7 month RIR won't stand and now seizing!!! HELP Please!

[bkbuz1987]

I checked on my chickens around 4:00 PM to see if we had any late eggs. I "tuck" them in every night to make sure everyone is okay. At 7:00 PM I found my RIR panting and lethargic. Immediately separated her from the others and have her in a carrier in the sun room. Heard banging went to check on her looks like she was seizing.

Nothing to indicate an illness. No discharge, no diarrhea, layed this morning, ate well. This is so fast and I really think she'll die.

What could it be and am I now going to watch the rest of my flock die?

 

[bkbuz1987]

Okay she just died. What could kill a chicken so fast?

 

[MagsC]

Eating something toxic? A bee sting?

 

[bkbuz1987]

Just did a body check and I can't see a things wring with her. Nothing in her craw, nothing in her nose, nothing in her mouth. What the heck happened?

 

[ginbart]

I'm sorry this happened to you. Do your chickens free range? Do you have any rat poison anywhere?

 

[bkbuz1987]

I think this is the problem...

Botulism
Synonyms: limberneck, bulbar paralysis, western duck sickness, alkali disease

Species affected: All fowl of any age, humans, and other animals are highly susceptible. The turkey vulture is the only animal host known to be resistant to the disease.

Clinical signs: Botulism is a poisoning causing by eating spoiled food containing a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum . Paralysis, the most common clinical sign, occurs within a few hours after poisoned food is eaten. Pheasants with botulism remain alert, but paralyzed. Legs and wings become paralyzed, then the neck becomes limp. Neck feathers become loose in the follicle and can be pulled easily (see Table 3 ).

If the amount eaten is lethal, prostration and death follow in 12 to 24 hours. Death is a result of paralysis of respiratory muscles. Fowl affected by sublethal doses become dull and sleepy.

Transmission: Botulism is common in wild ducks and is a frequent killer of waterfowl because the organisms multiply in dead fish and decaying vegetation along shorelines.

Decaying bird carcasses on poultry ranges, wet litter or other organic matter, and fly maggots from decaying substances may harbor botulism. There is no spread from bird to bird.

Treatment: Remove spoiled feed or decaying matter. Flush the flock with Epsom salts (1 lb/1000 hens) in water or in wet mash. It has been reported that potassium permanganate (1:3000) in the drinking water is helpful. Affected birds can be treated with botulism antitoxin injections.

Prevention: Incinerate or bury dead birds promptly. Do not feed spoiled canned vegetables. Control flies. Replace suspected feed.

I will be doing a check for any spoiled food in the run. Along with a good cleaning!~

 

[bkbuz1987]

I have to wonder about Botulism. Thursady I had another chicken begin to act ill.

I found her sitting off by herself and she wouldn't eat. Began panting like the RIR did, and then she had very yellow runny poop. I read just about everything I could and started electrolytes, and Terramycin. My feed store didn't have any wormer, she didn't even know chickens could get worms

I force fed her the electrolyte ~ Terra water mix with a syringe. Then later that day I gave her a yogurt bread mash. She survived the night and is now back with the flock. I am treating them all. I figured it was worth the unnecessary antibiotic because I still am not 100% sure what killed the first chicken on Monday and made the other sick by Thursday.

I ordered a wormer and Oxine(AH) Sanitizer & Disinfectant from Cutler.

The flock seems to be okay, they are eating, active, normal poo, and laying.

Any ideas or other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[speckledhen]

Here is a quote from me from a thread about sour and/or impacted crop that may apply to you:

Quote:

 

[ginbart]

boy I wish I could help but I don't know that much. Keep us updated how things are going. Sorry.

 

[bkbuz1987]

Sour Crop could have been it. I googled it and the discription sounds like that could have been it! Now I have to figure out HOW and what caused it. They don't free range due to predators. I wonder if the peaches they had could have cause it or maybe my kids feed them some grass

hmmmmmm....

Thanks for the insight!!!