Flock illness!! Very concerned and confused!! I have been raising chicken's for 10 years and most

[Tina Stephenson]

Well I lost another hen just a little while ago. Same situation. Noticed yesterday she was all puffed up and inactive. I have had a very busy week and didn't have time yesterday to get to her. She was on the roost last night somewhere in the flock, but had to leave so closed them up and left. This morning she came out all puffed up again so I took her in and isolated her and put heat lamp on her. She clearly hasn't been eating or drinking just like the other on. She walked very slowly...like took her an hour to go 4'. Her abdomen was no swollen, but very hard on both sides and had list alot of weight just like the one last week. When I finished working around 2 I started working on her. Started with warm water bath and massageing her hard abdomen. She passed some gas. Did this for about 10 minutes or longer. Wrapped her up in towels and put her int a smaller cage in a bathroom in the barn with heat lamp and heater while I got her some baby food and water with probiotics. Wrapped her back up and feed her with a syringe and water with eye dropper. She ate the whole container of baby prune's and drank a little water. Seemed to perk up a bit. She stood in the cage in front of the heater until she finally sat down around 6:30. Tried to feed her a little more, but she didn't want to swallow to much so I didn't force it. Packed up all my equipment and bundled her up again and headed for the house in a warm car mind u. Pulled into the garage she started struggling and gasping for air and began to die. Im sure at that point she was choking. Some of the food she had eaten was coming up and her poo released.
I did watch her yesterday the 2 times I was in the chicken area. These r free range chicken's BTW and houses r kept clean with plenty of fresh bedding at all times. The only poo she released yesterday and this morning was the white with very little urine. This hen was 3. An australope. Has always weighed around 7-8 pounds. I called UK diagnosis lab at 4:45 but they had already left for the day to find out where to send her if she died. Left a message for her to call me tomorrow. I have to find out what is going on with my bird's. I have 70 and really don't want to have to kill them if there is a big problem. Have 20 new ones I have not introduced yet. Just moved them into one of the houses last weekend. Cleaned and disinfected first. Hopefully I can get a handle on this. Have not noticed any others showing any problems. Checked them all tonight.

Any ideas??

Thanks. Tina

Tina Stephenson
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[fawndane]

Hi! Very sorry for your troubles. If your hen does pass away, get a necropsy from a nearby avian vet. That may tell you the cause of death and you will find out if the illness has a cure or not. (Or if she’s even ill.)

 

[JeanR]

Very sad to have sick birds, am sorry. Many do not realize that chickens hide their illness as long as they can, as their penmates most often will treat them badly, even klll them, if they act "differently", so they have been feeling poorly before we notice their illness. Separation is important. And do not force feed or water! They will eat and drink if they can. If forced, it will most likely remain in the crop and spoil, adding to their misery. Medication given on guess can also contribute to pain and suffering, if not for a true diagnosis. We want so badly to help our birds. Too often treatment is too late, as their sickness had been hidden before we recognized it. It is, sadly,a part of our chicken projects and we must deal with it the best we can.

 

[Tina Stephenson]

Hi! Very sorry for your troubles. If your hen does pass away, get a necropsy from a nearby avian vet. That may tell you the cause of death and you will find out if the illness has a cure or not. (Or if she’s even ill.)

She did die this evening and I did call UK University of Kentucky. I will take her down tomorrow to have a diagnosis. We do not have a vet around here that does chicken's.

 

[fawndane]

She did die this evening and I did call UK University of Kentucky. I will take her down tomorrow to have a diagnosis. We do not have a vet around here that does chicken's.

Aww, sorry for your loss. Hope it’s nothing major.

 

[rebrascora]

I'm so sorry that you have lost 2 birds in similar circumstances and commend you for seeking a diagnosis via necropsy. ....please can you update this thread with the outcome so that we may all learn and hopefully gain a benefit from your sad situation.
My guess would be that she was suffering a reproductive tract issue (salpingitis, internal laying, perhaps EYP or maybe a tumour) that was perhaps constricting her digestive tract and backing her up. That might explain why she was passing mostly white urates and refluxed the food when she died. These type of reproductive illnesses are sadly all too common in production birds especially once they get beyond the 2 years old mark, so it may just be coincidence that two birds have died in a short timescale and not a contagious disease. With 70 birds, there are going to be deaths from time to time, especially as the flock gets older, so two in short succession may not indicate a virus or infection.
You certainly did your best to save her but as someone else mentioned, they hide such illness as long as they can, so you are battling against the odds by the time it is apparent they are sick.
I hope I am right and it is not something infectious.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss, and I am glad you will be getting a necropsy. It sounds like it may be one of the reproductive disorders, such as internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites, or even cancer. Most times we can't figure out the problem until it is too late.