Hello, I have 7 layers about a year old. On Sunday, I noticed 2 huddled together in the yard and when I picked them up, and they didn't try to run away, I knew something was up. My Barred Rock had yellow runny poo stuck all over her tail feathers and I also noticed her comb dropping, so I started researching it
And began oxy-tetracycline in case she had a bacterial infection. The Wyandotte also seemed under the weather, so I quarantined both of them. They were both eating and drinking a little. Just laying around, not perching or really interested in anything. The Barred Rock seemed very distressed and breathing hard, so I found a thread that said where Epsom salt baths were like a "Spa Treatment" for chickens. So I gave her an Epsom salt soak, fed her some Epsom salt water (1 tspn to a cup of water - I gave her a few syringe fills) - this is supposed to release toxins and I also fed her some olive oil, to help loosen any thing that might be impacted. She relaxed immediately after the Epsom salt bath (plus it got all the poo off her butt). The Wyandotte wasn't distressed and she seemed. Later, I found this in my sink drain.
Is it possibly her shedding her intestinal lining? Do you think she has worms? Should I treat for worms?
Sadly, I found the Wyandotte dead in the cage this morning. The Barred Rock is about the same, I bathed her again, she's eating a little and drinking a little. She's still lethargic, her comb is dropping, she's not interested in much. The other 5 in the flock are great - the poos are all normal, the behavior is normal, etc.
The only thing I can think that I have done differently with them, is recently I was concerned they weren't getting enough protein and in the course of a few days last week, I gave them some grocery store canned cat food, which I have since heard I should not have done. That the cheap brands of cat food have a lot of ingredients that could have been sensitive to the chickens.
Also, I made sure she had some antibiotic in her this morning, I put plain water in her cage, I plan to wait for 2 hours to give her some probiotics - then wait again 2 hours to give her back her antibiotics. Is that a good idea?
Any ideas? Thanks so much in advance.
And began oxy-tetracycline in case she had a bacterial infection. The Wyandotte also seemed under the weather, so I quarantined both of them. They were both eating and drinking a little. Just laying around, not perching or really interested in anything. The Barred Rock seemed very distressed and breathing hard, so I found a thread that said where Epsom salt baths were like a "Spa Treatment" for chickens. So I gave her an Epsom salt soak, fed her some Epsom salt water (1 tspn to a cup of water - I gave her a few syringe fills) - this is supposed to release toxins and I also fed her some olive oil, to help loosen any thing that might be impacted. She relaxed immediately after the Epsom salt bath (plus it got all the poo off her butt). The Wyandotte wasn't distressed and she seemed. Later, I found this in my sink drain.
Sadly, I found the Wyandotte dead in the cage this morning. The Barred Rock is about the same, I bathed her again, she's eating a little and drinking a little. She's still lethargic, her comb is dropping, she's not interested in much. The other 5 in the flock are great - the poos are all normal, the behavior is normal, etc.
The only thing I can think that I have done differently with them, is recently I was concerned they weren't getting enough protein and in the course of a few days last week, I gave them some grocery store canned cat food, which I have since heard I should not have done. That the cheap brands of cat food have a lot of ingredients that could have been sensitive to the chickens.
Also, I made sure she had some antibiotic in her this morning, I put plain water in her cage, I plan to wait for 2 hours to give her some probiotics - then wait again 2 hours to give her back her antibiotics. Is that a good idea?
Any ideas? Thanks so much in advance.
