# Chickens Just Dying!



## SarJMacc (Jun 24, 2015)

Growing up we had chickens and never had an issue with them. We liked Black sex links so we just kept buying those. 

Fast forward to my late high school years and we had moved properties and decided to get chicks again. We got a mix of breeds. They all grew nicely and when it was warm enough for them they were slowly hardened to the outside. One by one they just died. No signs of sickness but I would come out the next morning and we'd just have dead bird. No predators were getting in. Just whole, dead birds. 

We thought it may have to do something with the breed intermixing. Once all of the 20-some birds died - we waited a while and the next year got sex links again. Same. Exact. Thing. They were healthy until we put them in the run. 

I left for college, graduated and moved back home for the summer. My mom loved having chickens so I surprised her with 12 week old chicks for Mothers Day. We kept them on in a wire, lifted cage for about a week to make sure they wouldn't die on us. Everything was fine so we moved them back into the run. Two weeks later, all but one bird has died. She is still alive to this day. 

After our first couple died I spend hours at the coop. Cleaning, watching, etc. I noticed that the afternoon before a bird died it would just hunch over and stand there all puffed up. All day. Head tucked. The next morning they would be dead. 

It makes me think there is something in the soil. Something they are picking up because we're in no way neglecting them as far as food and water go. I am so sick of losing birds and not knowing why. 

The run is a 10'x10' dog kennel with a little plastic storage shed attached. We have a lot of pine trees around - could it be the pine straw?

I am just at a loss at this point. We have one chicken left and she is perfectly healthy. I just don't understand.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Look at the chicken really closely. Look for a little scab, it won't look like it's anything bad. What happens is a rat will bite the chicken and then it will come back night after night and lick the scab off and get a drink of blood. The roosting chicken doesn't even know what's happening.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Try treating for cocci and deworming them. Use barn lime heavily on the run soil.


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

NyGoatMom said:


> Try treating for cocci and deworming them. Use barn lime heavily on the run soil.


I agree, sounds like you have something in the soil. Lime will help that.


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## grindylo (May 15, 2014)

Didn't know barn lime could be used in a chicken run! Cool! I've never looked it up before though. Just thought it wouldn't be great for them to peck at.

I don't think pine trees would be an issue but I've heard that pine shaving bedding is bad for chickens' respiratory systems.

I'm going to have to look up vampire rats now. That sounds really weird. Would they be causing anemia or transmitting disease or both?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

That is so disappointing  I'm sorry for your losses.

Since it is a plastic storage shed and dog kennel, I would move it to another part of the property. 

Barn lime is probably a good idea too.

But the very best solution would be to have a necropsy done! That is the only way you will know what happened. If this last hen happens to die... The necropsy will certainly be worth the cost after buying and losing so many chickens!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I would think Cocci as well...After raising chickens for years we too began tot experience large number of deaths...one by one..cocci was the issue....We used Corid in the water...most recently out goose was getting weak, holding her you could feel her chest bone...loss of muscle is a sign of Cocci...I drenched her with corid solution for 5 days and she is doing great now...moving the location of you run would help as well....we are moving the whole flock to an area that has not been lived on by any birds..we hope we have got a head of this...

Best wishes


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