2 hens died in last week having had diahhea, lethargy. Now see two others w/diarrhea on bottoms.

[kaaren]

1) Last week, I separated a lethargic 7 m.o. (month old) Barred Rock from the free range flock,. She felt light & had runny stools. She ate & drank some but wasted away and died after four days. She laid no eggs during this period. Next (3 days later) a 7 m.o. Buff O pullet was noticed not joining the flock in the hen house at dusk but sitting on a low limb with a drooped head as if sleeping. I noticed her bottom was messy & separated her. On the morning, I found her stand with her head on the ground. After settling her in the "sick room" she laid an egg but neither are not drank before dying two days later. Now I have a 7 m.o. Sapphire Gem starting to act lethargic with poopy buttand (now secluded)a second B.R. that is acting normal but with poopy butt. I have not caught her yet, but shall try again after posting

The flock is comprised of B.R., B.O., S.S., and Golden Comets with two roosters, all 7 m.o.

There seems to be no sign of trauma, and the only recent difference in diet is that they have decided that dropped camelia bush petals are a nice treat, and some drank greenish water in an old flower pot that some one had either discarded or had blown into the property.
Otherwise the flock eats 16% layer feed but do not seem to like it as well as foraging.

Poop is very runny, slightly yellowish. No sign of worms. They sleep on perches but the house has straw on the floor that is raked up whenever it appears dirty and be straw spread.

I have the girls probiotics in by their water and am going to get vitamin packs, as I think it is something in their diet that is either jacking off even toxic.

Any and all advice appreciated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble.

If at all possible, seeking vet care is best or if you lose another, refrigerate the body and send it to your state lab for testing will give you answers.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

Check your feed to make sure it's not moldy. Think if they have gotten into anything toxic (weed killer, motor oils, fertilizer), dead animal or maggots, compost...anything you can think of at all.

If you think they ingested something toxic, then giving a flush may be helpful. But again, seeking a vet's guidance for care is the best course of action.
Here's info on flushes https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal.700526/

 

[kaaren]

Thank you very much!
lso, I forgot to mention that a skunk has taken up in the area too. I take up for and water at night, but could he possibly be spreading something? Just for reference. I'll take your advice about flushing & contacting a local lab. TIA

... and sorry for not rereading before posting to catch the spell-check errors.
(Th last paragraph should read:"...something in their diet that is *LACKING *OR toxic".)

 

[FunClucks]

Have you had the vet do a fecal float? Most vets, even if they don't specialize in chickens, can do this. If they can identify the organisms in the poo, you might have a culprit. Mine had watery yellowish poos and there turned out to be giardia (protozoa). Plus mites and capillaria (threadworms). You won't know what you've got unless you test.

 

[Eggcessive]

Skunks are one of many carriers of leptospirosis. It would be very hard to know what is killing your chickens without getting a necropsy by your state vet. They do histology and testing, as well as examining the organs. The body ahould be refrigerated, but not frozen, and taken in or shipped as soon after death as possible. Some state will send you a prepaid shipping label for Fedex or UPS overnight shipping. What state are you in?

 

[kaaren]

Skunks are one of many carriers of leptospirosis. It would be very hard to know what is killing your chickens without getting a necropsy by your state vet. They do histology and testing, as well as examining the organs. The body ahould be refrigerated, but not frozen, and taken in or shipped as soon after death as possible. Some state will send you a prepaid shipping label for Fedex or UPS overnight shipping. What state are you in?

SC. Thank you very for the info!
Unfortunately, the first hen was incinerated by be an old neighboring farmer who said that was the thing to do in case it was something contageous Prior, he felt her abdomen and said he thought she had a blockage... though how that is determined, I don't know.

Hens 3&4 are stable, eating and drinking in the sick ward. I flushed them with the suggested tonic and the stools now look normal, but I am keeping then separate for now and taking biohazard precautions. I have stool sample from earlier that I will take to the vet on Mon.

BTW, I caught one skunk in a live trap Thurs night and relocated him Fri., but he found his way back and into the same trap (not very smart, are they?) So the second time I asked a relative to dispatch him to the great beyond (Skunk funeral this morning). Am changing waterers back to the drip spigots b/c I think skunks come for the water... at least that is where I caught him both times.