Help! Chicken dying, head and neck swollen

[ilovmychicks]

Thanks @rebrascora. The birds that died were not really young, the hens were 2.5, 1.5, and 1.5 years old, one was 9 months old, the other roo that died already was also 1.5 years old. I've got 5 young chicks that were next to dying chickens and they are still alive and well, now 6-8 weeks old. The lab didn't check for Marek's diesase.
The rooster that is severely ill now is about 2 years old.
By the way, he didn't die yet - he's clinging to life and putting up a fight - didn't believe my eyes in the morning and then again when I came back from work in the afternoon. But he sits on the ground, almost doesn't move and doesn't eat or drink. I tried to give him a bit of hard boiled egg - he didn't try it, at least not while I was watching. I really hope he recovers - so far, he's lasted longest of all my birds that got ill. He's a very gentle and polite little Bantam roo - I had originally planned to give him more hens to breed with - hope he pulls through.

I will say a prayer for your baby. My girl just died

 

[Eggcessive]

I am sorry that you have continued losing birds. That has got to be so hard, especially after getting no telling results from the necropsy. Are they waiting on cultures or any more lab results? In the US, many vets will do 2-3 birds at once for the same cost to help in a diagnosis. Hopefully you will find an answer soon. Look at possibilities such as a toxin in the water or food, maybe save a sample of their feed, and switch bags. A breeder I once bought hatching eggs from ran a brand new water line to a new coop, separate from his other chickens, and he lost all in the new coop due to a poisonous glue in the new pipes that was not rinsed out first.
Some signs of avian influenza are swollen faces, combs, and wattles. Hemorrhages into the combs and wattles are common. Sometimes there are red spots on the legs. Here is an excellent link with pictures and symptoms on AI from Cornell--look at both clinical signs and gross lesions: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/#/disease/Avian_Influenza

Swelling in face , comb, and feet, and hemorrhage into combs, wattles, and legs from AI

 

[andreanar]

I'm so sorry you are losing your birds! It has to be related, no way are all the deaths coincidence.

 

[Petra Pancake]

Update: the second rooster has died, the little brave one who had clung to life so tenaciously last week. We took his body to have another necropsy done. Waiting for results - it will take a few days.

 

[andreanar]

Update: the second rooster has died, the little brave one who had clung to life so tenaciously last week. We took his body to have another necropsy done. Waiting for results - it will take a few days.

I hope you get an answer this time. I'm sorry

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: the second rooster has died, the little brave one who had clung to life so tenaciously last week. We took his body to have another necropsy done. Waiting for results - it will take a few days.

I'm very sorry Petra

 

[Petra Pancake]

Update: got results from the second necropsy: massive coccidiosis (never saw any blood in the poop, though).
End results: 2 roosters and 4 hens (all adults) died within a month.
First necropsy on hen: egg peritonitis.
Second necropsy on rooster: coccidiosis.
Not sure if that explains the other deaths, will treat the remaining chickens for coccidiosis though.

That was a tough time for my flock. At the beginning of July I had 2 roosters, 7 hens and 14 baby chicks, 23 birds in all. Now I've got 3 hens and 4 chicks/pullets left (the other chicks got killed by a cat and 2 by rats) - just 7 birds, less than a third of the original flock...

Even though it's not entirely sure if he others died of coccidiosis or something else, I 'll have to re-think housing. My coop is hard to clean, some parts just can't be reached without tearing the whole thing down. And the baby chicks were not housed predator proof.
I guess sometimes we learn it the hard way...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the update.

I'm glad you were able to get some results back.
Coccidiosis does not always present with bloody stool, there are several strains. Some symptoms include, lethargy, huddling, loose stool with mucous or blood, loss of balance and going off feed.

I have never seen the swelling of the head/face like the first one you photograph be caused by coccidiosis. I would have to guess it was something else that caused that.

Once birds are exposed and have recovered from a coccidiosis "outbreak" they generally build immunity. If it continues to be a problem, consider having them vaccinated, this doesn't always work, but vaccines may help them build immunity faster.

I hope all goes well and that you don't have any more problems for a while.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/coccidiosis/overview_of_coccidiosis_in_poultry.html

 

[andreanar]

 

[andreanar]