Hello. I have a hen that has sadly passed away. I am trying to identify what may have been wrong with her to determine if it's a vital thing that may affect the rest of my flock. We have no vets in the area that work on chickens. It was extremely hard for me to watch her go and I don't think I can go through that again.
Here were her symptoms:
I found her laying on her side in the coop on Friday, I had thought she was dead.She was limp, not able to stand, but did eventually put weight on one leg while holding one leg up. She felt cold and stiff but the weather was very cold at the time. I brought get indoors.
She Kept her mouth slightly open. Her croup was not packed and she had no visible mouth problems and I did not see gapeworm.
No audible respiratory sounds. No drainage of any sort that I could see, but clear saliva was coming from her mouth, which I believe she was keeping open to breathe.
Her neck seemed twisted back but I could straighten it and checked for any broken bones, I found none.
Her pupils were very dilated.
She then started to stand on her own (both feet ) but could only walk in a standing circle. And she began to look around but kept her neck twisted and head a very dazed appearance and her head would tremble. At first I thought she had head trauma as I have a cat we found that had head trauma and had similar symptoms i.e. head shaking, tilted head, dilated pupils, dazed, etc.
She had lost a lot of weight. Would not eat or drink. She never once used the bathroom while indoors.(until she passed)
She passed early on Sunday after letting off a series of screams , severe seizure like jerking movements, and a large expulsion of her bowels ( which I believe was from stress, and we're extremely foul smelling, but not discolored). I held and soothed her and it was absolutely heart wrenching.
Unfortunately, I have now heard a few of my other hens sneezing, I did not hear her sneeze either before or during her sickness. I also had a duck pass away about 3 months ago that had some of the same symptoms but no sneezing and not the neck thing and at the time a few of the ducks had bumblefoot that I had been treating with vetrycin.
They are free range but kept in a coop at night. I use diatemacious earth but not daily it's just available to them. I have horses, sheep, ducks, chickens, dogs, cats, and a rabbit. I have had an extremely hard time keeping wild birds away from my chickens feed.
I'm sorry if I rambled but hopefully it gives everyone an idea of symptoms.
I have found so much info that I feel overwhelmed now and I guess i am looking for directions on what I can do to prevent anything from going viral to my flock.
Here were her symptoms:
I found her laying on her side in the coop on Friday, I had thought she was dead.She was limp, not able to stand, but did eventually put weight on one leg while holding one leg up. She felt cold and stiff but the weather was very cold at the time. I brought get indoors.
She Kept her mouth slightly open. Her croup was not packed and she had no visible mouth problems and I did not see gapeworm.
No audible respiratory sounds. No drainage of any sort that I could see, but clear saliva was coming from her mouth, which I believe she was keeping open to breathe.
Her neck seemed twisted back but I could straighten it and checked for any broken bones, I found none.
Her pupils were very dilated.
She then started to stand on her own (both feet ) but could only walk in a standing circle. And she began to look around but kept her neck twisted and head a very dazed appearance and her head would tremble. At first I thought she had head trauma as I have a cat we found that had head trauma and had similar symptoms i.e. head shaking, tilted head, dilated pupils, dazed, etc.
She had lost a lot of weight. Would not eat or drink. She never once used the bathroom while indoors.(until she passed)
She passed early on Sunday after letting off a series of screams , severe seizure like jerking movements, and a large expulsion of her bowels ( which I believe was from stress, and we're extremely foul smelling, but not discolored). I held and soothed her and it was absolutely heart wrenching.
Unfortunately, I have now heard a few of my other hens sneezing, I did not hear her sneeze either before or during her sickness. I also had a duck pass away about 3 months ago that had some of the same symptoms but no sneezing and not the neck thing and at the time a few of the ducks had bumblefoot that I had been treating with vetrycin.
They are free range but kept in a coop at night. I use diatemacious earth but not daily it's just available to them. I have horses, sheep, ducks, chickens, dogs, cats, and a rabbit. I have had an extremely hard time keeping wild birds away from my chickens feed.
I'm sorry if I rambled but hopefully it gives everyone an idea of symptoms.
I have found so much info that I feel overwhelmed now and I guess i am looking for directions on what I can do to prevent anything from going viral to my flock.
