Chickens wasting away and I'm stumped. Cocci?

[Keylime]

Blackhead usually presents with yellow or sulfur colored droppings.
While there is the possibility of a bird having a feather growth issue with Safeguard during molt, it's not super common. "Possible" doesn't mean it WILL happen. I've used it many times during molt and have never had an issue. But it's a possibility, so something to be aware of.
Valbazen is often not available locally, just depends on your store, you usually have to order it online. My TSC used to carry it but stopped many years ago. If you have sick birds, I would go ahead and use the Safeguard rather than wait for the Valbazen. You can order the Valbazen and have it on hand for the next time.
What do you feed them? How old are they?

They are between a little over a year and seven years. Also, when I provided grit today, most of them GOBBLED it down. I hadn't been giving them girt before because they live in a 400 square foot pen in rocky soil, but maybe that was a mistake? They get a lot of "treats" (weeds, table scraps that aren't salty or sugary). They normally get layer pellets, but they are now on chick starter feed with probiotics.

 

[coach723]

It's always a good idea to have some grit available, a bag might last you a very long time. If the rocks in your soil are not the right size or composition, they may not be what they need. If the starter is in the 18% protein range that will be better than the layer which is usually 16%. They need more protein when they molt, feathers are protein.

 

[Keylime]

It's always a good idea to have some grit available, a bag might last you a very long time. If the rocks in your soil are not the right size or composition, they may not be what they need. If the starter is in the 18% protein range that will be better than the layer which is usually 16%. They need more protein when they molt, feathers are protein.

Thanks. Do you think not having grit is causing the clear diahrea?

 

[coach723]

If they didn't have grit and they have a blockage somewhere, then yes it could.
Have you checked crop function? Check first thing in the morning before they've had food or water. Crops should be empty then. Many causes of digestive issues, worms can do it, lack of grit, or eating things they shouldn't. The fact that it's apparently all of them makes it more likely to be something like that. I deal with worms all the time and a blockage from them usually doesn't happen to them all at once. When they are eating, but only passing clear fluids, it sounds like solids are not getting through. Lack of grit to grind things in the gizzard can definitely cause that.

 

[Keylime]

If they didn't have grit and they have a blockage somewhere, then yes it could.
Have you checked crop function? Check first thing in the morning before they've had food or water. Crops should be empty then. Many causes of digestive issues, worms can do it, lack of grit, or eating things they shouldn't. The fact that it's apparently all of them makes it more likely to be something like that. I deal with worms all the time and a blockage from them usually doesn't happen to them all at once. When they are eating, but only passing clear fluids, it sounds like solids are not getting through. Lack of grit to grind things in the gizzard can definitely cause that.

So all of them had empty crops this morning.

I gave them the pyrantel because that's what I could get my hands on, and they are on CORID for 7 days. Here is a fresh, bloody stool. What do you think?

If they didn't have grit and they have a blockage somewhere, then yes it could.
Have you checked crop function? Check first thing in the morning before they've had food or water. Crops should be empty then. Many causes of digestive issues, worms can do it, lack of grit, or eating things they shouldn't. The fact that it's apparently all of them makes it more likely to be something like that. I deal with worms all the time and a blockage from them usually doesn't happen to them all at once. When they are eating, but only passing clear fluids, it sounds like solids are not getting through. Lack of grit to grind things in the gizzard can definitely cause thatI think I found the culprit. They were all given pie rental this morning.

If they didn't have grit and they have a blockage somewhere, then yes it could.
Have you checked crop function? Check first thing in the morning before they've had food or water. Crops should be empty then. Many causes of digestive issues, worms can do it, lack of grit, or eating things they shouldn't. The fact that it's apparently all of them makes it more likely to be something like that. I deal with worms all the time and a blockage from them usually doesn't happen to them all at once. When they are eating, but only passing clear fluids, it sounds like solids are not getting through. Lack of grit to grind things in the gizzard can definitely cause that.

Everyone had empty crops this morning, and I treated them with parental. But I think I found my culprit. Is this tapeworm eggs? They were pulsating, stretching blobs.

 

[Lillith37]

Looks like tapeworm to me. You need a medication with praziquantel. A lot of folks recommend only treating the affected bird but if you have multiple birds affected and the issue has been present for some time, it may be better to worm the whole flock. Tapeworm is spread through insects like flies and earthworms. Repeat the worming in 2 weeks. Keep an eye out for it coming back — it took me almost a year to get rid of recurrent tapeworm in my flock.

 

[Keylime]

Looks like tapeworm to me. You need a medication with praziquantel. A lot of folks recommend only treating the affected bird but if you have multiple birds affected and the issue has been present for some time, it may be better to worm the whole flock. Tapeworm is spread through insects like flies and earthworms. Repeat the worming in 2 weeks. Keep an eye out for it coming back — it took me almost a year to get rid of recurrent tapeworm in my flock.

Thanks. How did you treat with praziquantel? Did you use it as a paste on food? I had a very hard time syringe dosing 18 hens with pyrantel today.

 

[Eggcessive]

As @Lillith37 said, not all birds would need treating unless you see the tapeworm segments in their droppings. Eqiumax horse dewormer in feed stores will treat tapeworm. Dosage is 0.16 ml for a 5 pound chicken given orally once and repeated in 14 days. Other medicines, such as Zimectrin Gold horse paste and Droncit tablets contain praziquantel, the active ingredient that treats tapes. Tapeworm eggs reside in droppings, and they also are in an intermediate hosts, such as earthworms, flies, snails, slugs, and beetles. Cleaning up droppings of the infested chicken can help prevent reinfestation.

 

[Keylime]

As @Lillith37 said, not all birds would need treating unless you see the tapeworm segments in their droppings. Eqiumax horse dewormer in feed stores will treat tapeworm. Dosage is 0.16 ml for a 5 pound chicken given orally once and repeated in 14 days. Other medicines, such as Zimectrin Gold horse paste and Droncit tablets contain praziquantel, the active ingredient that treats tapes. Tapeworm eggs reside in droppings, and they also are in an intermediate hosts, such as earthworms, flies, snails, slugs, and beetles. Cleaning up droppings of the infested chicken can help prevent reinfestation.

On second thought, I'm thinking about not treating for tapeworm as I don't think it's the problem. I have been digging through poo for a month and a half, and this is the first time I have seen the tapes. My hens don't free range, so I doubt many of them have tapes. Hoping that the CORID and the pyrantel do the trick. If not I will try the Valbazen.

 

[coach723]

I agree that those are tapeworm proglottids, and I would get the correct meds to treat for them. They are not always visible in droppings, it depends on the lifecycle of the tapeworms and the load. It could very well be the reason for all your symptoms, particularly the weight loss. Video below for comparison, when droppings are very fresh they can sometimes still be moving, but they die fairly quickly once outside, so may not be if the dropping is not very fresh. Whether or not they are the cause of all the symptoms, they still really need to be treated. There are several kinds of insects and other secondary hosts that can easily get into your chicken run, so not free ranging is not a guarantee. If you have cockroaches, and southern states tend to have a lot of them, they are everywhere and can be a host.