Help-What could this be?

[jlquick30]

We have a flock of 16 hens and 2 roosters who are all either 1 or 2 years old, never had any illnesses. Last week, we found one hen in our barns tack room (their coop), just standing still with her eyes closed. We took her inside, gave her medicated feed, electrolytes and probiotic. She made it through the night but was still bad off so we have her penicillin. Same thing for two days - and then she died.

Her only symptoms were being lethargic and occasional sneezing - some watery poo but no bleeding, no swelling, etc.

We started the rest of the flock, and our chicks that are in a separate grow out pen, on electrolytes and probtiotic daily and all has been fine - now one of our 8 wk old silkie pullets (in the grow out pen) is acting very lethargic.

What could this be and what else can we do?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Since you have young birds the first thing I would do is treat everybody for coccidiosis asap. Run a course of Corid. Not seeing bloody poop does not mean they don't have it and if they do medicated feed won't clear it up. It would be a good idea to treat and then you can at least rule out that possibility. Check them all over for mites and check body condition as well, see if they feel thin. Have they ever been dewormed?

 

[jlquick30]

We have talked about it often but I don't think my husband ever got around to worming them. Can we give both Corid and dewormer to everyone just in case?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Whether or not the two are contraindicated I do not know, I doubt it since Corid (amprolium) is simply a thiamin blocker, but I personally don't like to load up birds with to much "stuff" or treatments all at once. Worms won't kill them quickly but coccidiosis certainly will so I'd do a course of treatment with Corid for that and then a couple days after it's done I'd give the first dose of dewormer. Repeat the dose of dewormer in 10 days. I like to use Valbazen because it works slowly over a period of days so you don't have the risk of dead worm blockages or dead worm toxicity to the bird in case they are carrying a heavy load of parasites.