Help! Losing hens

[TheHenDen]

Hi. I have a flock of 10 chickens. Some are close to 4 yrs old. I lost a hen a few months ago and we still don’t know the reason. She had a pasty dirty bottom, walked sort of bow legged, seemed lethargic. Was drinking and eating fine. I treated her for vent gleet, cleaned her bottom, etc. she wasn’t egg bound. This went on for a good month.
She seemed to get better and then went downhill. Before she passed she started acting like she was opening her beak wide and stretching her neck. We thought maybe her crop was full or clogged. My husband went to help her by massaging her crop area. She literally started gasping, went in circles and then just died.
Now fast forward months later and I have two hens that are now acting the same way! No mouth opening or stretching their necks, bit dirty bottoms, walking weird and sitting alot, and acting lethargic. One is eating, the other has no interest. Also no egg laying. ANY ideas?! I will add there is no eye or nose discharge or respiratory signs. Can it be internal or external parasites? We looked at their feathers and not seeing anything and we haven't seen any physical signs of worms. But I will look again.

 

[Tookie]

Sorry for your loss, and your two current sick hens.

To me, all three sound like it could be reproduction issues.
Do you mind getting pictures of them? What breeds are they?
Do they have any bloating of the abdomen? (The abdomen is located underneath the vent in between the legs.)

 

[TheHenDen]

Sorry for your loss, and your two current sick hens.

To me, all three sound like it could be reproduction issues.
Do you mind getting pictures of them? What breeds are they?
Do they have any bloating of the abdomen? (The abdomen is located underneath the vent in between the legs.)

Thank you for responding. I will get pics. The first hen who died was a golden Wyandotte. These two who are currently sick are an ISA brown and a Black Sex Link both from the same breeder. The Wyandotte was from another place. I’m not seeing any bloating that I can see. I will inspect more.

 

[Tookie]

Thank you for responding. I will get pics. The first hen who died was a golden Wyandotte. These two who are currently sick are an ISA brown and a Black Sex Link both from the same breeder. The Wyandotte was from another place. I’m not seeing any bloating that I can see. I will inspect more.

Breeds like your two sick hens are notorious for getting illnesses, due to high production of eggs. Reproduction issues are common in breeds like those.
They could have something like that, cancer, or organ issues. Hard to know for sure what could be going on.

What's their diet? Do you know when their last egg was?

 

[TheHenDen]

Breeds like your two sick hens are notorious for getting illnesses, due to high production of eggs. Reproduction issues are common in breeds like those.
They could have something like that, cancer, or organ issues. Hard to know for sure what could be going on.

What's their diet? Do you know when their last egg was?

I buy a local feed from a local feed store/grain mill. Its 18% layer feed. They also have access to crushed oyster. For treats they get mealworms. Last egg laying was over a week ago

 

[Tookie]

I buy a local feed from a local feed store/grain mill. Its 18% layer feed. They also have access to crushed oyster. For treats they get mealworms.

Okay! Sounds good.
Make sure to not give too too many mealworms though.

Last egg laying was over a week ago

In that case, they may have worms. Have you ever wormed your flock?

 

[TheHenDen]

Okay! Sounds good.
Make sure to not give too too many mealworms though.

In that case, they may have worms. Have you ever wormed your flock?

I hate to say but I havent. I havent see any physical worms, tho I know that doesn’t always mean anything. What is the best wormer you can suggest

 

[Tookie]

I hate to say but I havent. I havent se3e any physical worms, tho I know that doesn’t always mean anything. What is the best wormer you can suggest

I suggest using Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer.
I believe the dosage for that is 0.23ml per lb of body weight given orally 5 days in a row. I'd like @Wyorp Rock , @Eggcessive , or @azygous to confirm that though.
Dosage does depend on the type of worms, the dosage I gave you should treat most worms I believe.

 

[TheHenDen]

I suggest using Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer.
I believe the dosage for that is 0.23ml per lb of body weight given orally 5 days in a row. I'd like @Wyorp Rock , @Eggcessive , or @azygous to confirm that though.
Dosage does depend on the type of worms, the dosage I gave you should treat most worms I believe.

Thank you. I will treat them. Can mites or lice cause any of these issues?

 

[Tookie]

Thank you. I will treat them. Can mites or lice cause any of these issues?

They could, but if you don't see any I don't think that's the case.