Dead 7 month old production red.

[EasternShore]

I just walked out to my coop to find one of my new reds dead on top of the laying bins. No sign of trama, clean area, good water and feed. I have 35 others of mixed breeds( Rocks, bannies, longhorns), none appear sick. 2 of my banny hens are seperated due to a mean rooster coming of age and being a bully. They were losing weight and wheezeing a bit. IDEA'S????

1 other note: I have a wild turkey (Hen) which has been in a seperate, but ajoining pen seperated by chicken wire. The rooster with her is fine...in love I think.
I'm new to this chicken thing..my lady is baffled...she's the chicken expert.

[Jerrymac]

What was going on earlier in the day? Or is this the first you've seen them today?

[Robo]

I can't offer any advice, but I can say that every once in a while I will find one of my otherwise healthy birds dead for no apparent reason.  Only thing I can figure is they got into a poisonous plant or choked :?

I know the crows around here are dying from west nile,  but I would think it would hit more than one bird in my flock at a time and they would appear sick prior to dying if it was that.

[Shawn]

What about the possibility that the bird was spooked, flew up it something, and broke its neck? Ive seen this a lot helping raising quail, pheasants, and chuckars.

[BRIANCJ]

The weight loss and sudden death aren't uncommon to Infectious Coryza.If the bird's are wheezing,I'd suspect it.Check the bird's for eyes shut,nasal discharge,gasping and lethargy.,like they won't pick up their head,neck seem's weak.It may not affect all of your bird's,some are carrier's,some it will kill.It's treatable,you can find the treatment at places like Tractor Supply (some kind of 'cyllin,can't remember right now).It's common here on Delmarva.

[Brian D. Bray]

Sounds like they might have contacted one of several different poultry diseases ie parathyroid, bird flu, chickenpox, and the list goes on.  Some are treatable but not cureable (couriers) while others are cureable. 
Some things to check for besides the wheezing, green or yellow runny stool, rapidly blinking eyes (thirst indicator), loss of scales on legs, unseasonable moult, discolored combs.

I would feed Sulmet (Sulvet?), available at most Farm Supply Stores, at the rate of about 1/2 cup to 3 gallons of water.  Sulmet is a good all purpose antibiotic for poultry and other livestock.  I use in for all my livestock, Goats, Sheep, Chickens, Turkeys, Pigeons, and Rabbits.

[EasternShore]

thanks folks...only one bird so far has passed. No others are showing any signs except a late molt. They all started late this year. Terramicin or Sulmet Brian? Does it matter?

Does the turkey need to be removed off site? Like my stomach?

[HomeBru]

With the banty's acting funny, I'd go with the antibiotic to the whole flock, just in case. We have birds drop dead for no apparent reason every now and then, but it's always been just one and everyone else looks normal, so we've just chalk it up to natural causes. Never had a problem with disease. (Knock on wood!)

The "worst" was when our Polish rooster was found dead in the middle of the yard. No clue as to what caused it but he was the family bird so it was not a happy day. (We wondered why it couldn't have been the mean one!)

J-

[Brian D. Bray]

I've had birds drop dead in the yard, fine one minute, dead the next with no apparent cause.  Have had pigeons drop dead while it flight, they just fold up and drop like a rock, no outward signs of any health problem.
One here and there is nothing to get excited about but when you have several at a time chances are there is something going on.

[EasternShore]

only one...watching them all now...

[BRIANCJ]

Terramicin is what I would suggest.They will recover after a week of dosing.Just add to the water and change it out every day as the Terramicin deteriorates quickly.

[EasternShore]

ok..next issue.
Do I need to toss their eggs during treatment? We do not sell them.

[HomeBru]

ok..next issue.
Do I need to toss their eggs during treatment? We do not sell them.

I've always read not to eat eggs of birds receiving antibiotics but I can't seem to find the info now, my Google-Fu is lacking today.

J-

[BRIANCJ]

I would toss 'em.Anytime the critter's are being dosed,i don't eat them or the egg's for a week or so after the dosing cycle end's.

[EasternShore]

Cool...thanks

[Cindi]

BrianCJ is correct.  It is the hardest thing to do throwing away so many eggs each day, but it is a necessary part of the process.  Sad to say.  Have a wonderful life, day, great health.  Cindi

[EasternShore]

No worries....