Help! Help! Dying Chickens !!!! - UPDATE - BOUNCING BACK !!!

[JulieZ]

I woke this morning thinking someone got into my chickens coop & snapped their necks. Now I believe I DID assume something too fast ... here's what's happening now ...

Woke to 2 dead chickens. Since then I have lost another just moments ago. Their eyes look like they are dying or doped up. Not eating, BLOOD IN STOOLS (but not all) and becoming more lethargic as the minutes pass in the last few hours. NO dripping from nose or eye gook. Two of them have their breasts stuck out really far, their lower back (before tail feathers) is all puffed up.

The one that just died laid down in the nesting box & then went to gasping for breath just seconds before dying. I told my husband from the looks of it we need to dig another hole because I know at least 2 or 3 more are going to go.

I've cleaned the water, I removed all the food BUT it rained last night & got all into their crumble. Two days before I fed them watermellon & removed the seeds but maybe I left an extra few & didn't realize it. I have not placed new sand into their coop in 3 months. I have 2 chairs I clean up once a week ... it's so they can see out of the run. Oh what else ... it rained & I know a few got wet last night. Other than this ... everything was normal. Now it's going down & fast.

WHAT is wrong with my chickens ???? HELP !!! Tell me what to do ... PLEASE ???!!!!

Julie

 

[JulieZ]

Forgot to add 2 chickens are standing on one foot when they stop walking or go to eat. Maybe they've been doing it & I've never noticed but it's 2 that have that sick look in their eyes.

 

[crtrlovr]

It sounds like it could well be coccidiosis. I would get some Corid and start treating them immediately. Also give them some scrambled eggs or plain yogurt. I'm sorry for your losses.

 

[crtrlovr]

sorry to repost but I saw your other post and am now thinking it could also be some kind of poisoning. Blood in stools is common with coccidiosis, and chickens (like most birds) are great at masking illness until they are REALLY sick. I hope you find your answer soon. In the meantime, I'd still start the Corid (or if you can't find that, get some Sulmet) and get them started on something ASAP.

 

[Sjisty]

I had an outbreak of coccidiosis in my chicks after a few days of wet weather last year. I put Sulmet in their water and they recovered. Now I am very closely watching poops after having had rain every day this week, but so far so good.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Call your state vet and inquire about getting a necropsy done on the dead birds. In some states it is free or nearly so, in others you would have to foot the bill. To store a bird for necropsy, refrigerate the bird, but do NOT put it in the freezer.

In the meantime, look at the way the other birds you suspect are ill. Are they acting nervous? Lethargic? dizzy? Are they eating and drinking? How much blood is in their droppings? If it red or dark? Are the droppings loose or hard? Anything else that looks peculiar? Listen to their chests--any rattling? Smell their noses/mouths? Any odor? what does it smell like? Are the dead birds in any particular position? Open their mouths and see if everything looks normal.

As was suggested on the other thread, do put a lock on the coop door, and keep a good eye out. Mold can and will grow in wet poultry food, but I hardly think that food gettin wet one night and being eaten the next day is a likely culprit.

Coccidiosis just does not seem to fit the symptoms--it usually does not kill that rapidly--they are usually lethargic for a day or two before passing. ILT is a possibility, especially if you find blood in their throats. But my guess is poisoning--especially since something disturbed them last night. I would remove their feed and water. Toss the feed and thoroughly scrub and disinfect the waterer and feeder. Consider giving the birds you have left a flush--either epsoms salts or molasses.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Quote:
My thoughts exactly. See about getting a necropsy done on the dead birds and tighten security. The only thing I would add is call the police. Let them have a look around and investigate. Maybe they will see something you missed?

 

[JulieZ]

UPDATE ...

My daughter is a Vet tech so I called her, I gathered 3 stool samples & we took it into the hospital for her to view under the microscope. NO coccidiosis, NO bacterial, NO worms of any kind, NO mites, NO fleas but there were a couple of chiggers from the hay so that will be replaced tomorrow. Daughter called the Vet & he said with everything so sudden, it sounded like a possible poisoning. As far as the hay ... my brother in law is a hay farmer. He said I could have the hay on the ground so I packed up a few bags. Dr. said that is most likely where the mites came from & I picked that up a week ago. I don't know the in's & out's of chiggers but all the same, I'll play it safe & replace.

As I waited for daughter to finish up different kind of microscopic testings, I looked here on the board to see if there were any responses to this thread. We began to research the epsom salt suggestion. Daughter called Dr. back & he said good idea. ; )

We put 4 hand fulls of epsom salt into their 5 gallon water. The chickens are so sick we can not get their beaks open (and I'm sure we weren't doing it right) so I brought each chicken to the water & they were drinking it up. We also added antibiotics to the water for them all. The recipe we found for the epsom salt said 1lb to 5 gallons of water. That seemed a little too much for me so that is why we did the small handfuls instead.

I put a light into the coop so the sick chickens can keep on drinking. I don't want them to sleep. I want them to poop this out of them. Lexie, my sickest & most determined chicken, had her tail feathers up a little higher than she did before the water treatment. Praying ...

There is now a lock on the door, we raked around the area & I placed oyster shell on a board at the entrance. Motion sensor lights go up tomorrow.

I will keep everyone updated ... Thank you all .... Now where's my gun !!!

Julie

 

[slackwater]

I don't have any other advice, but I'm thinking about you and your chickens!

 

[patman75]

Wow. I hope they pull through.