What is Wrong?1?!?1

[TinkyFeathers]

I don't know what is wrong with my chickens... Two weeks ago my hen Tink, started looking ill with droopy feathers and watery diarrhea she was still eating, drinking and laying eggs up until the end. And after a few days she died. I do not know what was wrong but her sister was seperated with her (she followed her into the pen and didn't want to leave so I let her stay) and right now her sister is fine. However, I noticed now my silkie is acting the same way. She is sleeping and won't wake up and i got her to open her eyes and they're all watery.

I was looking in the coop and i noticed bloody poop. Not a lot but there was some. I don't know what to do and i don't want to lose any chickens im so scared for them.

Im looking up diseases and nothing is matching my problems.

My chickens had scaly leg mites and i;ve been dipping their legs in oil because i heard you can do that instead of vassline. Does it hurt them if they eat the oil because some might have got it off their feathers.

Please help

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

I'm not a chicken disease expert, but I'm wondering coccidiosis perhaps? The bloody poop, depressed, droopy appearance all are classic symptoms of coccidiosis. Oiling their legs is not going to cause these symptoms, nor will it cause death, even if they eat the oil. Unless you are using something like motor oil or kerosene, oiling their legs won't even make them sick if they eat it, so don't worry about that.

You can treat coccidiosis with meds from your feed store - Corid or Sulmet. Both are water based and you will have to treat everyone, even the non-symptomatic chickens. Chickens don't really like the taste of it, so make sure the treated water is the only water they have access to. For dire cases, you may want to bring the sick bird indoors, or somewhere you can make warm. When a bird is sick or injured, we want them to use their caloric intake for immune system stuff, not for keeping warm. Also, chickens are calm when they are warm, and the heated environment may make them want to drink the icky medicated water. You should notice marked improvement soon after starting treatment, like within a day or two.

Coccidiosis usually strikes chicks, but can hit adult birds - it is common as heck. Act fast, because it can burn through a flock quickly, with some birds dying without showing symptoms.

Other than coccidiosis, my other thought would be worms. But the symptoms suggest Cocci more strongly. Good Luck!

 

[TinkyFeathers]

Thank you so much. We're are leaving soon to go to the feed store to pick up the medicine. We called and they only have Tetracycline available. Is that still safe to use? The lady said it would be...

Thanks once again.

 

[TinkyFeathers]

I got the medicine and I've been giving it to the chickens.

But my silkie is shaking her head in like a twitching way. Like she will eat but then she twitches her head like she can't control it. Its like spasms. I don't know what to do she's eating fine and I've been puting the medicine water on the bread so it's soaked in.