Dying Young; Bleeding from Vent Area

[loralei]

This is too horrible! I have lost 3 chicks in the past 2 weeks. I searched the forum for this problem prior to posting but all the problems seemed to be related to egg laying; my babies are only 10 weeks old, not old enough to lay yet.

We are in Texas and it is rediculously HOT! But my girls have plenty of fresh water, are in the shade and have a fan. I'm new to chickens and have no idea what this could possibly be. All responses will be greatly appreciated.

 

[threehorses]

Unfortunately this really isn't enough information to go on, but we can help you with that.

Could you please answer the questions from the important sticky post (second one in this forum) but answer the questions into this post, please? That will help us be able to get the right information to you. At this point anyone who answers would be guessing blindly, and we don't want to do that.

We particularly need if any of the birds feel skinny/light, what they're eating exactly (example: starter crumbles medicated with amprolium, free choice, some treats.. etc) What their bedding is, where they're kept (cage/run, brooder, coop/free range, etc). What the droppings are like - a clear enough description to where I could draw a picture of them from your words.

Also please tell us what of the symptoms all three birds shared, and which they didn't.

Please tell us if the temperatures in their cool area feel acceptable to you? Are they panting alot?

 

[loralei]

Thank you for your guidence threehorses!

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
One was a Golden Wyandotte and the other 2 were Arucanas. These have been my more hearty chicks and the first I have lost of each variety.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
All of them are guilty of peaking one another. Beyond this all is normal.

3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Other than the bleeding from or around the vent area no.

4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Nothing I know of.


5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. They have a 5 gallon drinker with fresh water daily. They eat Dumor Poultry Grower/Finisher 15% as well as kitchen scraps. All look healthy and hearty. All are eating/drinking well.

6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Poop is normal. I have visited the infamous poo page.

7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
No treatment. All 3 were very sudden.

8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? They have not been wormed. I will try that. I will also consider anything suggested on this forum.


9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. N/A


10) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Currently they are in a pen in the barn with great ventilation and a fan. I was out of wood shavings once so I used hay. They love burrowing in it! Because it has been so hot I left it.

There were no symptoms prior. Each time one was found dead they had been checked within the previous hour.

I admit they are crowded and pecking excessively. I let them out to peck around the yard for 2-3 hours every evening to eleviate their crowdedness. Their coop should be move-in ready next weekend. I really don't feel this is a peaking thing though.

Today the heat index is 107. They are panting a lot.

Hope this helps!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

How many chicks in what size space?

 

[threehorses]

First thing I would do would be go and find a grower that has a good level of protein. I'm really surprised that Dumor will even sell such a lower protein feed as a grower, honestly. Even MG feeds (which I generally dislike) use 18% protein. Starter/growers are about 18-20% as well. That could well be part of their picking issue and part of the reason why they're falling prone to something.

Also, of course, please get them spaced out as soon as possible. Honestly, being from Texas, I'd replace the hay with the shavings. Heat and hay mildew spores added to its lack of absorbency combined with crowded birds = big problems. (I'm on the Gulf coast down here in Texas.)

Third, I'd make sure that there is en extra water station and that all have electrolytes in them for a while. Check the temps in the barn and use a mister (when using shavings) if necessary to keep temps down a bit. Check to make sure there are no dead spots where fans don't blow. I found that to be so in my barn when I was growing out turkey poults this year. I thought it was cool because where I stood it was awesome. When I went down to their level, knee high, it was hot as heck. Adjustments had to be made.

Make good and sure that everything is ultra clean while they're so close and hot. I'd suspect heat first and lowered immunity due to their feed and pecking. I'd also check alll your birds' weights and make sure none are light as hot birds eat less.

I wouldn't think that they need to be wormed yet as they've been in a barn not ranging, etc. I'd aim for four months unless they feel really light or have yellowish-green or frothy diarrhea.

I wish I could come help you get those babies into their new coop area. I suspect that and a change to a better protein level of feed will help. Let me know if you need help finding a feed brand out there. (Incidentally, as I mentioned before, I do NOT recommend MG though I've raised many birds on it - maybe because I've raised many on it.) Nutrena is an awesome brand - you get less waste of nutrition for each pound fed. Purina is always the standard. (Their brand now is "sun Fresh"). Bluebonnet makes a super bunch of feeds if you can get them up your way. In fact, I'd say it's one of the finest poultry feeds made as it contains kelp and even probiotics (yeast, and also bacterial fermentation products). I know someone who was using LoneStar and liked it. Whatever feed, make sure it's a good fresh smelling bag of feed, no cobwebs, no mothwebs, no holes, no dust or watermarks.

Hopefully this will help you stop losing babies. By the way, what ages are they again?

Thank for your thorough reply!

 

[smsabean]

We lost one RIR pullet to hemorraging via the vent area and had two other pullets hemorrage fairly badly but did not lose them. Some just showed streaks of blood in manure. The vet said it was cocciodiosis ( a parasite which is common in the soil). We treated with electrolytes and got medication specifically for coccidiosis. That was about two weeks ago and we have had no more trouble. Since yours is inside I'm not sure if they could pick up that parasite. Have you seen any blood in the manure of any other birds? I'm thinking since they are inside, it may not be this but thought I would mention it anyway.