Chickens falling ill

[ManedWolf]

I am having problems with my Rhode Island Red/New Hampshire Red crosses. They are all about 4 years old and are exhibiting the same symptoms: lethargy, weakness, dizziness, and poor balance. It started with one, a few months ago she was laying lash eggs and the other symptoms came on. She's still alive, and has stopped laying lash eggs (and hasn't for a while), but is gradually having a harder time walking. Recently she's had 2 seizures. She continues to eat, drink, dust bath, and engages in other normal chicken behaviors. A few weeks ago I had another one start laying lash eggs, but she died a week or two later. A few days ago another hen starting having balance problems but hasn't laid any lash eggs. Like I said, they're all the same breed from the same batch.
I have 23 other chickens (different ages and breeds) and they're all fine.
I hope it's not Mareks, as I don't believe any are vaccinated. I'd like to mention that I hadn't introduced any new flock members or have been around any other flocks at the time the symptoms started.
Is there anything I can do to slow the progression of symptoms?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sounds like you're dealing with various stages of Salpingitis in all of them. The condition is never really fully cured in hens. It's often due to infection from E. Coli or it can be a result of respiratory disease.

How do you normally treat them - with antibiotics, vitamins/supplements?

Work on hydration, see that they are eating/drinking.
Do look them over for lice/mites, often sick birds can have them. Same for worms - get a fecal float to see if they need deworming.


https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/
https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/

 

[ManedWolf]

Sounds like you're dealing with various stages of Salpingitis in all of them. The condition is never really fully cured in hens. It's often due to infection from E. Coli or it can be a result of respiratory disease.

How do you normally treat them - with antibiotics, vitamins/supplements?

Work on hydration, see that they are eating/drinking.
Do look them over for lice/mites, often sick birds can have them. Same for worms - get a fecal float to see if they need deworming.


https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/
https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/

I know two had Salpingitis, the third one must as well.

Can Salpingitis be caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum?

If I caught it early enough I'd treat with antibiotics, but right now I'm only giving them vitamins/supplements. Is it true that once they start laying lash eggs it's too late?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I know two had Salpingitis, the third one must as well.

Can Salpingitis be caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum?

If I caught it early enough I'd treat with antibiotics, but right now I'm only giving them vitamins/supplements. Is it true that once they start laying lash eggs it's too late?

Yes, Salpingitis can be a result of MG.

You can try antibiotics to see if they make a difference. Amoxicillin is often used. Baytril is used as well, but it's banned for use in poultry, some people still use Baytril if their hens are pets and they don't sell eggs.

Can't say if it's too late or not. Some hens if treated with antibiotics can go on to live for a good while longer, some don't. Some may even resume laying eggs for a period of time.
It's not a good explanation, but the best I have - there's really too many variables to know how well a hen will do with treatment, all you can do try and see what happens.

You do want to continue to offer supportive care when appropriate - vitamins/supplements can be given for short periods of time. Keeping parasites (internal and external) under control is always a good practice as well.


https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...s an inflammation of,Mycoplasma gallisepticum
https://the-chicken-chick.com/causes-of-lash-eggs-salpingitis-by/