is there disease (spreading) that causes droop droopy butt chicken hunched curled under PLEASE TAKE

[newbiechickenowner]

please please please take the time to read....I really need to know if I am dealing with some type of disease or a huge coincidence. I am hoping this is a coincidence, but, finding it hard to believe....I have had chickens for years and never seen this and now it has happened to two chickens in about 6 weeks. So, a leghorn with no other problems and seemingly healthy was found with her butt curled under, hunched down, drooped, tail curled under and no other symptoms. She didn't want to get around much the first day, but, after a few days, got around a lot better. There was nothing else, clean vent, eating, drinking, defecating. The only other thing in the whole flock that we had noticed (mixed breed flock, mixed ages, from 3 months to 4 years about 45 total birds, was that a few weeks before, one of the buffs had "chicken butt". I tried my best to treat it as folks said, with antibiotic cream and cleaning and Monistat (yeast infection as it smelled to high heaven and was black, black). I did this for weeks and it only got slightly better and finally had to cull her with this leghorn. The leghorn got around for weeks, but, eventually seemed like it was not happy and I didn't want it to spread if it were something, although I couldn't imagine what it was other than an injury. Also, the leghorn started to have a yucky backside, but, I couldn't tell if it was just because she was hunched over and so it was messy.

So.....skip forward a few weeks with all healthy chickens and my son found a 4 month old red this morning, sitting down and when he tried to shoo her, she stood with the SAME posture, drooped butt underneath and tucked, and she moved herself out and sat down. I checked her too. Vent was clean and the rest of her looks fantastic. She did have some poo down her feathers, but, nothing I wouldn't expect from one poo in that awkward position. Anyone have ANYTHING????? I would greatly appreciate it??????? Thank you for your time.

Right now, she is getting around by pushing herself or short bursts, but, I checked her again and everything else about her seems so FINe

 

[ten chicks]

please please please take the time to read....I really need to know if I am dealing with some type of disease or a huge coincidence. I am hoping this is a coincidence, but, finding it hard to believe....I have had chickens for years and never seen this and now it has happened to two chickens in about 6 weeks. So, a leghorn with no other problems and seemingly healthy was found with her butt curled under, hunched down, drooped, tail curled under and no other symptoms. She didn't want to get around much the first day, but, after a few days, got around a lot better. There was nothing else, clean vent, eating, drinking, defecating. The only other thing in the whole flock that we had noticed (mixed breed flock, mixed ages, from 3 months to 4 years about 45 total birds, was that a few weeks before, one of the buffs had "chicken butt". I tried my best to treat it as folks said, with antibiotic cream and cleaning and Monistat (yeast infection as it smelled to high heaven and was black, black). I did this for weeks and it only got slightly better and finally had to cull her with this leghorn. The leghorn got around for weeks, but, eventually seemed like it was not happy and I didn't want it to spread if it were something, although I couldn't imagine what it was other than an injury. Also, the leghorn started to have a yucky backside, but, I couldn't tell if it was just because she was hunched over and so it was messy.

So.....skip forward a few weeks with all healthy chickens and my son found a 4 month old red this morning, sitting down and when he tried to shoo her, she stood with the SAME posture, drooped butt underneath and tucked, and she moved herself out and sat down. I checked her too. Vent was clean and the rest of her looks fantastic. She did have some poo down her feathers, but, nothing I wouldn't expect from one poo in that awkward position. Anyone have ANYTHING????? I would greatly appreciate it??????? Thank you for your time.

Right now, she is getting around by pushing herself or short bursts, but, I checked her again and everything else about her seems so FINe

Could be several issues. Have you looked at information for vent gleet or Coccidiosis? Have you checked chickens for mites/lice/worms? If you have introduced new chickens into your flock,and deaths started occurring shortly after this,then i would look at Coccidosis. Some symptoms of cocci are runny/watery poop(may or may not contain blood,depends on which of the 9 strains it is)fluffed feathers,lethargic,weight loss,not eating/drinking properly. If symptoms match,purchase Corid(amprolium)dose for Corid 20% powder is 1/2 tsp per gallon of water,dose for Corid 9.6% liquid is 2 tsp per gallon of water. Treat ALL chickens for 5 days,do not give vitamins during treatment(interferes with medication). For mites/lice,check under wings,around vent area,base of tail feathers. Vent gleet can spread to other members of your flock,might be a good idea to consult a vet on the vent gleet issue,if more than one chicken shows symptoms of having vent gleet.

 

[newbiechickenowner]

I appreciate your reply. There was a case of gleet in another chicken 2 months ago or so but very different symptoms. I haven't introduced anyone new and they have all been checked for mites, lice, etc. no one has any symptoms of feather issues, food issues, etc, etc. They all look great. They were all wormed a few weeks ago and that is when everyone was thoroughly. checked again and the other two were culled bedcause I had tried to treat the gleet for weeks but just couldn't get it under control. This particular chicken also has NO symptoms of anything whatsoever except her back end is hunched under her and she doesn't really want to stand or walk. She sits leaning a bit to the side and can get up and move if she is prodded and we do find her in different areas of the yard so she is moving and she moved over to the food and ate and water and ate and treats when I brought them out...

It is just weird that two chickens in the space of 6 weeks have done this weird thing with their butt/ back. I checked legs for anything, damage, etc, they were fine and pushed all around down the spine and hips and there was no reaction to pain, etc.

Still hoping someone sees this and recognizes something as well.

Thanks again for replying.

 

[ten chicks]

I appreciate your reply. There was a case of gleet in another chicken 2 months ago or so but very different symptoms. I haven't introduced anyone new and they have all been checked for mites, lice, etc. no one has any symptoms of feather issues, food issues, etc, etc. They all look great. They were all wormed a few weeks ago and that is when everyone was thoroughly. checked again and the other two were culled bedcause I had tried to treat the gleet for weeks but just couldn't get it under control. This particular chicken also has NO symptoms of anything whatsoever except her back end is hunched under her and she doesn't really want to stand or walk. She sits leaning a bit to the side and can get up and move if she is prodded and we do find her in different areas of the yard so she is moving and she moved over to the food and ate and water and ate and treats when I brought them out...

It is just weird that two chickens in the space of 6 weeks have done this weird thing with their butt/ back. I checked legs for anything, damage, etc, they were fine and pushed all around down the spine and hips and there was no reaction to pain, etc.

Still hoping someone sees this and recognizes something as well.

Thanks again for replying.

The chickens that are displaying symptoms,are they laying? Have you looked at information for egg bound?

 

[Eggcessive]

Vent gleet can be spread by a rooster to other hens. I haven't seen this posturing before. Is there any way you could post a video to YouTube or at least a picture close-up?

 

[newbiechickenowner]

I initially thought of egg bound for the first one, but, it didn't seem to fit, she lasted like that for a LONG time, weeks, until we had to cull her. If she makes it, I will try to post picks or video tomorrow...she seems to be worse off as far as standing than the first, BUT, pushes herself around to eat and drink. I am so confused. I am concerned about the spread of the gleet. I don't see anyone else with signs around their vent or bottom like the other one. and, that one never postured funny. This one (and the other), literally are hunching their tail under them curled like a lobster.

 

[dandrews1971]

that sounds a lot like cocci to me. One of my roos died from it. He did the same thing, hunched up, almost like he was trying to draw his backside under him. The dark mess around their vents could have been dried bloody poop, btw.

 

[vthokie]

I appreciate your reply. There was a case of gleet in another chicken 2 months ago or so but very different symptoms. I haven't introduced anyone new and they have all been checked for mites, lice, etc. no one has any symptoms of feather issues, food issues, etc, etc. They all look great. They were all wormed a few weeks ago and that is when everyone was thoroughly. checked again and the other two were culled because I had tried to treat the gleet for weeks but just couldn't get it under control. This particular chicken also has NO symptoms of anything whatsoever except her back end is hunched under her and she doesn't really want to stand or walk. She sits leaning a bit to the side and can get up and move if she is prodded and we do find her in different areas of the yard so she is moving and she moved over to the food and ate and water and ate and treats when I brought them out...

It is just weird that two chickens in the space of 6 weeks have done this weird thing with their butt/ back. I checked legs for anything, damage, etc, they were fine and pushed all around down the spine and hips and there was no reaction to pain, etc.

Still hoping someone sees this and recognizes something as well.

Thanks again for replying.

I agree with dandrews1971. Seems like Cocci was the only thing you haven't tried.