Have lost 5 laying hens in 2 days

[n8ivetxn]

I figured it was a wild bird problem. I have a Salmon Faverolles hen, I bought her 6 wks ago, not laying. She has been in a funk since I bought her. I started looking for a vet in the area - wow, it is really difficult to find avian vets.... I haven't taken her. She's getting along ok, just doesn't lay and looks "fruffy." I love her unusual markings, not like a SF....

I'm sorry you're losing your birds. Hopefully the Tetra. will do the trick. Chickens are tricky when they get sick, it happens so fast.....

 

[leadwolf1]

Find another state run lab...the most I've heard charged is $45

 

[Fancypants4569]

So as of Thursday the hens have been on Tetra and Ive not lost any more of them. They seem to be all perky and fluffy butts agian. But have to share something with you all. Remember hen #5 ? I thought she was dead but she wasnt. Went out to take care of the body and as I walked up, there was an egg next to her. She still looked dead to me so I stood there looking for any signs of life and there was the slightest twitch. I sayed out loud "Your still alive!" and she tryed to stand up. I figured if she'd held on that long I was going to try to save her so I started syringing water with the meds down her. I also took pics of her severe condition.
She couldnt keep her head up unless I put it in the position.






She would try to get up and move around but the second her head would start to go down she couldnt get it back up and she would lay back down with her head in this position and thats how she would stay unless I pulled her head back out from under her and into an upright position. I have been medicating her for 4 days now and she can hold her head up on her own, keeps wings tucked up and walk around a little before she has to take a rest. Have had a hard time getting her to eat anything on her own so I will continue giving cooked runny grits with a lil honey in it with a syringe. So far she's hangin in there...

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Oh my goodness!! How long had she been laying there? Super hen!

 

[Fancypants4569]

Since the previous evening SilkiesForEver. I waited till the kids got on the bus and went to go take care of her. The other hens showed they werent feeling well and by the next morning they were dead. I know they were dead because I removed them from the coop. We moved all the chickens out of the coop after that into a different area because we didnt know what was killing them and this hen I quarentinded away from the hens that still looked healthy. She looked dead and I didnt mess with her much after that...yes I feel horrible, but I really did think she was dead. Even when I hovered over her there was no sign of life...As of this morning she is still with us and Im about ready to go out and force feed her and get some liquids down her.

 

[kronker]

I just read this thread, and it sounds eriely? similar to what has happened to my hens yesterday. All fine one minuet and dead the next seemingly. I too have one that seems to be hanging on, I thought we might loose her last night but she was up and out of the coop this morning. She does not want to do much though.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Try some scrambled egg and some yogurt. Make sure she gets lots of water.

 

[BunnyMomma]

Hi, I am so very sorry. It is so hard to lose chickens or other pets and not know why they are dying. I am often researching information about chickens and I came across this article about Equine Encephalitis. The symptoms look like EE. There is really no way to know without a necropsy. Contact your state vet through the Agriculture Dept. and see what they might be able to do as far as a necropsy. Even if it costs 100.00 it would be worth knowing to keep your future flocks healthy. It would be better to invest in that information, than to loose money through a repeat episode of something so depressing. Here is the link I found to University of Florida IFAS Extention. There is a list of the most common poultry diseases with symptoms and treatments. There are a couple of informative tables at the bottom of the page that have symptoms marked for the various diseases. If it were me, I would definitely contact the State Vet ASAP to find out what you are dealing with.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
I will be keeping you in my prayers, and I hope everything turns out better for you and your pretty hens.
Bunny

 

[chickenbusiness]

What was decided about your chickens?