Help flock is not doing good

[crazyducklady23]

Hello so I am starting to freak out. In the past three days I have lost three of my bantam chickens and my one Muscovy Duck. I recently just got two of the Bantams a week ago today and they were doing so good, eating and drinking good and then they started to seem almost depressed and then by the end of the day I find them dead. The other bantam was having some problems that I posted on here previously. She couldn’t walk straight or see straight she seemed to have sometime of neurological problems. As for my Muscovy Duck I have had him for about six years and when I got him he was about two or three so I’m not sure if it was old age or what but he started showing weird signs like he just didn’t have the energy two days ago and then I found him yesterday laying there. Up to that he was eating and drinking totally fine. When the bantams die they seem to just have follow over with the back legs stretched out straight. Now I had a rooster bantam that passed about a month ago. I thought at first he was hit by a car cause he got out of the pen and I found him by the road but what I found weird was when he wasn’t scratched bleeding or anything he just looked like he fell over backwards with this legs straight out and died about three feet from the road. Could someone please help with this I am starting to freak out that I’m gonna lose my whole flock.

 

[Pyxis]

I'm sorry you're having these problems.

Can you explain what you mean when you say the two new bantams you got seemed depressed? Lethargic, not eating, etc? What did their poop look like? Did all the problems start after you got these two new birds?

Is there any chance you can send one of the ones that died off for a necropsy?

 

[crazyducklady23]

Their attitudes just seemed off like they were lethargic and just didn’t seem like they had a lot of energy. They all ate and drank totally fine. Actually the one just died today and he ate and drank about three hours ago and then like an hour ago I went to check on him and I found him laying there. I have lost birds before but it was once every eight months to a year? This is the fastest I have every lost this many before. And like I said it seems like they show these lethargic signs but still eat and drink then end up dying the next day.

 

[Pyxis]

Do you still have the bird that died today? I would definitely send him out for a necropsy if so. You can see this thread for details on how to do that: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures.799747/

 

[crazyducklady23]

Okay thank you!

 

[alibabba]

Coccidiosis can do them in quickly, like that. Would not hurt to use Corid right away, and probably antibiotics also.

 

[mistycolleen]

this is terribly sad. i hope you find out what is going on and give us an update. hang in there...

 

[crazyducklady23]

Coccidiosis can do them in quickly, like that. Would not hurt to use Corid right away, and probably antibiotics also.

I was starting to do research last night and that was what I kept coming across was the Coccidiosis. I am going to go to the farm store on my lunch break to get Corid, what kind of antibiotics do you recommended? I want to nip this in the butt immediately.

 

[Eggcessive]

It won’t hurt to treat for possible coccidiosis with Corid (amprollium.) But a necropsy done by the state vet on a refrigerated body would be wise to get a diagnosis. Some of the symptoms sound like possible Mareks disease, but that does not affect ducks. Poisoning or botulism from eating a toxin found in animal or plant remains that have been underground or underwater would be other possibilities. Certain respiratory viruses can kill quickly, so this needs investigating. Sorry for your loss.

 

[deepbluesea]

I'm so sorry for your losses. I'd be freaking out too. Hope you figure out how to help the rest. Hang in there!