2nd chicken with similar illness

[verthandi]

I posted last week about a silkie hen that acted lethargic and possible egg bound, but I guess my thoughts were wrong.(I lost her anyway, even with trying to treat her.) I have been checking the rest of the flock for similar illness and now one of the cockerel silkies(6 months old) has the same beginning signs.

Here's the information again, mixed flock of polish, silkies, showgirls. The first sign that something is wrong is the chicken will have a slightly drooped tail and walk sort of crouched down like the legs have been injured. A slow shuffle that is slightly tipsy. (almost looks like a hen submitting stance).

They continue to eat and drink, but just fade away in about a week to 10 days. No nasal or eye discharge, no raspy breathing. Feathers look healthy, no mites. Pine shavings bedding, oyster shell, large attached run that they used during the day. Cooped at night. Egg maker crumble in the big feeder, grower crumble in a lower feeder for the younger ones, and they do seem to eat out of it, instead of the big bird feed. Occasional veggies. Droppings like normal, except maybe slightly more watery.

The first hen (1 1/2 Years old)continued to eat like she was starved. I gave her scrambled egg, yogurt, vitamins, but in the end had to break her feed down into mash for her to be able to eat it. Her crop started to not empty completely over night, but I think that was a secondary problem to whatever this illness is.

Please any thoughts that you have would be appreciated. I have no clue what this is that I am dealing with. We had a very wet summer until about 5 weeks ago, but my pen and coop stayed very usable.

 

[purpletree23]

Do they have chicken grit available also? It is needed along with the crusted oyster shell. Many people don't think it's necessary.

My next thought is worms. You don't have to see them in the poop for the chicken to have them. If you have not wormed them I would right away. Also, to support them nutritionally I would get poultry vitamins to add to their water. If your feed store doesn't have them you can order them at firststatevetsupply.com Get some Poly Vi Sol liquid baby vitamins for the sick hen. Get the formula without iron. Give her 3 drops by beak in the morning and 3 at night until we can figure out whats going on.

Is there anything else you can tell us? Are the sick ones loosing feathers, walking with their wings down, what are the color of their wattles and combs?

I just read your post again and I would worm all of them with Wazine right away and then Ivermectin in 2 weeks.

 

[verthandi]

They are on a pretty tight worming schedule as I also have horses that are done regularly. I just gave him some avain vitamin by the beak....it is all too weird. He was down on his side and couldn't get his feet under himself when I went out a few minutes ago, but once I turned him on his feet, he was able to get around and stuffed himself with food again.

Grit is a possibility, they have a dish outside in the pen, but he does spend more time inside away from the bigger birds.

He is in a hospital pen by himself, but his mother that died last week was in with her sister. The sister seems to be fine so far, it will be interesting to see if she also gets it or not. I really hope not, but possibly that will give me a clue if I need to focus on transmitted disease or a management problem.

Another possibility is EEE, we have had a breakout in horses in this state in the past 6 weeks. 13 horses dead from it. Closest case was 25 miles from here. I find it hard to believe that it might be EEE, as the hen made it 10 days before she died. The cockerel has some symptoms that could be marek's, but not enough to make me think it is that....yet.

Thank you for your thoughts on this, I am starting to get really worried where this is the second bird with similar signs at the beginning of the illness.

Oops. No wattles to speak of on this guy, but lobes are bright white and blue, his mother's never changed color either and looked surprisingly health all during the illness. All the older hens are molting pretty hard, but the 3 young ones from this year are not. Eyes clear and bright. The one that is sick is very docile when picked up, (which is normal for him), and slightly feisty when I go to sit him back down.(also normal for him). He is mostly staying hunkered down in his cage and very quiet, he will react to noise and movement.

 

[chickn]

take a stool sample to a vet, it should cost too much for that.
other than that i cant think of anything that i have seen similar to that, sorry, will keep searching though

 

[verthandi]

Quote:
Thanks, chickn. The cost of a stool sample to the vets will seem like a drop in the bucket after my equine vet visit last week. Thanks for the idea, I have been in such a worry that I overlooked the easiest thing to do.

 

[chickn]

any answers on this yet?