*warning graphic images* Post exam, possibly tape worms?

[bswieter]

Buff Brahma
He was approx 12 weeks old at time of death.
Housed outside in coop with 8 other chickens his age from same hatchery.
He was fed Natures grown organic non-medicated feed.
There have been 3 deaths, all very similar symptoms, and one bird is exhibiting symptoms currently.

So this guy stopped growing about 3 weeks before he passed. He showed no signs at first. Then he started ruffling his feathers and sleeping a lot . He ate like crazy until the end. He did have bright green bile poops the last week. I tried to worm him with a general wormer ( rooster booster general wormer) and it had no effects. I fed keifer and egg yolk as well as electrolytes along with the feed. I got the chicken health handbook written by Gail Damerow and followed her instruction on performing the post exam. Here are the photos I took. I believe it's tape worms possibly, explaining the lack of effect the general wormer had. There was also water all around the heart. Any one have any ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

I think I would treat for coccidiosis with Corid (amprollium.) I can't say for sure what was wrong, but I doubt that it was tapeworms. Below is a a dropping with tapeworm segments. Your chicken may have had coccidiosis or a heart ailment. His intestines look enlarged, and it is common to see bloated intestines with sometimes blood in them. The fluid around the heart shows heart failure, and I can't say if that was due to cocci or not. At this age spontaneous death can occur to heart, liver, and kidney issues, but coccidiosis is very common until 20 weeks, and since you have others die, that is what I would treat for. Dosage of Corid is 2 tsp of the liquid (1-1 1/2 tsp of the powder) per gallon of water for 5 days. Sulfadimethoxine and Sulmet can also be used, but Corid treats more strains. Sleepiness, ruffled feathers, no appetite, multiple deaths usually means cocci in chicks.

 

[casportpony]

I am no expert, but his intestines look a little inflamed. Did you cut them open and in inspect the contents?

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

I am no expert, but his intestines look a little inflamed. Did you cut them open and in inspect the contents?

-Kathy

Kathy does it look like the ceca are full of dark matter like blood? One part of the bowl is very balloon-like. This photo below from Tufts is one of cocci, showing the dark looking ceca. Here is a good link to look at more intestines with cocci: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/206/coccidiosis

 

[PoultryQueen101]

Were all the deaths roosters? There is some type of thing that young roosters die from, especially if they show lack of growth. We had one young silkie rooster die one day. He was barely growing at all. He was half the size of the others his age. We knew it would happen...or would've culled him sooner or later, we're happy it happened naturally though....we hate killing them.

 

[casportpony]

 
I am no expert, but his intestines look a little inflamed. Did you cut them open and in inspect the contents?

-Kathy

Kathy does it look like the ceca are full of dark matter like blood?  One part of the bowl is very balloon-like.  This photo below from Tufts is one of cocci, showing the dark looking ceca.  Here is a good link to look at more intestines with cocci:  http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/206/coccidiosis

 

I agree with you... looks suspiciously like coccidiosis. What I really want to do is process some healthy ones for eating and in doing that I'll have a better idea of what healthy insides look like... Just need to cowgirl up and figure out a way to do it. I know how, but the thought of doing it saddens me.

-Kathy