Chickens get sick and die within the day. Maybe Cocci or eggbound?

[Buff Orpington]

I have Buff Orpington Hens. Approx. 6 months old. They started laying about 2 weeks ago. They are on 100% layer ration with no other supplements. They are free range and have been exposed to the outside for 5 months.

2 weeks ago i had one get sick. She was fine in the morning, but by late afternoon she was slow moving, drooping her head, and would not eat or drink. She would bob her hind end like she had to poop or drop and egg, but nothing ever came out. She died that night.

Yesterday i had another hen with the same symptoms but this one also pooped out a clear watery diarrhea, there was no blood in it, and she also dropped a broken egg with a really leathery shell. She also died that night.

I talked to a vet and they thought it would be coccidiosis. All of the other chickens in the flock are looking good and well.

 

[music4mysoul]

I am interested in responses to Buff's post as well. A few weeks ago our Buff Orpington was fine one minute and within the hour we found her unable to stand or lift her head, she died in my arms a few minutes later. She'd laid an egg that morning, she ate and drank normally and there were no signs of trauma. We have a relatively small backyard and my boyfriend and I had been working in the yard - building a Pavilion - lots of sawing and drilling and noise. She was not a scaredy chicken at all, so I don't think the noise would have caused a heart attack or stroke, and we are always out there working on something making noise.

No rooster, 4 other chickens (BR, SF, Wyandotte, Ameraucana), she was probably next at the top of the pecking order, never saw her bullied or anything. She was only 8 months old and seemed in perfect health until just before... everyone else is totally fine.

I miss my dear sweet Elsie... any ideas?

Thank you,
Kristin

 

[aggiemae]

One of my hens, a copper Maran, not a Buff Orp died suddenly a week ago. Just as you described, including the watery poop. All my hens are about 6 months old.

Today when I cleaned the sand on the coop floor I noticed four giant wet splats.There was no solid poop to speak of but I checked the sand under a microscope and don't see any worms or other parasites. I also checked a couple of the normal poops and no worms there either. The hens appear to be find but so did the Maran until I found her dying at 7AM. I am thinking I should start the chickens on antibiotic but the feed store is closed until Monday.

I really hope that someone reads this thread who know what to do.

 

[chickenzoo]

Sorry about your girls...I would up the calcium in their diet. It seems they are having laying issues for some reason..
Coccidia would cause them to act weak, stand around puffed up with eyes closed, weight loss, droopy appearance and often pale color...sometimes bloody poo in late stages. Worms can mimic most of those symptoms also.

 

[aggiemae]

I am going to worm tomorrow just in case. I plan to use a natural garlic based wormer since I can't see worms in the poop.

There was no bloody poop with the Marion though she was a bit droopy the day before she died and limp on one side when I found her that morning. The thing is, because my kids put them in the night before and I didn't check the doors, I checked them a 2AM when I thought I heard them fussing and she was on the roost. I found her sitting on the floor before 7AM. She couldn't bear weight on one side but her wings and other leg seemed fine. I though she might have injured herself but could find nothing other than her having a huge splat of poop that looked and felt like clear water with some streaks of the usual white stuff. Her eyes were droopy and she looked sick By the time I got vitamins and electrolytes she was dead. It was maybe half an hours from when I found her.

There were two big wet spats on the floor of the coop this morning. Yesterday there were at least four. One of the RIR's has soe poop on her bottom but she is acting normally and laid two eggs today but if it continues should I do to a round of antibiotic? I really don't want to loose another hen.

About calcium. They are on layer feed and we offer calcium on the side as well. The hens all started laying in mid August and their eggs are hard and well formed and getting bigger everyday. I though they knew how much they needed?

 

[dawg53]

You dont need to see worms in poop in order for them to have worms. I recommend dosing them with either valbazen cattle/sheep wormer or safeguard liquid goat wormer.