Chickens slowly losing weight and dying

[nuthatched]

They’re all poultry specific. I also add ACV into one of their waterer as well.

What are they? all supplements should not being given long term.

 

[csb146]

What are they? all supplements should not being given long term.

I use rooster booster b-12 and rooster booster poultry cell

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello,
I’m fairly new to chickens and the last 3 months are so I’ve been loosing some birds and can’t figure out why. Over the course of about 3 weeks they start to self isolate and seem to just slowly waist away until they get so weak I have to cull them. They all seem to still be eating and drinking, but they are still just waisting away. They have plenty of room and I clean the coop regularly. They’re on a non gmo feed and I add some supplements to one of the waterers.

Any ideas? I’m assuming it could be a host of things but it’s starting to be a real bummer.

They have been dewormed. I did have a worm problem a while back but I feel like I have that under control.

So I have noticed the sick birds have had a very green colors poop compared to the rest of the flock and it tends to be runny and not solid.

They’re all poultry specific. I also add ACV into one of their waterer as well.

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry that you're having trouble.

Can you please post photos of the birds, their poop and of their housing?

I do agree, sending in a sick bird or one that has just died for diagnostics/necropsy is the best way to find out what is happening so you can make corrections (if needed) or administer proper medications. You don't mention what state you are in, so you can look up your lab here https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

We are not vets here on BYC, but we do ask questions for a reason.
If you can be specific with your answers, sometimes this will help us make better suggestions.
Thank you in advance for answering the question and including photos.

How old are the chickens?
How many hens/roosters do you have?
What do you feed including treats? (name of feed)
You dewormed them. (name of dewormer, dose and duration of treatment)
Have you added any new birds in the last 30 days?
What, if any, treatments/remedies other than vitamins, ACV and a dewormer have you administered?
Have you separated out sick birds and given individual care or left them with the flock?
Any coughing, sneezing, facial swelling?
Any lice or mites?

 

[csb146]

How old are the chickens?
How many hens/roosters do you have?
What do you feed including treats? (name of feed)
You dewormed them. (name of dewormer, dose and duration of treatment)
Have you added any new birds in the last 30 days?
What, if any, treatments/remedies other than vitamins, ACV and a dewormer have you administered?
Have you separated out sick birds and given individual care or left them with the flock?
Any coughing, sneezing, facial swelling?
Any lice or mites?

-All my chickens are between 6-9 moths old
-I'm currently down to only 4 hens
-I Feed them soy free non gmo from homestead harvest. I occasionally throw some scratch out or ferminted a feed scratch mix and give it to them a few times a month.
-I have dewormed them I used a course of pour on ivermetic followed by Equimax paste
-I haven't really tried much else
-I haven't separated the birds
- No coughing, sneezing or swelling, just pale combs
-haven't seen any lice or mites

 

[NatJ]

I add some supplements to one of the waterers.

Does this mean they always have plain water available too?

What are they? all supplements should not being given long term.

Does that still apply if they also have a source of plain water?

I thought it was fine to give chickens a choice (plain water or water with supplement), but could cause trouble if they were forced to drink the supplement all the time (no option for plain water.)

 

[nuthatched]

Does this mean they always have plain water available too?


Does that still apply if they also have a source of plain water?

I thought it was fine to give chickens a choice (plain water or water with supplement), but could cause trouble if they were forced to drink the supplement all the time (no option for plain water.)

Probably not as much but most people don't have another waterer.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

-All my chickens are between 6-9 moths old
-I'm currently down to only 4 hens
-I Feed them soy free non gmo from homestead harvest. I occasionally throw some scratch out or ferminted a feed scratch mix and give it to them a few times a month.
-I have dewormed them I used a course of pour on ivermetic followed by Equimax paste
-I haven't really tried much else
-I haven't separated the birds
- No coughing, sneezing or swelling, just pale combs
-haven't seen any lice or mites

Looks like whole loose feed, do you provide grit as well?
Often birds will only pick out the things they like, for instance all the peas, sunflower seeds, etc., leaving the rest. The vitamins are added as a powder and the birds need to consume all the ingredients to see the full benefit. Some have found if they ferment or even soak the feed to help incorporate all the ingredients, this is helpful in enticing their bird to eat a complete food.
With a whole loose feed like this, I would not give scratch, the feed already has corn, sunflower, peas, oats, etc., personally I don't see the point.

Did you see worms in their poop or you dewormed as a possible remedy to see if that made a difference in the flock's health.
Did you follow up with a second dose of Ivermectin? Ivermectin may treat roundworms, but it seems to have lost some effectiveness. Either way, it's given once, then repeated in 10-14 days.
Same with Equimax, it's repeated in 10-14 days and will only treat Tapeworm.

For those that are going down hill, collect some poop samples and take them to your vet for a fecal float to rule out worms and coccidiosis. This will let you know if you need to use a different anthelmintic like Fenbendazole or Albendazole and/or if you need to treat for Coccidiosis. If you get results that indicate these are part of the problem, then treat the whole flock.

Work on hydration. See that the ones that are sick and isolating themselves can get to food/water on their own, if not, then you'll need to syringe or tube it into them. Electrolytes or poultry vitamins can be given to them.
Make sure their crops are emptying too.


Photos would still be nice to have.
Also how many chickens you have to how much space.

Can you please post photos of the birds, their poop and of their housing?

Thank you in advance for answering the question and including photos.

 

[csb146]

UPDATE: I have 2 chickens that are still declining. I’ve have them separated and noticed one has white watery poop. Idk if that helps with figuring out what’s wrong m.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You mentioned using ACV in their water, is the container plastic/glass? From with I've read over the years, vinegar has a toxic reaction with metal. I used to put ACV in the water but now ferment feed, however every thing is plastic, glass or wooden spoon.

IF another passes, the best way to find out what's happening is get a necropsy as advised in prior post.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Getting some testing/necropsy is best to figure this out if you lose another.

If possible, get a fecal float through your vet this week to see if worms and/or Coccidiosis are an issue.
If not possible, then consider deworming them and treating for Coccidiosis.
Corid and Safeguard can be found at most feed stores.

Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given as the only source of drinking water for 5-7 days. Don't add any Extra supplements to feed or water that contain B1(Thiamine) during the course of Corid treatment.

Safeguard liquid goat dewormer dosing is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.