Chicks with whitish discharge

[Alabama Fly]

I'm having an issue with some chicks that I have never run across before. I hatch a lot of chicks, some under broody's, some in incubators. I have silkies, show Girls, Cochin bantams, and my laying flock consist of naked necks and various layer hens. I sell a lot of chicks but I usually wait until they are at least a month old because I have frizzles and they are usually in high demand. In a few recent hatchings I have noticed a trend. Out of 15 to 30 chicks I will have one or two with these symptoms. They are slow to develop, lethargic, and have a whitish discharge daily from their vents. Not pasty butt. It also seems to affect the feathers on their behinds as they become completely bald. Eventually these chicks die or I cull them. It has been my opinion that this is some type of yeast infection and I have been treating it as such. They have clean water that is sanitized often, they live in clean conditions, I use apple cider vinegar in their drinking water, and give them yogurt. I have 2 with this condition at this time. These are the only two out of many chicks. Daily I clean them, give them Nutri drench occasionally and I have tried 2 different fungal creams. Monistat and a jock itch medication. Externally and internally. I know some people say not to give Monistat orally but these chicks are going to die regardless. I know that older hens with crop, and vent yeast can be treated with Nystatin or copper sulfate. I guess what I am asking is if anyone out there is familiar with this problem in baby chicks and how did you treat it? Naturally I'm going to take 1 to a vet, if I can't get this figured out . Also if I need Nystatin I will have to go to a vet . I love my chickens and I sell them so I can keep them as a hobby . I just know that many times other chicken owners have valuable input.

 

[Alabama Fly]

Has anyone ever experienced this?

 

[Kiki]

At what age do you notice this white stuff?
Can you post a few pictures of it?


I think a vet is a good idea.
I'm thinking a vet will give you a good answer so you don't have to continue to throw things at them that may or may not work.

Have you been able to save any of them with the methods you have been trying?

Do you offer them plain fresh water ever?

 

[Alabama Fly]

At what age do you notice this white stuff?
Can you post a few pictures of it?


I think a vet is a good idea.
I'm thinking a vet will give you a good answer so you don't have to continue to throw things at them that may or may not work.

Have you been able to save any of them with the methods you have been trying?

Do you offer them plain fresh water ever?

 

[Eggcessive]

It might be time to get a couple of the chicks necropsied with cultures and testing, to pinpoint the cause. We would only be guessing what the cause is, but I would want to rule out some of most common diseases, coccidiosis, even something like salmonella. Very sorry for your loss. Here in this link, there is a list of state vets:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[Alabama Fly]

Yes they have plain freshwater available and I have a few that have never had vinegar water. I usually start noticing symptoms within a few days of hatching. I can tell which ones are going to be affected early on. They usually succumb Within a month. I was able with a lot of TLC to get one to live to two months. I thought it was over the hump and would survive although it never looked quite right, but one morning I found it dead. This is the only one I have affected at this time. It is a month old showgirl. The first picture is this morning before I cleaned it. I also noticed what looks like a spot of dried blood, but I have never seen blood on them before. The last picture is after I cleaned him and I slightly squeezed the vent and you can see the white discharge come out.

 

[Alabama Fly]

It might be time to get a couple of the chicks necropsied with cultures and testing, to pinpoint the cause. We would only be guessing what the cause is, but I would want to rule out some of most common diseases, coccidiosis, even something like salmonella. Very sorry for your loss. Here in this link, there is a list of state vets:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Thank you so much.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am really no expert on hatching, but since you are hatching so many, I would also really disinfect your incubators and hatchers, turners, etc. since bacteria in the incubators can cause many infections in chicks, including mushy chick disease and others. I have only hatched a few batches, and try to use bleach water, but it seems nearly impossible to sterilize those things with all of the working parts, without damaging them. So sorry that this is happening.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good article about salmonella (typhoid, pullorum) that describes similar symptoms, but hopefully it is not that:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/68121/fowl-typhoid-in-poultry

 

[Alabama Fly]

Here is a good article about salmonella (typhoid, pullorum) that describes similar symptoms, but hopefully it is not that:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/68121/fowl-typhoid-in-poultry

Thank you for your help, I'm going to take one in for necropsy.