URGENT Help for new Chicken Owners; laying hen w/ Drooping wing/eyelid, diarrhea, clumsy, panting... (Pics)

[Bckpkrs]

I deeply appreciated the previous replies, including the comments about Marek's. I do have two other questions in case we decide to "take her back and get a replacement hen."

All three hens came from the same flock -- we took 3 of her 15 hens -- and since our property was virgin, any viral contaminant must have come from their previous home, so I have to assume they all have the same thing with our two 'healthy' ladies either are immune or asymptomatic.

I did just finish reading the whole 35-page thread by @KDOGG331 - but one thing in that thread caught my attention; in that thread @igorsMistress mentions "...as long as he is alive he's shedding it if that's what it is. If you cull be sure you scrub down all coops with soap and water, then sanitize them, I used Virkon S. You'll have to get rid of the litter and everything."

(1) Since they all came from the same place, and they are in a brand new coop, and they were coop-mates previously, is there still a need to sanitize everything once she leaves?

(2) If we do bring in another hen from the same previous flock, i.e., bringing in a previous flock-mate, do we need to do any quarantine or separation, or do you think just leaving her in the transport cage for a little bit to let our two gals enough time to get reacquainted?

Assuming how smart chickens are with recognizing human faces, I'm kind of hoping the same applies to fellow hens, like, "Hi Mildred! It's great to see you again!"

 

[igorsMistress]

I deeply appreciated the previous replies, including the comments about Marek's. I do have two other questions in case we decide to "take her back and get a replacement hen."

All three hens came from the same flock -- we took 3 of her 15 hens -- and since our property was virgin, any viral contaminant must have come from their previous home, so I have to assume they all have the same thing with our two 'healthy' ladies either are immune or asymptomatic.

I did just finish reading the whole 35-page thread by @KDOGG331 - but one thing in that thread caught my attention; in that thread @igorsMistress mentions "...as long as he is alive he's shedding it if that's what it is. If you cull be sure you scrub down all coops with soap and water, then sanitize them, I used Virkon S. You'll have to get rid of the litter and everything."

(1) Since they all came from the same place, and they are in a brand new coop, and they were coop-mates previously, is there still a need to sanitize everything once she leaves?

(2) If we do bring in another hen from the same previous flock, i.e., bringing in a previous flock-mate, do we need to do any quarantine or separation, or do you think just leaving her in the transport cage for a little bit to let our two gals enough time to get reacquainted?

Assuming how smart chickens are with recognizing human faces, I'm kind of hoping the same applies to fellow hens, like, "Hi Mildred! It's great to see you again!"

If your sick hen was in the coop then it's a best practice to clean and sanitize but that's up to you. I would definitely do it before adding any new birds though. I also suggest close monitoring of the remaining flock for symptoms. Good luck!
PS...question 2 would really be up to you. If it's a previous flock member then there's really no point, but you ought to add 2 at a time if possible. A lone newbie is often picked on.

 

[ShrekDawg]

@Bckpkrs sorry about your hen! I hope she recovers.

 

[Bckpkrs]

@Bckpkrs sorry about your hen! I hope she recovers.

Thanks, but sadly, it doesn't look good. Just within the space of this morning, she's become weak and not really able to stand or walk well. She's stumbling. But she's still eating and did manage to get up into the coop and give us another egg.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks, but sadly, it doesn't look good. Just within the space of this morning, she's become weak and not really able to stand or walk well. She's stumbling. But she's still eating and did manage to get up into the coop and give us another egg.

Oh no!! I’m so sorry.

 

[Bckpkrs]

So... UPDATE: The sick lil Sussex has been returned to the breeder we bought her from after we saw her difficulty walking that really escalated this morning. We asked about the vaccine and she told us that the pet store she gets her eggs/chicks from says they (the chicks) are vaccinated in the shell before she gets them. Does this sound right?

The breeder did let us get the same age Welsummer in exchange, but noted she's feeling a bit broody, so I guess we'll have to see how this all goes. She said she'd update us on the Sussex, but my feeling is she may only have a day or two left, but she'd get culled if she continues downhill.

Not quite the first foray into chickens we figured, but I'm fine with the experience and how it's worked out so far. My wife and daughter wanted chickens, yet I've been kind of volunteered into the position of chicken-dad.

 

[Eggcessive]

It would have been good to have at least gotten the testing to know whether or not she might have had Mareks. If the breeder culls her and doesn’t get a necropsy, you both will never know. Chicks can be vaccinated in the egg, so that may be true, and good for you. Vaccines can fail, so they are never 100% effective.

 

[MARANMAN2011]

if you have a college near you that has any type of veterinary medicine take the soil sample out there and get the soil sample looked at I'm almost positive is coccidiosis

 

[Bckpkrs]

It would have been good to have at least gotten the testing to know whether or not she might have had Mareks. If the breeder culls her and doesn’t get a necropsy, you both will never know. Chicks can be vaccinated in the egg, so that may be true, and good for you. Vaccines can fail, so they are never 100% effective.

Thanks for the info about the in-egg vaccine; Yes, that is good to know.

As for the testing, I do agree, but sadly the bird seemed to be going downhill more each day, and at this point, the breeder will watch her and nurse her for a few days - but I'm not convinced she had another 3-4 days. It'd be great if she was able to make any kind of recovery but it was looking very doubtful.

As for the breeder, she did say she has done her own necropsy a couple of times in the past. This is a gal that my wife found via her sister, so I've not been involved until now. I assume at this point in my research, the best rule of thumb is to assume they all have it; the vaccine worked, they have a natural immunity, or they have a ticking time-bomb in them.

 

[Bckpkrs]

if you have a college near you that has any type of veterinary medicine take the soil sample out there and get the soil sample looked at I'm almost positive is coccidiosis

Now that is an awesome suggestion; we're not far from one of the best in the country; UC Davis. I'll reach out to them. Cheers & Thanks!