Hello I'm going to write a really long text,because my hens really need help and I would appreciate yours.
This happened few years ago.I had about 30 naturally hatched barn mixed hens and few roosters.They were all very cuddly,happy and were laying like crazy(even summer and winter)everything was fine for 4,5 years.One year at the end of the spring my hens started to make squeaky noise,their eyes were full of foamy tears,and their noses were runny.Only two chikens continued laying.A guy who raises and sells chikens all his life recomended that I give them ash tree bark in their water,for imunity boost.After that chikens really got better,but still weren't laying.Than one chiken got out in the morning and just couldn't stand up,and she died the same day.The other one was dragging her wings on the floor while walking.Third one..her neck was bent back like it was broken,but she was still walking and trying to eat,it looked very morbid.All the hens that were showing serious simptoms were culled imediatelly.Few of the hens would walk around and suddenly just lay down,like they lost strenght in their legs.During that time i had a few roosters and they never showed any signs of sickness.Hens weren't allowing them to mate,so they became agressive towards chikens,and they rarely crowed.Neither one of them ever lost apetite,they often had dust baths and looked genneraly happy and healthy.The vet gave me a wide spectrum antibiotic,and told me if they don't get better after 5 days ,I'd have to cull them.Antibiotics didn't change a thing,but I still couldn't cull them because I got too attached.I said to myself if they don't get better by the end of the year that's it.And day before Christmass they started to lay again,I was so happy.There was about 10 of them left.Spring came and one of them became broody,but after two full cycles of sitting on the eggs,none of them hatched,which could also maybe mean something.Then I bought her a few baby chicks because I was thinking they were immune now and everything will be okay.But at the beggining of the summer they started to sound squeaky again and stopped laying,one of them went broody and was sitting on a rock.And then i realized it is time to cull them all.I disinfected their coop,bowls,nests ,and after a longer period i bought a few hens,and everything was perfect but now again at the end of the spring,one of them is making that noise again,and I seperated her from the rest.Since I've had them i gave them the ash tree,garlic,apple cider,and rosemary(because I've read its good for respiratory system).I never give them spoiled or moldy food,they are free range and they eat a lot of fruit and vegetables that I produce without pesticides.Also there is a big lake near my house,and there is a lot of wild birds in it,they often fly over my property so maybe something from their feices?I've spend hours and hours on google but I never concluded anything.I am desperate,I'm crying as I write this,because I adore chikens but I feel hopeless.Vets here know nothing about chikens.Can anyone give me advice if they ever experienced this?Is there cure,or if there isn't should I just give up?
This happened few years ago.I had about 30 naturally hatched barn mixed hens and few roosters.They were all very cuddly,happy and were laying like crazy(even summer and winter)everything was fine for 4,5 years.One year at the end of the spring my hens started to make squeaky noise,their eyes were full of foamy tears,and their noses were runny.Only two chikens continued laying.A guy who raises and sells chikens all his life recomended that I give them ash tree bark in their water,for imunity boost.After that chikens really got better,but still weren't laying.Than one chiken got out in the morning and just couldn't stand up,and she died the same day.The other one was dragging her wings on the floor while walking.Third one..her neck was bent back like it was broken,but she was still walking and trying to eat,it looked very morbid.All the hens that were showing serious simptoms were culled imediatelly.Few of the hens would walk around and suddenly just lay down,like they lost strenght in their legs.During that time i had a few roosters and they never showed any signs of sickness.Hens weren't allowing them to mate,so they became agressive towards chikens,and they rarely crowed.Neither one of them ever lost apetite,they often had dust baths and looked genneraly happy and healthy.The vet gave me a wide spectrum antibiotic,and told me if they don't get better after 5 days ,I'd have to cull them.Antibiotics didn't change a thing,but I still couldn't cull them because I got too attached.I said to myself if they don't get better by the end of the year that's it.And day before Christmass they started to lay again,I was so happy.There was about 10 of them left.Spring came and one of them became broody,but after two full cycles of sitting on the eggs,none of them hatched,which could also maybe mean something.Then I bought her a few baby chicks because I was thinking they were immune now and everything will be okay.But at the beggining of the summer they started to sound squeaky again and stopped laying,one of them went broody and was sitting on a rock.And then i realized it is time to cull them all.I disinfected their coop,bowls,nests ,and after a longer period i bought a few hens,and everything was perfect but now again at the end of the spring,one of them is making that noise again,and I seperated her from the rest.Since I've had them i gave them the ash tree,garlic,apple cider,and rosemary(because I've read its good for respiratory system).I never give them spoiled or moldy food,they are free range and they eat a lot of fruit and vegetables that I produce without pesticides.Also there is a big lake near my house,and there is a lot of wild birds in it,they often fly over my property so maybe something from their feices?I've spend hours and hours on google but I never concluded anything.I am desperate,I'm crying as I write this,because I adore chikens but I feel hopeless.Vets here know nothing about chikens.Can anyone give me advice if they ever experienced this?Is there cure,or if there isn't should I just give up?
