Bantam 4 month old chick fatigued, paralysis, labored breathing

[SweetHeidi]

I would suggest you send send her in for a necropsy if she does not make it, which is what she looks like to me.

Did you check their feed for mould or strange smell? Have it analyzed just to be sure.
A breeder friend lost all of her youngsters to some poisonous feed.

I'm going to put her out if her misery tonight sadly. I'm watching my 2 flocks like a hawk. Feed looks and smells fine but I'll look into that more for sure.

 

[SweetHeidi]

The well water is a possible suspect. If it's unfiltered and untreated and has a high iron content, bacteria can bind with the iron and cause illness in chickens even though humans may be resistant to it. It might be a wise move to have it tested for bacteria.

If your flock had coccidiosis and you only did the one round of Corid, they could be reinfected from oocytes coming to maturity since the first treatment. I would definitely do another round immediately.

We do have high iron!

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Unfortunately it’s the right thing to do. She will finally be done feeling pain. I’m sorry that this has to happen but you are doing the right thing.

 

[Eggcessive]

Her eye in the picture has the sunken look of conjunctivitis (pinkeye) which may be mycoplasma or MG. With her paralysis and the loss of the one before with one paralyzed leg, may be Mareks disease, but a necropsy by your state vet could give more clues. Sorry that she is not improving, and that you have decided to put her down. What state are you in? If you keep the body cold and contact your state vet in early morning, they will tell you the best way to get a necropsy. Many will send you a shipping label for overnight shipping, on M-F, but you can take it in as well.

 

[SweetHeidi]

Her eye in the picture has the sunken look of conjunctivitis (pinkeye) which may be mycoplasma or MG. With her paralysis and the loss of the one before with one paralyzed leg, may be Mareks disease, but a necropsy by your state vet could give more clues. Sorry that she is not improving, and that you have decided to put her down. What state are you in? If you keep the body cold and contact your state vet in early morning, they will tell you the best way to get a necropsy. Many will send you a shipping label for overnight shipping, on M-F, but you can take it in as well.

Michigan. Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Your state vet is in Lansing and in this link:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[SweetHeidi]

Your state vet is in Lansing and in this link:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Thank you so so much. It's always hard putting a bird down, even after 5 years of chicken keeping. Freckles was one of my favorite too, always jumping into my hands and sticking her head in the shoulder of my shirt to cuddle. She sure was loved for her short life.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I'm really sorry that you've lost another feathered friend. My heart goes out to you. One of my first significant losses of a bird was my beloved Raymona, an OEGB pullet around the same age as your pullet and I still miss that sweet girl. Of course, she was also my favorite. She looked a lot like your beauty.
I hope a necropsy will give you answers to what's making your flock sick. I wish you the best with your remaining flock

 

[LaFleche]

I was wondering about Freckles necropsy results, was it Marek's Disease or something else?