Droopy new chickens, advice on treatments?

[campingshaws]

Last week I picked up three new hens and a rooster. After two days they were added to the flock (ill-advised, I know. Let's skip that part). Just a few days later we added two more pullets who were getting pummeled in quarantine. Then yesterday, I left the gate gapped and was missing a hen. After searching for an hour I found her in the darkest box in the coop. After two more hours, no egg. Not even trying. So I ran her out, and after a while she went back in. When not in the nest she just stands still, not eating or drinking. She ate yesterday morning for sure.

At the same time I was searching for the hen, I noticed the rooster was sleeping a lot in piles of leaves, under shrubs, etc.

We're having terrible weather today, strong thunderstorms bringing in a cold front. All the chickens are in the coop/run to keep safe and dry. I've isolated the hen in a dog crate on the back porch; I got her to drink just a bit, but can't coax her to eat. Eyes and nose are clear. Saw something yellowish in her throat but it did not match the pictures of canker I looked up. I checked to see if she's egg bound, but have no idea what I'm doing. So the answer is no, tentatively. In the course of that exam I checked her vent and saw the stacks of lice eggs. And then of course droopiness can come from worms.

The rooster got out this morning and after being chased for half an hour seemed to perk up. He's eating and drinking, so is less critical than the hen.

I have corrid (1.5 tsp powder per gallon) in the water for cocci. I'm going to feed them pumpkin later for the worms, and I'm going to dip them after this weather passes. Am I doing this right? Should I follow with a commercial wormer when the corrid is finished?

The new hens and roo were said to be a year old, and also said to have JUST started laying, so age is undetermined. The rest of my flock is POL (or younger) pullets. Everyone else is acting normal, but all have the corrid water and will be dipped/wormed.

 

[campingshaws]

 

[campingshaws]

Adding a poop picture. Not sure what it means? It's very milky and yellowish.

I made her a warm slurry of corrid water, boiled feed, and her regular crumbles. She ate about a palm-sized dollop, then hopped off my lap to poop. There is no poo in the dog kennel. She wouldn't eat after that, but the slurry had gone cold. After another minute of two of me attempting to feed her, she hopped back into the hay.

She's ruffled up now, but I think it's because the temperature has dropped. My next step is to put a heater out with her.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Since these birds are new to you the first thing I'd suspect and treat for is coccidiosis. I would give it to any very sick birds with a syringe or eye dropper as often as you can the first day or so since they are unlikely to drink enough on their own until they feel better.

And yes, I'd also deworm with a good, broad spectrum dewormer like Valbazen or Safeguard. If you don't know the deworming history of these birds and there's any chance they are carrying a big load of worms then your safest bet is Valbazen since it works slowly. I would deworm all of your birds at the same time.

Also keep an eye on your existing flock as new birds can bring in strains of coccidiosis that they are not resistent to.

Hopefully that is all that is going on here and not something more serious.

 

[campingshaws]

Thanks for the response! Yes, the coccidiosis was my first thought, but the hen was declining so rapidly I wasn't sure.

I've sent the husband to TSC for valbazen, will he find it there? I looked over the poo chart again and the hen's matches the ones for worms.

I've seen the roo drinking several times today, so for now I think he's fine. I'll warm up the slurry in a little while and try again with the hen. Husband said absolutely no more house chickens, but maybe I can convince him just this once...

Eta: he came back with wazine. So should I finish with the corrid and then start the wazine?

 

[campingshaws]

I noticed the rooster standing in the rain, so I caught him and put him with the hen on the porch. They're both under a heat lamp. I noticed these spots on his comb. Avian pox or is this from lice?

Sorry for all the posts and questions, I just feel like I'm battling everything at once.

 

[campingshaws]

I went out after supper to coax the hen into eating a bit more. She sounded snotty, like when my kids have colds. Not constantly, but more than a little. There was nothing on her beak, and I didn't look down her throat.

Recap of hen:
- listless
- not eating or drinking on her own
- will accept dollops of slurry from my palm
- "snotty" sounding breathing
- milky yellow slimy poops

Recap of roo:
- low energy
- eating and drinking a little
- green watery poops
- black spots in comb

For the night:
They are in a dog crate on the porch (out of the rain). They are together for company and warmth. They have a heating lamp. Then have access to regular feed, corrid water, and cooked rice. I feel like this is all I can do for the evening, though it seems like cocci is not totally the problem. They've been symptomatic for about 30 hours.

 

[cafarmgirl]

She is sounding snotty how? Wheezy when she breaths? Or a wet cough or sneeze? May have a respiratory disease and the stress of moving has brought on symptoms. Very hard to know what's going on. I would keep them well away from your other birds, although if they've already had contact then they've already been exposed. Keep an eye on all of them. I would still keep them quarantined at least 30 days and see how things go. As far as treatment? Tylan 50 is good for anything respiratory, BUT, since you have other birds I'd really want to know what this is if it were my bird so I'd know what to expect in terms of the rest of my flock. If you have access to an avian vet they can do some lab work and try to find out what this is.

As far as the dewormer....Wazine will only get roundworms so it's pretty ineffective. Valbazen can be hard to find, I usually order mine on-line. LIquid Safeguard for goats is a very good one and may be easier to find locally.

Not sure about the black spots on the roosters comb, they may be old, dried up pox lesions but they are pretty small. I probably wouldn't worry to much about them.

 

[campingshaws]

She is sounding snotty how?  Wheezy when she breaths?  Or a wet cough or sneeze?  May have a respiratory disease and the stress of moving has brought on symptoms.  Very hard to know what's going on.  I would keep them well away from your other birds, although if they've already had contact then they've already been exposed.  Keep an eye on all of them.  I would still keep them quarantined at least 30 days and see how things go.  As far as treatment?  Tylan 50 is good for anything respiratory, BUT,  since you have other birds I'd really want to know what this is if it were my bird so I'd know what to expect in terms of the rest of my flock.  If you have access to an avian vet they can do some lab work and try to find out what this is.

As far as the dewormer....Wazine will only get roundworms so it's pretty ineffective.  Valbazen can be hard to find, I usually order mine on-line.  LIquid Safeguard for goats is a very good one and may be easier to find locally.

Not sure about the black spots on the roosters comb, they may be old, dried up pox lesions but they are pretty small.  I probably wouldn't worry to much about them.

Thanks. Not wheezing, coughing, or sneezing. It sounds bubbly, like when a baby needs a bulb syringe. Bubbly or gurgley in the nose/throat area. Almost like allergies?

 

[campingshaws]

*UPDATE*

She doesn't sound snotty this morning. She was more lively when I tried to feed her, but in the crate she's drooping her head, eyes closed, and back in the cocci posture. I need to get a syringe to get some medicated water in her, I think. I could only find a turkey baster last night, which isn't cutting it.

I made warm oatmeal and added raw honey, crushed egg shell, garlic, and corrid water and blended that into thin soup. She ate about a teaspoon, not nearly enough.