Chickens acting sick/lethargic... Ideas before I take one to the vet?

[kmalo805]

Hi everyone! First time posting

Background - I had 13 chickens, 5 from Tractor supply, 8 from my mom's flock, all grew up together...as of today they are roughly 21 weeks old. 2 Iso Browns, 1 Buff Orpington, 2 Bantams (one turned into a rooster), and the other 8 are mixed breed black/white/brown of TSC-bought (from mom's flock). All are (were) VERY healthy and beautiful. We feed organic and have an organic garden that we give scraps from. They're in a 12x12+ wood pen (a converted horse stall) with one door covered in chicken wire as a window, perches and 4 nesting boxes.

Well 4 of the 'hens' turned into roosters, 3 more than we wanted. We gave away 3 of the roosters and got 4 hens from a local chicken farm/butchery. We didn't really plan on this but it happened...we came home with 2 silkies and 2 reds. This was 2 weeks ago and I think they brought an illness with them. About 4 days ago I noticed these symptoms:

- Bantam rooster is lethargic... not crowing, comb is drooping, not as active as he usually is.
- Buff Orpington is lethargic... laying on the ground, not pecking/scratching as usual. Closes eyes a lot and seems like something is caught in her throat - she sticks her neck out and opens her mouth as if she were letting out a loud cluck but there's no sound.
- Black/brown mixed breed is lethargic...not pecking/scratching. One eye is shut. Before the eye 'shut', there was a spit-like drainage from it. Not discolored, just looked like clear spit, bubbling and a bit thick. Also drooling and coughing.
- Iso Brown is lethargic... No other symptom, just not pecking/scratching, closing eyes a lot.

None of the chickens from the chicken farm are sick, only hens from the original flock. No signs of trauma. Seems as though they're drinking fine, and they'll peck a little bit if I put some corn scratch on the ground, but not all that interested. Poop is a little runny, no blood, not all of them.

I've started Rooster Booster electrolyte/probiotic in their water and Rooster Booster pellets in their food, as well as VetRx (although I haven't perfected this yet)... (Ideas thanks to other posts!!) This is Day 2 of these remedies, no positive changes so far.

It's Labor Day weekend, my vet isn't open until Tuesday and I'd rather treat this homeopathically. That being said, I know that some things need antibiotics (that I can't get OTC because I live in CA) and I don't want to lose my flock, so if things get much worse, Tuesday might get expensive... Any ideas are much appreciated!

On another note, I have 4 chicks and 4 ducklings 1-2 weeks old that are separated and will remain that way until I get this sorted out - any suggestions or things to keep in mind once this problem is taken care of are welcome. (I.E. sanitizing the coop, etc.)

Thanks other backyard farmers! - Katelyn

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It is really unfortunate that your chickens are all getting sick from the 4 chickens you brought in from the farm. It can only take 2-3 days up to 10 for symptoms to show up when exposed by carriers.

Infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma (MG,) coryza, and ILT are some of the common respiratory diseases that affect chickens. Except for bronchitis, they all can make your chickens carriers for life. They can also come in combinations, and have secondary infections. Infectious bronchitis will make them carriers for 5 month up to a year.

You can chose to spend lots of money at the vets and use a lot of antibiotics/medicines over the next few years treating them anytime they get sick or have a relapse.

The best thing you can do is to take your sickest one or two birds, and sacrifice them to have a necropsy done by your state poultry lab. Or just get them tested. That would eventually give you a diagnosis, and you could either choose to medicate them or cull the sickest birds. Some might even cull the whole flock and start over with healthy day old chicks from a hatchery.

Coryza and ILT are especially bad diseases to deal with. Infectious bronchitis is something I have dealt with, and I just did not get new chickens or hatch any for a year after the last one was sick. It is much harder on young chicks than adult birds. MG is common in backyard flocks after a few years. Some may get sick, and they may get sick again and again. It is treated with Tylan 50 injectable from the feed store, given orally or by injection. Or Tylan powder for the water, and only availble from a vet. Denagard is another medicine that mostly people who have it long term use.

You can contact your state vet to learn about testing or how to get a necropsy done. Or your local vet may help with testing. Here is a link that gives info for contacting your state vet and another with common diseases and their symptoms:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[kmalo805]

Thank you! I'm going to be doing my research on all of these that you mentioned and looking into the state vet. I really appreciate it.
In between time of posting this and now, the Buff Orpington died :'(

 

[rebrascora]

I'm sorry for your loss and that you are having to deal with this. Many of us have made the mistake of bringing in grown birds and are paying the price... I'm over 3 years down the line with Marek's disease....
If you can double bag and refrigerate the Buff Orps body, you could send that off for necropsy to your state vets. Some are subsidised (it varies from state to state) because poultry are part of the food chain, so depending upon where you live it may be more affordable than you would expect. If you do a Google search on
"-------(which ever state you are in) state veterinary diagnostics lab" you should find a website for your state which will have contact details and info on how to send a carcass(usually overnight on ice) and the cost..... look on their price list for "gross necropsy, poultry". There may be additional charges for bacterial or viral testing but they should discuss this with you and explain costs after the gross necropsy is done.
Good luck with getting to the bottom of the problem and finding a suitable treatment.

 

[Eggcessive]

Be sure to keep the body refrigerated in a plastic garbage bag, but do not freeze, until you can take or send it for a necropsy. Sorry for your loss.