought much to my life, so I owe them something in return.

Wren & ZZ - glad to hear we are on the same page too! I guess overall I can say that while I am not religious, I am spiritual.

That is sweet Claire. When I had to bury 5 of mine.. I laid them in the same way they snuggle.

Oh gosh.. I've got to shut up.. gettin tears

Have you noticed the chickens sneezing? There is a bacterial infection that they get that can move into their airsacks. I add antibiotics to their water for about a week. That is the only way that I have been able to stop it. One year I lost a bunch, but I don't know if it is the samething.

Claire that was so touching because when i have to put down a chicken or one die's i ask that God and Mother earth take their soul to be at peace. I once did this when a deer had got hit by a car in front of my house. Her legs were badly broken as she lay in the tall weeds. i called 911 and they sent out a ploice officer and he said it's best if we let her go. I stood as he shot her and walk away i did not but nelt by her side to watch her breath on this bitter cold morning. I said God one of your lovely creatures is dieing and is comeing to be with you welcome her home. i rubbed her head and prayed until i could no longer see her breath. "I believe there for it is so"

Well according to the Bible, which apparently many here don't believe in, paganism is worshipping other false gods, and is sin. Since you all brought it up, I thought it was justifiable to state what I know to be true. We can agree to disagree.

I think it's wonderful that Pammyletius has Christian Chickens.

Now, I wish we could figure out what is wrong with them. Sounds like 3 have died so far.

I found this site http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/ps/ps04400.pdf and this one http://www.ansci.umn.edu/poultry/resources/diseases.htm but I haven't read them.

It does sound like some kind of disease, and the ACV is definitely worth a shot I'd say.

Excuses me I did not say I did not believe in god, I have read 3 versions of the bible from front to back and even they do not agree(the oldest one would curl your hair). It is what you do in God name that matters not what you call your God. I respect everyone's believe.

This message was edited Nov 26, 2008 8:14 AM

It is good that we can all share an interest in chickens and helping them get better even though we have different religious and spiritual beliefs. Anyone who loves and cares for their chickens and their family and the world around them can't be considered sinful in my world, so I prefer not to judge.

Pammy - how are your chicks doing now? Is it worth picking up some of them and holding them up to your ear (even if they are loud!) and listening carefully for any rattling or wheezing noises in their breathing? I wonder if they are just small and quiet and you are not hearing some of the other respiratory symptoms? I can hear it when a big hen is wheezing, but I'm not sure if I could hear it from a young bird unless I had them closer to my ear.

Pammy,
sounds like broncitis to me. I should know. I lost 19 of my flock to it this past summer. It's just touch and go. I try to go all natural too, but sometimes, you just have to medicate. you can't sell the eggs for a couple weeks after, but it saves lives. I used sulmet, scrub everything with lots of disenfectant and isolate sick ones. Wipe the sick ones faces with a mild soapy warm water and clean out their noses. put vitamins and vinegar and molasis in their water. give them anything they will eat. fresh veggies, fruits etc. it takes about a month to completely go thru the flock. good luck and I will pray for you and your flock. I believe in Jehovah as my God too. I was a wicken for years, but God reveiled the truth to me.

OH My Goodness I apoligize for opening this subject. I was just wanting Claire to clarify her definition of Pagan. I know Claire as a Loveing, Careing, Selfless, Very Intelligent and Wonderful Woman. I would never want anyone to have a negative view of my Dear Friend.
Light we all have our views on our spiritualness and i for one respect all as I Judge Not less I be Judge.

Grow Honey would you please not insert funny songs into the Sickness/Injury/Death/ Threads i "Love" your wit and humor. But we need to be staying on the subject at hand and be giveing the best Information and Advice we can. So these Emotionaly Draining and sometimes Devastating things can be Solved. Then they can one day help someone with the same problem with the information they learned here. {{{{Hug}}}}


That all Being said I'm Off to bake Pie's Everybody have a Great Thanksgiveing see ya Later ^_^

Hey everyone, it's ok to have your own views. God reviels himself/herself to each of us differently. We are still in America and it's ok to be different! I thank God that we can still express our views openly without persacution,(well, that is changing)! Sing your songs, lift your voices! It's still the LAND OF THE FREE!

OK back to the subject at hand-Chickens. I lost another one yesterday so I am going to put them on Med. Will let you know how it goes, thanks everyone for the help at least I know more than when I started.

Pammy... I was reading somewhere that the old timers used to Whistle when walking up to a flock, (in this case it was to purchase) so the loud whistle would make them quiet and you could hear any sneezing or coughing. Just a tip I thought was priceless information! Although you are not purchasing... might be a good practice for anyone with their own flock.
I do hope you can get a handle on this.
I have 2 Ameracaunas with a weeping eye.. I freaked.. I can't imagine what you are going through. Best of luck to you.

Oh no, not another one! That's awful. I really feel bad for you. I hope the meds will clear it up. I have some with sniffles right now and I'm going to give them terramycin but of course I need to separate them and also ensure that we don't collect any eggs they might lay for at least 30 days. Groan.

ZZ - for the weeping eye, try the terramycin ophthalmic ointment.
Claire

Pammyletius,
I'm really sorry to hear you lost another one. Is it possible that you can take one to the vet to have them tested to see what's going on?

Hang in there.

Kristin

Oh Pammy, I am so sorry for your loss. I am with Kristin. If it is possible to take one in you could avoid further heartache. I am just sick to my stomache for your situation. I cant imagine. I wish I knew more to help but just know I am thinking of you. Take care.

I have 15 plus years experience with chickens and it is really best not to seperate them but to treat them all. Even the ones that are asymptomatic are probably contagous (carriers). I have had this happen on and off through the years. One time I brought some healthy looking adult chickens in to my established flock. They were carriers and I lost some of mine before I realized what was going on. Live and Learn
Lisa

Pammy I don't post here as frequently as i use too but was observeing and wanted to comment.

If it's internal it sounds like Air Sac infection to me that is why you only get the heavy breathing.
I know just like me you prefer to keep things natural but in this case you need the antibiotics. This won't get better on it's own and could lead to all of them dying.
As 1lisac said it serves no purpose to isolate them if they were all kept together as they have all been exposed.
They should begin to improve with the antibiotics and if you treat them for 7 days this should clear this up. Good luck hope your chickens get better all these nice ladys above are here for you.

Thanks everyone for your help, don't know what I would have done without you.
OK I started them on teramyacin Monday my question now is how soon after they quit with the med. (14 days right) can we use the eggs?

I have read different sources that range from 4 to 30 days. I would go with the longer range personally. If you are selling eggs, I would definitely go with the longer range because you never know if any of your buyers have antibiotic allergies or sensitivities. You can't be too careful with the public health!!

If you do a google on "terramycin withdrawal eggs" you will find a raft of information with varying times for withdrawal. I always err on the longer side but for your own personal use of the eggs, of course it is up to you.

I hope you will see an improvement and no more sudden deaths!
Claire

hi this is my first time on this i have been losing young c hics for about 3 weeks now they stager around like they are drunk then the next day dead no sneeking a little loss of appertite i have had them on meds for 4days but i am worried i have never had any problem before help

flagpole, what are you treating them with? Do you know how to start a new thread?
If you can I think we should do it. That way everyone will see it and can respond quicker. It sounds serious. Okay? I have never experienced this so I wont be much help. I do hope we can figure this out so you dont loose anymore though! I cant imagine how you feel.

Flagpole could you please start a new thread on the forum so all here will be able to answer your question and help you. Thanks