Dead chicken

[rworrell]

One of my rhoade islnd red hens died today.She didn't really show any symptoms until today
when I found her shivering with discharge from her beek and bubbles from her eye.I have a
small flock and am worried for my other birds,does anyone have any idea what she may have
had and if my others are at risk?

 

[Miss Lydia]

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044 How old are your birds?
Terramycin/tetracycline is effective against many of the infectious upper respiratory bacterial diseases, but not all. Not coryza. It won't work if they do not get an effective dose (meaning if you put it in their drinking water, and they are too sick to drink enough, or if the mix is too old (change daily), or if you didn't use it for long enough.

Sulfadimethoxine (albon) is typically used for coccidia- which is not a respiratory disease, not a bacteria. It is also used for some respiratory diseases. It is labeled for coryza in CERTAIN poultry. Also will only work if used correctly and they are drinking the water soluble stuff.

Aureomycin (chlortetracycline) is another antibiotic in the tetracycline class. Unlikely to help you if you used the terramycin correctly.

Tylan/tylosin different antibiotic class from the tetracyclines and sulfa drugs, but it has alot of overlap with the antibacterial spectrum of the tetracyclines. It may or may not work depending on your bug.

You could even have a virus. Or a respiratory parasite. Probably a bacteria though.

Many of the upper respiratory diseases look the same, but can be differentiated by age of bird, how sick they get/how many die, what body part is the most severely effected, how fast they got sick from exposure- a vet can test the bird, or you can send a deceased bird to your state lab. Talk to your local poultry extension agent, or your vet can direct you to the right place.
Jess
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[rworrell]

My birds are 8 mos. old and have been reluctant to venture out in the snow, we
have had on the ground for a few weeks now. So alot of time has been spent in
the coop. I feed all organic and the chickens have recently (2-3) weeks been
losing feathers at the base of their tail feathers,I thought it was just molting
could that indicate another problem? Thanks for the info,is there anything I
could do other than antibiotics?

 

[Tom NJ]

Sorry to hear about your chicken.

 

[leslieursula]

I am having a really similar issue with my chickens. Mine are right around the same age, I had 10 and found one dead earlier tonight so that makes 9. This was a larger hen that seemed just fine, had been acting normally. She was a silver laced wyandott. My chickens seem to be a little bit afraid of the snow also, they just don't like going outside this time of year and spend a lot of time inside. I think I may have mites because a couple of them are losing feathers at their tale but not in a molt. No one seems to be picking on each other, they always have food available...there is a heat lamp, no one seems cold as they are never all huddled up, usually they are just wandering around pecking. I guess since I'm new at all this I was excited to see that someone else was having the same problems as me! I just did a second dusting for mites....If I get any info on this I will post it, as I will be talking to some friends soon that have been keeping chickens for a long time.

-Leslie