dying chickens help!

[RACHELLE85]

We have about a hundred chickens bought from a hatchery in june. Kept in a barn till featherd some on wire and some on liter there was hay in there too. Stared them on poultry feed then we switched them to cattle creep ive known people who have done this its cheaper its not medicated and for the last few weeks they have been dying ill go outoneday theyll be on the grond paralysis isthe only symptom they have then within 24hrs theyre dead weve lost at least 20 so far. We have not opened one up yet to investigate internaly I dont know if theyre overcrowded or theres something wrong. Cant afford a vet any ideas or suggestions please. Anyone use cattle creep?

 

[mithious]

My first thought would be a vitamin deficiency. Not sure the feed has all that a chicken needs? Not familiar with it. Best suggestion I can think of, is change to a chicken feed and perhaps look up Rickets? Another thing it could be, but would be my second choice of a problem, is cocci...if you could give as much info as possible on what their behavior is, their poop looks like...is their bedding wet, do they go outside? Have there been other chickens in the barn previously? Where are you and if on the east coast..it's been so wet here, this summer, tons of flocks are coming down with cocci. Wet is perfect breeding grounds for all parasites...

I would check the feed and possible vitamin deficiency first though..since it could be hard to identify what they could be missing, in the cattle feed, I would try a chicken feed, specific for their age first, and maybe add some chicken vitamins also. There is much on BYC about Rickets and is caused by a few different vitamins being missing in their diet!

I'll check back and see if your answers lead me in a different direction or maybe both?

 

[Eggcessive]

Most chick feed is 20 % protein with all of the vitamins and minerals they need. The problem with feeding calf feed is that those protein/vitamin/mineral levels are going to be different. When you put them outside in the summer they can make up for some of that with foraging. It sounds like they have been inside since day 1, and not knowing how they were heated and brooded, your losses could be due to the cattle creep feed, to coccidiosis, or a number of things. I don't know the details of your creep feed, but it should sat on the label. I would get them outside on grass right away, and start feeding chick starter/grower. It doesn't have to be medicated--Flock Raiser is almost the same without meds. If you suspect they have coccidiosis, you can medicate with Corid liquid 2 tsp per gallon of water for 5 days.

 

[RACHELLE85]

They were in a small brooder it was wet a lot not good they were overcrowded on pine shavings. The cukoos and the leghorns were mostly in there and the orph on wire. The orphs were great untill we turned them out now were losing them too. Theyre in an area outside the size of 4 cattle panels and they just huddle up so bad could it just be over crowding? were in oklahoma. I havent nkticed any thing wrong with their stool no blood to make me think its cocci. I called a vet he said maybe west nile or botulisim? They are outside now pertwo weeks or so. Wehave turkeys two one died yesterday they were raised together from the hatchery. Would it hurt to go ahead withsome antibiotics?

 

[mithious]

They were in a small brooder it was wet a lot not good they were overcrowded on pine shavings. The cukoos and the leghorns were mostly in there and the orph on wire. The orphs were great untill we turned them out now were losing them too. Theyre in an area outside the size of 4 cattle panels and they just huddle up so bad could it just be over crowding? were in oklahoma. I havent nkticed any thing wrong with their stool no blood to make me think its cocci. I called a vet he said maybe west nile or botulisim? They are outside now pertwo weeks or so. Wehave turkeys two one died yesterday they were raised together from the hatchery. Would it hurt to go ahead withsome antibiotics?

I would suspect cocci...wet bedding is a breeding ground for it and will kill chicks and even adult chickens very quickly.

I would suggest starting them on Corid. Use only treated water while treating them, offer no other water. The dosages are 2 tsp per gallon of the liquid, and 1/2 tsp to 3/4th tsp per gallon of the powder. You can find it at a TSC or your local feed store. They recommend treating for 5-7 days. Maybe you should try mixing a gallon or so, and adding it to some feed, so they will get the meds in them quicker when you first start treatment, as well as their water containers. Keep all containers free of poop, and change out all bedding. I used 1 tsp per gallon of the powder for mine, for the first few days, as they were really sick. Then tapered down to 1/2 tsp per gallon, by the end and treated all the flock for 7 days. The 1/2 tsp recommendation is for moderately sick birds, really sick ones need a little boost. I also deep cleaned their coop with half and half, water and ammonia, then replaced with all new bedding. If this is cocci, and I suspect it is, according you what you said, it is very important to treat immediately!!! Also, do not use vitamins or medicated feed while treating with the Corid! Best of luck and hope your flock bounces back quick! Oh, also, I am going to wait the two weeks and retreat, if I think nessesary, for another 7 days...I'm also going slow adding the vitamins back. Haven't yet, as their feed, chick starter grower has all the vitamins and nutrients they need. I did not lose one bird either. They are doing fine now!

edited to add, if you do the wet feed, use only enough feed that they will eat in about two hours then remove, if anything is left...mine LOVED it and those that were not eating at all, even gobbled it up, so got the meds into them quickly and that was the turn around point for us...the wet feed with meds in water poured over the feed!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

We have about a hundred chickens bought from a hatchery in june. Kept in a barn till featherd some on wire and some on liter there was hay in there too. Stared them on poultry feed then we switched them to cattle creep ive known people who have done this its cheaper its not medicated and for the last few weeks they have been dying ill go outoneday theyll be on the grond paralysis isthe only symptom they have then within 24hrs theyre dead weve lost at least 20 so far. We have not opened one up yet to investigate internaly I dont know if theyre overcrowded or theres something wrong. Cant afford a vet any ideas or suggestions please. Anyone use cattle creep?

I have never used cattle creep. This says 14% protein...too low for growing chickens. They need 17% protein for proper growth at that age (until point of lay). I would stick with poultry feed.
http://www.nutrenaworld.com/products/beef-cattle/cattle-creep-feed/index.htm


Sounds like you may have some moldy feed or litter going on...been there done that. It can be botulism or aspergillosis. You may see some gasping for breath if it is aspergillosis. Botulism is also called limber neck. Whatever you do, never let your feed get damp or moldy (even in the feeders or on the ground) as this can do them in.

If you don't have mold problems at all, then never mind about that.

It won''t hurt to try the Corid and may help, as it may be coccidiosis at that age.

 

[RACHELLE85]

Thanks everyone im going to try that!