Food issues.. Beware

[chicknmania]

When you have an outbreak of something like Capillary worms, there is really no other option but to deworm (not worm) periodically for a while. This is what we were told by a poultry expert, and also our veterinarian, and that's what we're doing. Our flock existed happily and healthily for 9 years without deworming. I'm not ever going through the Capillary worm outbreak again if we can help it, but the plan is to gradually back off on the deworming schedule, depending on how the flock does. It was a horrible experience, our birds that died suffered, and I lost my pet rooster because he showed no symptoms until it was too late to do anything much to help him. I saw one of our best hens recover from Capillary worms after our efforts, only to be killed by coccidiosis, despite our efforts to control it. The OP had a serious problem. She needs to watch it for a while. It is not going to hurt her birds, or affect their immunity, by deworming and doing a preventative cocci treatment once in awhile for the next year or so. Several of the birds in our flock are older...4 to 9 years old. I think their immune systems, for the most part, are doing just fine, despite our "help".

Since we sought out advice from professionals this time, we choose to follow their recommended treatment.

 

[chicknmania]

Signs of coccidiosis: drooping wings, ruffled feather, sleepy eyes, walking slowly, bleeding stool, not eating...dying.

they do not necessarily have to have bloody droppings, fyi. Diarrhea in itself can be a sign.

 

[chicknmania]

Preventative amprolium sounds like a good way to develop a weak flock. Same goes for worms and other parasites - when I see signs of mites, I dust. I don't dust indiscriminately. That's how parasites develop immunity to our pesticides.

WE dont use pesticides for external parasites (unless we notice there's a problem). We like to eat the eggs without worrying about what's being absorbed through the skin by dusting with pesticides. . There are several natural remedies that work great on external parasites, the birds have a dust bath and they dust with the materials we add to the bath.

 

[hugz4all4]

WE dont use pesticides for external parasites (unless we notice there's a problem).   We like to eat the eggs without worrying about what's being absorbed through the skin by dusting with pesticides. .  There are several natural remedies that work great on external parasites, the birds have a dust bath and they dust with the materials we add to the bath.

Thanks for your advice.
All this is quite confusing.. Treat.. Dont treat..
Worm.. Dont worm.. Ack!
This is what I have noticed the last few days with my small flock.Ive been paying very close attention since having the one die and the two "bloody butts".. This may get long, repeat info but may or may not offer more insight
We had a very long harsh cold winter..
They spent all of it cooped up
Recently I started letting them out in thier hay covered run, i bought a fresh bale from our local feed store.. It was dry
All winter they were fed Nutrena Layer, scratch, BOSS, mealworms ( when available) scrapes when we had them, fresh water in a heated 3 gallon waterer.
Clean coop weekly, i use pine.
My Chickens, mixed flock about 9 months old, laid all winter healthy sizable eggs.
Before laying age, I did on occasion feed them flockraiser.
Over the winter I did on add a bag of gamebird crumbles for added protien mixed with thier layer.
Never had issues with Cocci, didnt use medicated chick feed. Didnt have issues with bugs of any sort last summer, my chickens do not free range.. Where I live just doesn't allow it. Too many predators. Never wormed. Never used anything for them other than feeds no meds. Etc
I received a coupon in the mail from TSC. I bought a bag of flockraiser and DUmor layer crumbles.
A week into the food.. My problems started.
The two chickens seem to be doing better, eating drinking and all of them are pooping normal. No blood at all. No runny poops. Nice formed piles.
What I do have is a few chickens looking a little scruffy and one is thinner since the Mid part of winter (Not the ones that were ill) A few look like they could be moulting? One of my Australorps is missing feathers on one side, not nakedbut noticeable, one of my red crosses has white feathers popping thru her breast kinda like pin feathers that she hadnt had before. The thinner chicken is still eating and drinking like a champ so Im not sure why she is thin.
Im not super impressed with Nutrena latley so Im researching new foods but do it slowly just in case it was a weird food interolence that caused my issues.
Someone mentioned it could of been a blowout from to high of protein. I did research it, it is possible that happened with two but what killed the third chicken? Ive used higher protein foods before and the laid fine.
Maybe the plant based food is different than a animal protien based food? Who knows!!
Anyways, i do appreciate everyones help.
Im just not sure where to go from here?
:/

 

[chicknmania]

See if you can get your vet, or any vet, to do a fecal test for you. It's not particularly expensive, around 15.00 here. Then you can rule out parasites, or not. If they are still not doing well, talk to the feed company, maybe they can help you. Or, if another dies, have a necropsy done. As far as how you treat and for what, it';s really up to the individual, and the circumstances. No hard and fast rules. Just use your best judgement, or, talk to your vet, if you have a good relationship with one. Doesn't necessarily have to be an avian vet, he or she might be able to give you some general advice to go on. Still sounds like cocci, or worms, to me.

 

[JJSS89]

WE dont use pesticides for external parasites (unless we notice there's a problem). We like to eat the eggs without worrying about what's being absorbed through the skin by dusting with pesticides. . There are several natural remedies that work great on external parasites, the birds have a dust bath and they dust with the materials we add to the bath.

DE?

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm thinking that the dead chicken was totally an unrelated issue to the bloody vents. Sometimes, chickens just die for no apparent reason. Did you save the tags on the feed? Or do you still have the bags? Last time I was in my local TSC, they were selling feed that was 5 months old! Even if they were giving that stuff away, I'd not have brought it home, unless it was to bury very deeply in a compost pile.

 

[hugz4all4]

I'm thinking that the dead chicken was totally an unrelated issue to the bloody vents.  Sometimes, chickens just die for no apparent reason.  Did you save the tags on the feed?  Or do you still have the bags?  Last time I was in my local TSC, they were selling feed that was 5 months old!  Even if they were giving that stuff away, I'd not have brought it home, unless it was to bury very deeply in a compost pile.

I still have the bags. They are in my car. I keep the bags in bins. When I traded out the bags for new food, they went in my car. I dont have alot of extra storage in my chicken area and lord knows I dont need pesky critters around!
I will check the tags. I never even considered doing that.. I just "assumed" it was all fresh. Its chick days here you would think they would want all fresh!
Small update today.
Girls are still doing good. All have nice red combs/wattles. Poo still looks normal. Its snowing here again but I did put them out, they enjoy it so much. Im getting 6-8 eggs a day. I have gotten an egg from the one chicken because she lays green, not sure with my Brahma as she lays brown.
I did talk with my local feed store on what else they had, I bought a bag of Agway Hearty Hen and thier local feed mill layer mash tomix together. My chickens are not fond of pellets but I like the idea of the hearty hen so Im hoping mixing the two will help them get use to the pellets. Im mixing it in with the rest of the nutrena which they currently dont seem to eat much of anymore.
I also got some probitics to add to thier water.
Still watching them close!

 

[chicknmania]

DE?

No. Sulfur powder. Wood ash.