my chooks are carking it... why?

[chooky]

Over the last couple of months I've had 4 chooks die mysteriously... they look fine one day and then are dead the next.

Everything was fine until I got 3 chooks given to me by my sister... she originally had six but two had died - she said by a snake bite so i didn't think anything of it.

well a couple of weeks after they were home in my chook pen one of them died - no warning - just frozen solid dead without a feather out of place and then a few days later - another one (of the ones I got from my sister) carked it.

Then about 6 weeks later one more was dead and another had the shakes and couldn't move... and was dead the next day. not a feather was out of place - they just seem to get paralysed and have the shakes and die. They don't appear to be sickly before hand (although I"m running after an 18 month old so I'm not paying that much attention)

the last chook that died wasn't one of my sisters

My sister also said another of her chooks had died from a 'snake bite'

does anyone have any idea whats going on?

I thought if it was a disease that it would wipe them all out pretty quick right??

[emd]

It certainly sounds more like a disease than a snake bite. Have you tried phoning a local vet to ask if there's something going around local chooks? It may have a long incubation period and that's why it's taking a while to affect them. Have you checked for the usual mites or lice or parasites? Wormed them? How many chooks do you have left? It would be worthwhile separating out any chooks that show signs of being unwell so the rest hopefully don't catch it.

[chooky]

I've been meaning to ring a vet but just haven't got round to it --- slack I know! I can't see any parasites on them but have been wondering if its worms or something. I wormed our chooks before the new arrivals came but I doubt my sisters chooks were ever wormed... don't even know what the symptoms would be if it was worms.

We have 3 left and I'm watching them closely. I think I need to ring the vet

[Bron]

ask on byp - there's a checklist to fill out when you post a thread. they're really good at offering possibilities, and there are loads of links to all sorts of conditions as well.