My birds are dropping dead :(

My birds were fine except for a couple until we finished our run. Since they have been outside I have lost 8 birds in the last few days! Just 4 last night and another is going down hill really fast.
They appear to get weak, then they just lay down and of course get picked on and attacked by the others.
I have my turkeys with them but they have been together for a while.
I'm sad, once again.
Any ideas?

and....we are moving so I am selling my turkeys so if it is them killing the chickens maybe it'll come to an end.

Could the chickens have caught the staph from the rabbits? Maybe the bigger birds aren't letting the smaller ones eat?



I have two royal palm toms and one hen. They are 2-3 months old. What would I ask for those?

Thanks once again to all you wonderful people! One day I will be able to help someone else out!

My immediate thought - whatever you used to build your outdoor run, could there be some kind of chemical that your chickens are coming into contact with? Preservatives on the wood? Paint?

Not really. New spruce, and stucco wire.

Okay. Then is there something different that is around the chickens that could make them ill?

My thought is you have had your turkeys and chickens together before letting them into the new run and there wasn't any problem, then you need to look at what recent is new that has been exposed to all birds involved?

If you can't think of anything, then I would say have you felt the crops of your chickens to se if they are eating? If the crops feel empty, maybe try seperating the turkeys from chickens for a day or two to see if you still have losses.

I'll try to separate them but I can only do so much without my hubby's help. Some crops are full, others not.
There is nothing at all that I can think of. Would dry kill hurt them? I was told that's fine. Only one or two had a pasty bum. The others that are dying are perfectly clean.

Hi Cickadee sent you a PM

Do they die if they are too hot?

Yes they can, they can get heat stroke! Be sure they have some shade, lots of cold water, I also give my chickens a tub of water they can get in. I have a couple hens who will actually sit in the water on these hot days

Cocci is my first thought. You can house turkeys with chickens and its fine, until one of them or both catches Cocci. Not a big deal, easily treated.

Id treat them asap, it is something that should be treated for regularly regardless.

Sulfa Methaszine (Spelling?) 25% ... You can buy it at any feed store, it is used on all animals.

Still dying Pretty soon here I'll have an empty coop Wish I was more experienced. Don't quite know what to do.

chickadee wrote:Still dying Pretty soon here I'll have an empty coop Wish I was more experienced. Don't quite know what to do.

Have you treated for cocci? If it is cocci, you should see blood in some of their stool.

I was wondering about that and Ty mentioned cocci too. I finally made it to town and they are all getting treated for it as soon as my friend comes over to help me. She is more experienced. The poops are orange, sometimes red. See, that's how inexperienced I am. I knew it was not normal but I wasn't thinking blood. I have chicks in another area too and sometimes there is straight blood on the floor but not always. I'll treat them too. I even have a litter of puppies right now that I'm paranoid with. These diseases passing through here are unbelievable :/
The rabbits ended up having staph and pasturella!!! I'll never know where that came from.

It does sound like cocci to me with the red in the poop. It can hit young birds hard but is very treatable. I learned about it the hard way three years ago so now I keep the meds in the house and medicate immediately if I see any hint of blood in the poop. Once I let young chickens outside, I keep an eye on the poop. Good luck.

I talked to to the poultry lab in Airdrie and she says could be Merecks or necrotic enteritis. I'm sending frozen birds down next Monday. I have got to get this figured out.

I am wondering why the lab says Mareks? What are their other symptoms besides the orange sometimes red poops?

Well, they seem fine at first. Then within a few hours they are sitting, then laying, then laying on their sides. Then dead. Thats it.
The silve laced girls I got from you are still with me. How old are they?

Did you buy my SLW at Wetaskiwin?

Yes

I am having the same issues, but only with my Houdans. I am interested with your results.

Oh no Sue, I'm sorry. I will definitely post the results.

How very strange but wonderful. I have not had a dead bird in 3 days! I'm so happy. They are all on sulfa for now just to be safe.