Birds dying right now--don't need advice yet, just need measurements

[JenLi3]

I cannot think right now because I have birds dead and dying (Flock of 13) I can list the symptoms when I figure them out. Some have cracked and bleeding legs. There are small bugs flying around them. That's all I know. One died last night, and we thought the rest were fine. Anyway, I have some vitamin powder that I have never used and it is for bulk.


Does anyone know a smaller dose for a 3-gallon waterer?

These are the directions
It is Durvet High Performance Poultry Pak-4 oz.
I'm supposed to add the one 4 oz pack to 2 gallons of stock solution that would then distribute 1 ounce per gallon?

Also, I have Terramycin in a soluble powder but don't know if that will help. It's all I have. It's a 6.4 oz packet.

The directions are the 5-10 packs per 2 gallons of stock solution that meters at the rate of 1 ounce per gallon of fresh water.

I'm sorry if I'm breaking any newbie rules, but my children are hysterical that their pets are dying, and I need to go take care of my acute situation. Then I will be back and give more info if I can.

 

[dlhunicorn]

sometimes vitamins can interfere with the efficacy of the medication so only give the med in the water (nothing else)

as to dosage:
per WES:
"It is giving at the rate of 1-4 teaspoons per gallon of water. I like to advise to start strong for 4 days then cut in half for the next 6."

 

[jjthink]

I'm sorry - what a worrisome situation.

Hysterical children or not, the situation with your birds is important and serious and I'm sure folks here will eagerly help. To help get to the bottom of this ASAP, a few questions for starters:

The cracked and bleeding legs - were they fine yesterday, or not sure?
What do you feed the birds?
How has their poop been?
How is their breathing?
Have they been wormed anytime in recent months and if so, with what? If no worming in awhile, and perhaps even if so, can you get fecal tested?
The bird that died - how recently do you know her to have been acting completely normal?
You mentioned dead AND dying - I know you will be back with more info - what symptoms are you saying that indicate dying? (I hope so very much they will rally...)
How long have you had your birds? Any recent new additions?

Do you have FOOD GRADE DE? If so, or as soon as you can get it, mix some with the soil they dust bathe in.

I don't know what the bugs are - whether they are attracted by the blood or are there for some other reason. When my hen Betty had cracked bleeding legs I used Bagbalm on them - gently applied daily for a little while -and her legs regenerated beautifully. My feed store carried it. Somebody else may come along and weigh in with more insight as to cause and specific remedy.

Super clean coop with fresh straw or wood shavings cannot hurt here.

Until this is sorted out, minimize stress (e.g. should be quiet near them) and ensure comfty temps and very fresh water and food.

The vitamins in water probably a good idea - until someone comes along with the right conversion you can probably safely put "a pinch" in a gallon for starers. If you have Avia Charge 2000, use that, but it doesn't sound like you have it on hand. It would probably take a few days to get there ordered on line from McMurray or one of the other suppliers. BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT IF IT TURNS OUT MEDS GET PUT IN WATER THEN DON'T MIX THE VITAMINS IN AT THAT TIME until or unless expert advises it's okay.

Without more info, hard to know whether this is a case for antibiotics.

Hoping very much the rest of your birds will get well.
JJ

Edited to say, once I posted and saw your title again, I realize I crossed over into "advice" in the process of worrying about your birds - sorry about that, hopefully okay!!!.

 

[JenLi3]

Thank you for your replies. I have not seen the birds much lately other than through the window, I'd say for the last week. My fault. My kids let them out in the morning, and I take turns with my 14-year-old daughter putting them up at night. Last week they seemed fine to me.

Age: They will be 2 years old in June.
Feed: They eat a layer feed from the feed store.
Poop: Anywhere from a solid brown to a runny diarrhea. Someone last week had a foamy diarrhea, but don't know who. Some of the chickens today seemed to have yellow diarrhea stuck to their backsides.
Breathing: Seems fine. The one who died in front of us was just slowly getting more and more lethargic, shuddered, couldn't breathe well and died. The others we already found dead. One more seems sick. Just not herself.
Worming: Never been wormed
Bird that died first that we found last night: Acting normal as late as last week that I saw.

My daughter let them out this morning, but I don't think she took time to visit with them. When we looked out this afternoon the chicken yard was very quiet. Some birds were sitting against the fence as far away from the coop as possible. My daughter went to check it out, and 2 more birds were in the coop dead. Out in the yard, 2 were pretty sick. The one finally died. The other seems to not be dying yet, but it had a lot of bugs on its head. Could bugs be causing the bloody legs.

Necks: Do chickens usually have blue skin on their necks?

Symptoms that indicate dying: Well, the one who we found dying just started laying on the ground, not wanting to get up, and then closing her eyes. She just faded away until she gasped, shuddered, and died at the end. (From time we found her until she died it was probably 15-30 minutes). She had bugs on her too, bloody legs.

Blood: Seems to be bloody spots on heads, on necks, and on legs.

Polish: Their ears seem to be more blue than white. Does that mean anything? Two out of my 3 have died now.

Vents: We found some blood around vents too a little, bugs there, and yellowy diarrhea on feathers.

I think I have a bag of DE in the garage and could spread that around.

Does super clean coop mean also scrubbing it out with water and bleach? We have cleared out all the old bedding, and the coop is airing out.

Perhaps for now, we will put in the vitamins first.

I can't tell how many more of the birds are sick. Most that have died or are sick are my Polish, Cochins, and Brahma. The Speckled Sussex, Red Stars, and Buff Orpingtons seem to be fairing better, but I haven't caught one yet to get a good close up look. My last polish who seemed fine at first is now seeming to fade a little too. I don't hear any coughing or sneezing. No rattling breathing.

**I will make sure not to put vitamins in the water with meds at the same time. Thanks for the advice.

I sure hope we don't lose them all, because we had to fight the city to have them, and we are not allowed to replace them without going back in to fight to change the city code.

 

[Justino]

soooo soory

most chickens that i no dont have blue necks.....im not sure but do leg mites do this guys? ive never had it in my flock but ive heard to always check for leg mites.....

 

[dlhunicorn]

parasites will be worse with weak birds and whether they are secondary or primary problem is really a moot point at this stage of the game... you need to treat your coop and your birds because the parasites can kill and will also weaken your birds allowing to become ill and be unable to fight off any secondary illness. go to your feed store or petstore and get a spray for the coop...you can also look for a bird spray to spray ON your birds but get the non aerosol type if possible... Your birds probably also need to be wormed... I always reccomend the ivomec Eprinex as it is a broadspectrum wormer (most of the "approved for poultry" wormers will only treat one type) and not only that but will deal with many external parasties as well... here is an article on that :
http://shilala.homestead.com/ivomec.html

you apply it as a "spoton (to the back of the neck) so you can worm your birds at the same time when you have to give another med or such in the waterer (never mix meds in the water)

 

[Love my Critters!]

As far as the Terramycin goes, you are reading the wrong part of the directions. I've measured it all out before, if you will put 1 teaspoon of powder to 1 gallon of water the mixture is perfect. Make fresh every 24 hours.
Hope this helps.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Love my Critters! :

As far as the Terramycin goes, you are reading the wrong part of the directions. I've measured it all out before, if you will put 1 teaspoon of powder to 1 gallon of water the mixture is perfect. Make fresh every 24 hours.
Hope this helps.

I would suggest you follow WES directions ... the dosage is dependent on the degree of illness and from what you said the mimimum dosage is not going to be sufficient.​

 

[JenLi3]

Okay, for now I have put vitamins in the water.

I managed to catch my Speckled Sussex. She seems as feisty as ever.

The only Polish left: My daughter has been watching her, and she had a runny yellow/green/kinda bubbly poo come out.

I do have a wormer. It's Piperazine. Not recommended? I will wait and go and get the broad one tomorrow if that's better. I can go get a a spray tomorrow too, if that's better for the coop.

What about washing with water and bleach too? Not so much?

If I didn't mention before, we have had a lot of rain lately (Arkansas). If my birds have been exposed to too much dampness could that just make them more susceptible to things?

 

[JenLi3]

I understand about not mixing the meds with the vitamins. I put the vitamins in first to help them get some nutrients. Can I then switch out the water later tonight with medicine water?