Dying Chickens

petem1999

In the Brooder
7 Years
Mar 13, 2012
12
0
22
We are in San Antonio TX and we have a back yard flock of around 40 laying
hens, we have them seperated into chicken tractors. They are moved every
eveing onto fresh grass. They are fed Full O Pep layer crumbles
(non medicated). Over the last two weeks egg production had gone to virtually 0 eggs per day. Over the last 3 or 4 days we have lost 4 chickens (from three different tractors), before they die, they are lethargic with their head down this lasts for a day or
two and then they just die. We have recently wormed twice for coccidiosis,
did one treatment then waited 3 or 4 days and treated again. Last night
when I got home two of the chickens were side by side with head down, I gave
them vitamins by mouth along with water. Checked their craws which appeared
empty. One of them died while I was there the other was moved into
isolation. She lays with her head down and no interest in food or water.
She died the next day. Also her comb and legs appear to be lighter in color. She has a discharge
that is very green and watery. No drool, no puffy face or eyes.
The first one that died, I opened up and did a
visual inspection, her heart appeard normal, her liver was a very dull red color
with a dark line in it that went across the whole thing. Her gizzard looked
very dry. The intestines appeared to be empty and there was a light cream
colored liquid in the cavity. Neither of the birds seemed to be in any

respitory distress. We have kept chickens for around 8 years and have never had any problems.

A few weeks ago we had some new chicks from Austin added to our flock, they got mixed in with some recently hatched chicks, then they started showing signs of coccidiosis, ruffled feathers, wings down head down, we lost around 60 chicks. So we treated our entire flock for cocci twice. The chicks were kept in a brooder and never had any contact with our adult birds. We treated them twice for cocci and were still losing chicks after the second treatment so we put down the remainder of the hatchlings.


Any one got any ideas?
 

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