HELP! Chickens are sick, droopy, weak, tail down, head back, eyes closed...

[MiriPoe]

I'm sorry for your loss.

This question is intended to narrow down the possibilities that might help the rest of your hens in the future: When you say yellowish/white discharge that smelled like cheese, was that from her mouth or from her vent?

The discharge was from her vent. My other chicken had the same, when I gave her a bath... I suspect it was from small pieces of leaves of an egg plant ("Chickens can eat them but not green skins which contain solanine as this is toxic to hens. Eggplant: No. They cannot eat the plant, leaves or flowers as they contain solanine which is toxic to hens.") I have in my garden.

I had taken some leaves off and just threw them in the chicken coop with out thinking... this might caused all this... I feel horrible... I couldn't find any signs of parasites...

I hate myself... I also have a gourd that is a decorative colorful one and threw a small one that didn't grew in the coop... I thought they could eat it...but it killed one of my hens... To know that I caused all that makes me feel very sad... I will never forget how in pain Coco my Easter Egger was... she died in my arms... I didn't mean to do that...

 

[Eggcessive]

That is only a guess that they ate anything toxic. Have you tried to get a fecal test on some droppings yet? A necropsy on the body would have been the best thing to have done. How are the other chickens feeling?

 

[MiriPoe]

I would look around for any dead animals or vegetation that has been underground or underwater. Botulism might be a possibility. Signs are flaccid paralysis that starts in the feet and moves upward in the body to wings, neck, and eyelids. Death occurs within a day. Many things can look similar, including heatstroke, a poison, dehydration, and others. That is why a necropsy would be best.

We buried her yesterday i big shoebox (3 feet deep) with lots of flowers and her last egg she laid. But you are right a necropsy would have been interesting... I think maybe a tiny ornamental gourd and a fe leaves from an egg plant caused all this... I just read it on the net that egg plant leaves contain solanine... I don't feel good!!!

 

[MiriPoe]

@Wyorp Rock

Do you know anything about what I described? Please let me know. I don't think my chickens have parasides... all of their poop is okay now...

 

[MiriPoe]

I would look around for any dead animals or vegetation that has been underground or underwater. Botulism might be a possibility. Signs are flaccid paralysis that starts in the feet and moves upward in the body to wings, neck, and eyelids. Death occurs within a day. Many things can look similar, including heatstroke, a poison, dehydration, and others. That is why a necropsy would be best.

You are right about the Botulism though!!! I saw a dead rat that wasn't there 4 weeks ago... also a dead gopher yesterday... I have to read more about that...

 

[MiriPoe]

That is only a guess that they ate anything toxic. Have you tried to get a fecal test on some droppings yet? A necropsy on the body would have been the best thing to have done. How are the other chickens feeling?

I still have some of the dry poop (on a cloth outside, which I better throw away actually!!!) of the discharge from the vent of the chicken that died. Would that still work for a fecal test? Can any vet do a fecal test?

The other chickens, including the one that didn't feel well the day before the other chicken showed symptoms, are doing very well. They go outside tails up, are active and seems very happy. I also gave them some probiotic coconut yoghurt yesterady and Poultry Nutri Drench today, also got electrolytes I will put in their water over the next weeks...

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a pretty simple to the point article about botulism:
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/botulism

 

[Eggcessive]

They usually want fresh droppings, but you can ask the vet.

 

[MiriPoe]

Here is a pretty simple to the point article about botulism:
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/botulism

This is from the article and describes my dying hen. :/

"Nervous signs, weakness, progressive flaccid paralysis of legs, wings then neck, then sudden death.
Affected broilers tend to settle with eyes closed when not disturbed."

It can be that my cat (I have three) caught a bird and left it somewhere in the yard, but usually I find them pretty soon. Also cat poop maybe, and maybe other birds pecked on the dead rat in the yard next door (the house is not occupied) and then pooped in our yard.

Thank you for telling me about all this. Good article!

•