10 week old Barred Rock suddenly ill

[altogirl85]

One of my 10 week old barred rocks suddenly looks ill this morning. She is standing alone, her neck is puffed up, she isn’t moving much - even when touched, haven’t seen her poop today so not sure about that.

None of the other 9 pullets look sick. They were purchased from Rural King back in September, and I was advised by the person who sold them to me to put them on medicated feed. I was later told by a friend who has chickens that all RK chicks are vaccinated and shouldn’t be given medicated feed. I switched them (a little at a time), to organic chick starter. This week is the first week they’ve been 100% on the new organic feed. Could not having the medicated feed in her diet anymore be facilitating illness?

I clean their coop completely about every 2 weeks. I use large pine shavings, per the recommendation of the lady who sold them to me. I live in Central Florida and our temps have been dipping into the 50s over night, but in the 70s-80s during the day. I have been providing a second waterer with a mix of juiced ginger, turmeric, garlic, and a bit of raw honey, as well as some mineral drops, as I had a girl with a slight eye issue last week and wanted to make sure I was preventing any more serious issues (the chicken with the eye issue if fine now). Last week I hung an organic apple on a string in their run to give them something to do. It took about a week, but they all finished it off yesterday. Their run has plenty of sand/grit on the ground naturally, so I haven’t been giving extra, but maybe I should?

Other than the Apple and an occasional handful of fresh greens they haven’t been getting treats.

Any idea? This is my daughter‘s chicken and she is freaking out. I was trying to be organic and natural with everything, so I hate to use store bought antibiotics, but if that’s my only way to save her I will do it. We don’t have a chicken vet in our area. Please - any advice would be appreciated.

 

[FeatheredFriends&Horses2]

Did your friend say what they are vaccinated for? From what I’ve seen, RK sources their chicks from many different hatcheries and different hatcheries will vaccinate for both Mareks and cocccidiosis, just one, or neither. Medicated feed is for coccidia. Either way, if they were started on amprolium, it voids a coccidiosis vaccine, so even if they were vaccinated, if they were given medicated feed they should be kept on it. Wait until you see the bird poop and post pictures of both it and your chicken. What’s the color of her comb and wattle compared to the other chickens. Does she have mucus in her nose and/or mouth? Is she wheezing? Pick her up and look and feel all over her, starting with the head and working your way back. How full is her crop compared to the other hens? Is there anything else that is different about her?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Please provide pictures of your bird in question please?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

10 week old barred rocks suddenly looks ill this morning. She is standing alone, her neck is puffed up, she isn’t moving much - even when touched, haven’t seen her poop today

I was later told by a friend who has chickens that all RK chicks are vaccinated and shouldn’t be given medicated feed. I switched them (a little at a time), to organic chick starter. This week is the first week they’ve been 100% on the new organic feed. Could not having the medicated feed in her diet anymore be facilitating illness?

What is the new feed like? Is it crumbles, pellets or a loose type feed? Do you feed fermented, wet feed or just dry? Could any of the feed gotten moldy?

Is the chick's crop empty, full, puffy/fluid filled? Is grit available free choice?

If she poops, please get a photo of that along with her. Photos of where they are kept may be helpful as well.

Puffed up, not moving, not seeing her poop...I would lean toward Coccidiosis. Corid can be found at TSC in the cattle section. Liquid Corid dose is 2 teaspoons or Powdered Corid dose is 1 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. Give for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.

The only way to know what the chicks were vaccinated for would be to ask the store you purchased them from. Most feed store chicks are not vaccinated. This is an extra fee tacked on by the hatchery. Even when you order directly from a hatchery, a vaccine has to be requested. Marek's is the most common vaccine given to chickens. I've only seen a couple of hatcheries even offer the Coccidiosis vaccine.

Anyway...IF the chicks were vaccinated for Coccidiosis, then feeding a medicated chick starter that contains Amprolium would negate the vaccine. So...treating for Coccidiosis would likely be the best course of action based on your symptoms, unless you discover something else.