10 week old chick mouth breathing, stumbling

[SheppFamilyFlock]

2 sick birds in one day! Not a good day over here. I'll give as many details as I can:

I have a 10 week old chick who I noticed sitting by herself with her feathers ruffled and eyes mostly closed. She seemed to walk fine as I tried to pick her up and she avoided me. I saw her pass some yellow feces.

I took my other hen inside to treat her (egg bound). Came back outside to check on the chick and she had started mouth breathing. The rooster came over and started bugging her and as she fled she stumbled and fell over. I was able to grab her and bring her in the house. She's currently just sitting on a towel breathing with her mouth open and extending her neck each time she inhales.

I lost a chick several weeks ago at 7 weeks old that had similar symptoms but the first thing I noticed was she was walking on her heels. She quickly lost her ability to walk and although I was hand feeding and watering her with a vitamin supplement she died about a week later. No other chickens have shown any symptoms since, and this chick was never exposed to that one directly as she was hatched a few weeks after that chick had died.

We did not disinfect the coop as I assumed it was a vitamin deficiency and not Marek's - there was never any concerning poop, eye problems or any other symptoms besides the paralysis.

When bathing my hen earlier I did find some lice on her, so we will be treating with diatomaceous earth.

Any ideas?

 

[SheppFamilyFlock]

Update, she's in a dog crate eating some food. Every few seconds she stands up and has a sort of spastic movement with her head/neck, sometimes her whole body convulses, sometimes it's accompanied by vocalization. I gave water with a poultry vitamin supplement in it but she hasn't drank any yet

 

[SheppFamilyFlock]

Poop pic. Her foot is curled in this picture but she's currently standing normally.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Have you treated for Coccidiosis?

If you lose this one, send her to your state lab to find out what you are dealing with since you recently lost another with similar symptoms. https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

If you are finding lice on the birds, use a Permethrin based poultry dust to treat the birds and use a Permethrin based spray to treat housing/coops.
DE is not that affective when trying to control an infestation.

 

[SheppFamilyFlock]

Have you treated for Coccidiosis?

If you lose this one, send her to your state lab to find out what you are dealing with since you recently lost another with similar symptoms. https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

If you are finding lice on the birds, use a Permethrin based poultry dust to treat the birds and use a Permethrin based spray to treat housing/coops.
DE is not that affective when trying to control an infestation.

No we have not treated for coccidiosis, but they were all fed medicated food as chicks. The symptoms don't seem to match what I've read about coccidiosis online but I will look into treatment. Thanks for the response.

And thanks for the tip about lice treatment, I'll find some of that too.