Don't take this the wrong way, but some of the hens have ruff looking feather coats... Have you checked them for mites and lice? Often I will find bugs when mine look like that.
-Kathy
-Kathy
Coccidious...treating since Sunday, they are still dying... :(
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don't worry, I am not taking ANYTHING the wrong way. I know! they look horrible, all started last week when the diaharrea, bloody butts and the first two hens died....I checked the hen that I have inside, her skin looks good, no signs of black specs or lice or lice eggs. I took a picture of her bloody butt to show you ...I'm going to go check a couple hens outside for lice or mites. 
Did you just take that?
-Kathy
-Kathy
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Okay, so I learned they really don't like to be poked, prodded and flipped (to see their bellies), got a nice foot to the face. I checked all the leghorns, they look the worst-- nice pink skin, nothing on the feathers. I can probably check them over really good if I had four hands so I'll have to wait till my husband comes home from ice-fishing. Anyway from what I can tell, no lice or mites. Their eyes are clear, their faces look good, their beaks are a little dirty. Their combs are full and colored, not pale.
I thought that the "dirt" on their breast bone was from the food dish and wet mash/oatmeal getting on them. I also just thought they were getting so dirty because they don't have a dust bath. I tried to put one in their in the early winter, but the next day it was all scratched out ....and I didn't replace it because it would freeze anyway. (sand or dirt) So, I'm not sure how chickens keep themselves groomed in the winter....
I thought that the "dirt" on their breast bone was from the food dish and wet mash/oatmeal getting on them. I also just thought they were getting so dirty because they don't have a dust bath. I tried to put one in their in the early winter, but the next day it was all scratched out ....and I didn't replace it because it would freeze anyway. (sand or dirt) So, I'm not sure how chickens keep themselves groomed in the winter....
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Yes.
I think maybe you have something more severe than just coccidiosis. Email that picture to the online vet that you were working with.
-Kathy
-Kathy
Based on picture I would bring into consideration cannibalism. A great deal has been mentioned about treats; oatmeal and the like. Your may be cutting into the the balanced portion of the diet too much. Isolate bleeding birds now and introduce a higher protein grower diet to the layer mix. For now cease use of treats.
With respect to dust bathing setups indoors I use galvanized wash tubes filled about 1/4 to 1/3 full with a silty loam containing ground peat and / or charcoal. Tube below shown with hen brooding clutch on pelleted saw dust. Saw dust is not good for dusting, partical size too course I think.
With respect to dust bathing setups indoors I use galvanized wash tubes filled about 1/4 to 1/3 full with a silty loam containing ground peat and / or charcoal. Tube below shown with hen brooding clutch on pelleted saw dust. Saw dust is not good for dusting, partical size too course I think.
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Overall, birds do not look too bad with respect to feathering. The head shaking does suggest an upper respiratory issue but that is not your primary problem. I can not see entire chicken house but I am guessing you close it up tight at night possibly causing a buildup of moisture which can increase risks associated with respiratory tract.
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This was the doctors reply:
Thank you for the picture and additional information. This looks more like an intestinal ulceration condition, although severe coccidiosis can look that way as well. Unless other birds seem to be coming down with this condition, or the already affected ones getting worse, I would recommend sticking with the treatment plan and seeing if you can pull her through this crisis. If you don't mind opening her up and seeing what you find, I can help you interpret your findings, if you'd like.
Best regards, Dr. Bob
I told him I thought we should cull her to find out what is afflicting the flock. Ending her life & doing a necropsy may save the rest of the flock.
About my coop:
Its 8 x10 and actually, the door swelled when it froze, so it doesn't shut all the way, the windows are just slipped in plexi glass (like a picture frame, there is just four wooden toggles that hold it in place.) In October, the first snowfall, we had a good amount of snow inside, so on the outside of the windows, we used the feed grain bags, cut them and stapled them over the windows to keep the snow out. The grain bags are like tyvek -- So, its really not locked up like fort knox.
I did smell ammonia the other day, which is why I cleaned out the entire DL and started over as suggested by another expert forum member, I would have to go back through this post to find out who.
Here is how all my problems started.
Deep Litter since October. Two weeks ago we had a blizzard, almost 4 feet of snow. The girls started staying inside 24/7. Lots of poo, inside the coop. It got to -15 and -26, I, against everything I had read, did the stupid thing and put a heat lamp in the coop. The water fount must not have been even because the ammonia was coming from around the litter by the fountain--
So, deep litter, heat, water. Coccidiosis was given the chance to grow and thrive. Now you're suggesting a respiratory infection...thats probably because of the ammonia when I was cleaning it out.
Everything happened because I heated the coop.
Thank you for the picture and additional information. This looks more like an intestinal ulceration condition, although severe coccidiosis can look that way as well. Unless other birds seem to be coming down with this condition, or the already affected ones getting worse, I would recommend sticking with the treatment plan and seeing if you can pull her through this crisis. If you don't mind opening her up and seeing what you find, I can help you interpret your findings, if you'd like.
Best regards, Dr. Bob
I told him I thought we should cull her to find out what is afflicting the flock. Ending her life & doing a necropsy may save the rest of the flock.
About my coop:
Its 8 x10 and actually, the door swelled when it froze, so it doesn't shut all the way, the windows are just slipped in plexi glass (like a picture frame, there is just four wooden toggles that hold it in place.) In October, the first snowfall, we had a good amount of snow inside, so on the outside of the windows, we used the feed grain bags, cut them and stapled them over the windows to keep the snow out. The grain bags are like tyvek -- So, its really not locked up like fort knox.
I did smell ammonia the other day, which is why I cleaned out the entire DL and started over as suggested by another expert forum member, I would have to go back through this post to find out who.
Here is how all my problems started.
Deep Litter since October. Two weeks ago we had a blizzard, almost 4 feet of snow. The girls started staying inside 24/7. Lots of poo, inside the coop. It got to -15 and -26, I, against everything I had read, did the stupid thing and put a heat lamp in the coop. The water fount must not have been even because the ammonia was coming from around the litter by the fountain--
So, deep litter, heat, water. Coccidiosis was given the chance to grow and thrive. Now you're suggesting a respiratory infection...thats probably because of the ammonia when I was cleaning it out.
Everything happened because I heated the coop.
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