Help!!! Chicken Died Need To Know What Disease!!!

[boykin2010]

I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL TODAY AND MY RHODE ISLAND RED WAS LAYING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE COOP AND SHE COULDNT WALK. i GAVE THE CHICKENS SOME FRESH WATER AND CAME BACK AND CHECKED ON HER AND SHE WAS DEAD!!! WHITE MUCUS LIKE STUFF WAS COMING OUT OF HER MOUTH AND HER EYES WERE CLOSED. i CHECKED FOR SNAKES AND ANY OTHER PREDATORS AND THERE WAS NOTHING. ALL THE OTHER CHICKENS ARE ACTING NORMAL AND HAPPY.

I DID NOTICE THE RHODE ISLAND RED ACTING DIFFERENTLY THE PAST WEEK. SHE NEVER CAME OUT OF THE COOP. SHE SLEPT IN THE NESTING BOX AND WHEN SHE COULD NEVER KEEP HER EYES OPEN. WHEN I LOOKED AT HER SHE WAS TRYING TO HOLD HER EYES OPEN BUT THEY KEPT CLOSING AND SHE WOULD OPEN THEM BACK UP AND THEY WOULD CLOSE AGAIN.

AFTER SHE DIED I PICKED HER UP BY HER LEGS AND HER HEAD WAS DANGLING. A MUCUS LOOKING SUBSTANCE WAS JUST COMING OUT OF HER MOUTH KINDA DRIPPING REALLY FAST. I GUESS I AM JUST ASKING BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW IF THE DISEASE IS GONNA SPREAD TO MY OTHER 9 CHICKENS. PLEASE HELP ME ON WHAT THIS DISEASE IS AND HOW TO STOP IT FROM SPREADING TO MY OTHERS.

 

[ladrholman]

I can not be of much help, but I can offer understanding. I am dealing with unknown deaths too and have 2 in sick bay! The mucous out the mouth I am unfamiliar with. The strange acting certainly sounds like something was brewing. Sorry for your loss.

 

[mypicklebird]

Please turn off the caps lock, it makes you look like you are 'shouting'

I am sorry for the loss of your hen, unfortunately what you describe is to vague to tell you why she died. She was sick at least for a week- not coming out of the coop and keeping her eyes shut- this was the time you needed to have been looking more closely at her to figure out why she was ill. It is a good idea to remove any sick looking birds into a separate area so you can observe whether they are eating, drinking, pooping ect. Fluid from the mouth of a dead bird is usually water from the crop.

If you still have her body- you need to examine it closely- to see if there are any clues- is her crop full of hard material? Look in her mouth. Check her vent, feel her belly, look for large amounts of lice. Was she laying? Can you feel an egg?

Knowing more about her would be helpful- age, diet, any deworming or meds given ect.

You mention just coming home from school- are you a kid or a teenager? If so- can an adult help sort this out? If you are an adult taking classes- never mind this sentence.

I don't know where you are located, but many states have labs that will do low cost or free necrospies. A professional necropsy gives you LOTS of useful information, a home necropsy can also be very useful if you are able to do that and know your anatomy. A home necropsy will show you the large things- like big tumors, egg yolk peritonitis/internal layer, large numbers of roundworms, egg binding ect. A professional necropsy will get you cultures, viral screens, check for coccidia, the small picture plus the large things.

 

[boykin2010]

yes i am a teenager but my parents knew i was typing this on here. they are my chickens so i took the responsibility of finding out what was wrong with her. i forgot to tell you one small detail. she wasnt dead as soon as i got home. she was alive but she was laying in the back of the coop. i tried to pick her up like i have done many times before and she kinda tried to move but her legs were folded up against her body and she couldnt move them. she died about 5 minutes later after i told my parents and they came out and looked she was dead...

i dont know her age because i got her from a friend. she was fed layer pellets in a automatic feeder. she was dewormed. i monitored the way she pooped and it was a normal yellow poop. she actually pooped on herself before she died because she couldnt move

. it was all on her feathers.

i have already disposed of the body so there is no way i can get it back to do an inspection. she looked like a perfectly normal bird.

i have a friend that is a vet so if it happens again i will have it looked at. sorry for it being on caps i had forgotten it was on... the reason i am on here is learn more about chickens. I have 9 now and i am a beginner when it comes to chickens i have only had them for 3 months.... if anyone else could please help me out that would be great... thank you

 

[boykin2010]

i looked up symptoms of chickens being egg-bound on the internet and i am 100% sure that that is what happened. all the symptoms fit.

 

[Paaz1120]

I am soo sorry for your loss and I hope you find a definate answer.

I 2nd that egg bound might be what your looking for.

Let me just say that you are doing the right thing about trying to find what is wrong with YOUR chickens.
AGE DOESNT matter!! Dont let anyone ever tell you, that you are too young or wont understand!

Keep up the good work and learn as much as you can. But remember you will NEVER know everything, there is ALWAYS something to learn!

Good Luck and Have Fun with your Chickens!