Help-Sick chicken

[omishsis]

I had a 4 month old hen die a couple days ago and I noticed one of my 7 weeks old has some of the same symptoms. I want to figure this out before I lose more. Both their necks seemed loose and they turn it almost 180 around to one side or it hangs low and they seem to have trouble walking, like their balance is off or perhaps they are dizzy. The pupils look too big and don't seem to change like they cannot focus on something. The older one also had these symptoms: Eyes half closed, lethargy, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and weight loss. Also, the young one I just noticed today is gasping like she's having trouble breathing which is what the older one was doing the day she died.

A few nights ago, I spotted a rat (mother) with two young and I'm concerned they might have spread something. Does anyone know what this might be?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she eating and drinking? Can you give her electrolytes with vitamins? If you lose the chick, you should wrap her body in a plastic bag, and refrigerate it to get a necropsy done by the state vet. Without a necropsy, it would be hard to tell for sure what is happening. I will send you some contact information for your state vet or poultry lab. Can you take a a fresh sample of the sick chick's droppings to a vet to check for worms and coccidiosis. Mareks disease can have some of the symptoms you have seen, and it sounds like they have had wry neck which can be from a vitamin deficiency or Mareks Disease.

 

[omishsis]

I dropped water in her mouth earlier and a little baby food. She seems almost normal now. I looked up the necropsy for my area and see that the lab is in driving distance. I will definitely do that if I lose another. For now, I'm going to look for the electrolytes which are somewhere in the my garage and call around and see if I can find a vet that can test the droppings. Thanks!

 

[omishsis]

My girl has made a complete comeback. Thank goodness. None of the others have any signs of illness and she's back in the pen with the others.