Chicken 911

[SurferchickinSB]

Thank you I will keep a close eye on her tonight, she is currently in the house in a laundry basket with towels for cushion and then I have one draped over the basket just to try and reduce any further stress. If she does have food in her crop tomorrow morning I'll be back here asking how to best flush a crop (I have an idea but have never attempted). She definitely did not eat anything today. She is about 4.5 months old and is quite a bit younger than my other hens who just started laying (they're about 6 months old). I checked her vent by using Vaseline on my pinky and inserting about an inch into her vent (poor girl). Everything felt normal, no hard masses. She is sitting up on her own now and will open her eyes when I pull the towel back to check on her. I consider this an improvement in her behavior, but she is still super lethargic and limp overall.

I would agree with you, sounds like she has had some type of poisoning.

 

[bird_nerd]

Do you have any electrolytes, SaveAChick, Poultry NutriDrench, gatorade or pedialyte that you can offer to her? Cooked egg or wet feed may be good to offer her. If you remove her from the nest box and set her down in the coop, what does she do? Does she have any missing feathers on her chest? Hopefully, she just needs some fluids and food, or she might possibly be going broody.

There is no vaccine to protect against botulism. Botulism is more common in ducks, but they get it from eating dead animal remains, rotten vegetation, or maggots that have been without oxygen either buried or under water. I kind of doubt that she had that since she would not have been able to stand at all even with help. It causes flaccid paralysis starting at the feet spreading up the spinal nerves to the wings, neck, and eyelids. There could have been some other neurological problem, dehdydration, mold poisoning, or toxin, but most times we don’t get answers unless there is a necropsy after death. Hopefully, she will get back to normal soon. I would give her some form of chicken vitamins or human B complex for riboflavin.

That link I posted to Merck's website discusses their vaccine for botulism, it says it's not practical for commercial operations but I have under 100 chickens and live in the Pacific Northwest--it's super wet here so there is a lot of rotting plant material around. I am wondering if I should vaccinate my chickens but maybe I misunderstood the article. Thank you for your help!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That link I posted to Merck's website discusses their vaccine for botulism, it says it's not practical for commercial operations but I have under 100 chickens and live in the Pacific Northwest--it's super wet here so there is a lot of rotting plant material around. I am wondering if I should vaccinate my chickens but maybe I misunderstood the article. Thank you for your help!!

Any idea what she may have ingested to have come down with Botulism?
Where would you get the vaccine?

Botulism is not spread from bird to bird. Birds can get botulism when they eat spoiled feed or infected carcasses or maggots that have been in infected carcasses.
Prevention and Control
Remove spoiled feed or decaying matter, and replace any feed you suspect of having spoiled. Incinerate or bury dead birds promptly. Do not feed birds spoiled canned vegetables. Control flies.
https://articles.extension.org/pages/68116/botulism-in-poultry


From your Merck link:
Control and Prevention of Botulism in Poultry

• Immunization with type C toxoid has been successful in pheasant operations
  
  
• Immunization of commercial chicken flocks is not cost-effective
  

Birds with botulism may recover without treatment. Antibiotics effective against clostridia may be useful if the disease is toxico-infectious. Collection and disposal of dead birds is critical to prevent and limit outbreaks, especially in pheasant and broiler chicken flocks. Fly control may reduce the risk of toxic maggots in the environment. Some, but not all, recurrent outbreaks in broiler flocks may be prevented by cleaning and disinfecting with products effective against spore-forming bacteria. Disinfection around poultry houses is suggested, because spores can be found outside of the houses and be reintroduced. In waterfowl outbreaks, ducks should be dispersed from affected areas and water levels stabilized. Elimination of large, shallow areas may prevent conditions favorable for decay of vegetation and die-off of invertebrates.

Active immunization with inactivated type C bacterin-toxoids has been successful in pheasant operations but is not cost-effective or feasible in commercial chickens and wild ducks. Treatment with type-specific antitoxin is effective but not practical.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/botulism/botulism-in-poultry


POULTRY SITE
A condition of chickens, turkeys, ducks and other waterfowl occurring worldwide and caused by a bacterial toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum mainly types A / C. The toxin is produced in decaying animal (usually carcases) and plant waste, and toxin-containing material (pond-mud, carcases, maggots) is consumed by the birds. Toxin may also be produced by the bacteria in the caecum.

Treatment
Remove source of toxin, supportive treatment if justifiable, antibiotics, selenium.

Prevention
Preventing access to toxin, suspect food and stagnant ponds, especially in hot weather. The single most important measure is careful pick-up and removal of all dead birds on a daily basis. This will reduce the risk of botulism both in the poultry and in any grazing animals on land where poultry litter is spread.
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/botulism

Prevention Do not feed chickens spoiled feed or maggots Clean up any spilled feed from the pen at the end of each day Do not allow chickens access to areas of standing water, such as that found in deep mud, swamps, or wetland areas Don't allow chickens access to composts Properly dispose of dead animals by promptly burying them at least a foot into the ground or by burning them. Do not feed chickens rotting vegetables, particularly cabbage. Be careful about feeding chickens home-preserved and/or fermented foods
See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/botulism