Help! Chickens dying.

[Koleawa]

Hi all,

I was a member of this forum many years ago but my old name/password wouldn't work. Anyway, I am having an emergency. I have kept chickens for 8 years and never seen anything like this. I have 15 chicks, mostly buff orps and barred rocks. They are about 5-6 weeks old. They were all healthy and normal yesterday. Today, a couple hours ago, one was laying on it's side with its legs stiff, barely moving, letting the others walk on it. So I pulled it out and gave it some sugar water in a syringe. No improvement. Then I went back out and another was down. In the last couple hours 7 of my 15 chicks have dropped like this. None have died yet but it doesn't look good. They lay on their sides, not moving with their eyes closed and their legs sort of stiff. Before they drop they walk like they are paralyzed kind of. I did do something different this morning. My kids gave them some leftover hot dogs and green beans from last night. I have never had an issue from feeding scraps but could this have made them sick somehow? Any ideas how I can save them? My daughter is trying to give each one some sugar water from a syringe but they are getting worse. PLZ help!

 

[jerseygirl1]

No clue, but aren't they supposed to have grit when they eat anything other than chick feed?

 

[rhs7111]

Was there any mold in their feed? If so (or if it might be another toxin) try giving them molasses water, which acts as a laxative. The ratio is one tablespoon of WARM water with one big drop of molasses in it, so that the water is a light caramel brown. Of course, you'll need to increase the amounts, as that recipe is for a single sick chick. Make sure the molasses water is made fresh, so the molasses won't ferment.

 

[PamB]

I don't have experience with this, but could ity be Mereks Disease?

 

[crazyhen]

It sounds like some kind of poison. How old were the green beans. Could they have a bit of botulism in them? Check your feed is it a new bag? Check for mold or off smell. Chicks are soo sensitive to everything. Even a change of water can cause them to have diarrhea. Speaking of which is theirs normal now or runny etc. I sure wish you the best. I know what it is like to lose a flock and it hurts esp. to lose a chick. Gloria Jean

 

[Koleawa]

Thanks for all the fast responses. The beans were not old. We ate them last night and they were even in the fridge over night. But I do think it has something to do with the food I fed them. Nitrates in the hot dogs maybe? Something like that. Anyway, there are a couple trying to stand up now which is much better. I am giving them molasses water right now out of the syringe and they are actually moving a bit now. I set up a nursery for them. I did add grit now that it has been mentioned. They do have time to run around the yard every day but maybe they weren't finding enough, so I added some for them just now. If anyone else think of anything let me know. Going to work on getting these others to try to stand up.

 

[chuckzoo]

Leg problems can also be a deficiency of B Vitamins. Perhaps you can add some Vit B and see if that helps.

Best wishes