Hens Dying

[Suzmv]

If they are skinny despite worming maybe they have mites?
Still I would treat for coccidia first (it is easy - just add sulmet to the water) and consider treating for blood sucking parasites which is also easy ( a drop of ivermectin on the skin).

Thank you. I have treated for for mites. I will check on the coccidia.

 

[Suzmv]

Welcome to BYC! Can you take them to a vet?

I am good by to check with my vet and see. Thank you.

 

[Suzmv]

I recommend you get a necropsy done on the next one. Are they having any trouble breathing?

No difficulty breathing. The Delaware is still having trouble walking, no more bloody stool. She is quarantined.

I noticed diarrhea in the main coop this evening ... and will check the hens out to see who it is. There are no other visible signs of illness.
I am trying to get an appointment with the vet this week.

 

[Kiki]

Pick up some Corid asap to treat for Cocci.

 

[Suzmv]

What age are your birds?

From 4-6 months.

 

[Suzmv]

The coop has been very wet with the ridiculous amount of rain we have been having. It's been raining for weeks.

I should have thought of this before. I'm building a roof over their yard ... that should help. And I've brought in sand. I'm also bleachers my the chicken poop out of everything.

Thank y'all all for your help. I'll get the Corid tomorrow

 

[Mrs. K]

First separate the sick bird. Get her away from the flock. I would cull her, she is sick with something, and I would not want the rest of them to get it. Clean and replace the bedding in the coop and run.

You said the others were just dead, and sometimes that happens. I think usually it is an internal defect. I once had the same thing I would go down, and one would be dead, no signs. Couple of weeks later, same thing. Then it stopped. I think the chicken with the issue died, and the rest were fine. However, that is different than the bird you have now. That bird is truly sick. I would pull her away from the others, and wait and see.

Mrs k

 

[rebrascora]

When you say she has stiff legs, do you mean they are paralysed or partially paralysed? Perhaps stuck out in front or behind? At that age there is a good possibility that all 3 chickens are victims of Marek's disease. Paralysis is just one of many symptoms of Marek's, muscle wastage is another, which fits since you mention they are skinny. Visceral tumours from it can cause sudden death with no apparent symptoms, so the first two to die may have died from that, but as someone else has mentioned, a necropsy is the only real way to answer the question.
The best you can do for now is supportive care with good nutrition. A chicken sling or hammock will help to keep her in an upright position which will improve general well being and food and water pots can be incorporated into the design so that the bird has easy access. It also helps prevent them from soiling themselves and lying in it. If you search for images of chicken slings or chicken hammocks you should come up with plenty of pictures of both quite professional looking ones as well as home made efforts from everyday items like an old t shirt or tea towel and a cardboard box with yoghurt pots cable tied (zip tied) onto the side for food and water.

Good luck with her. I hope I am wrong about Marek's but supporting the immune system with vitamin supplementation, good nutrition and plenty of sunshine and grass and at least being able to see other chickens will help. If it is Marek's the rest of your flock have most likely already been exposed. I no longer isolate Marek's sick birds and I find that they are more likely to survive if they have companions, but within a safe environment like a cage, so that they can't get picked on. Don't get me wrong, it is still a deadly virus but I have had birds be pretty desperately debilitated with it and recover.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[Suzmv]

I was able to bring fecal samples from three birds to my vet for testing today. The hen that is not doing well and is separated tested positive for coccidia and capillaria. The other two samples which were very loose tested negative for all parasites. My vet reached out to another vet who treats chickens and asked for information on how to treat the capillary. That that said that without receiving the test results and actually seeing the hand she would not give any information on how to treat her.

I will treat all of my hens for coccidia as a preventative and then treat the sick hen with a different dosage of Corid. The feed store owner suggested that I mist their food lightly with water and then sprinkle diatomaceous earth on it to see if that will help get rid of the parasite that the sick hen has.

Any suggestions?

 

[Phage]

I would treat all hens as if they have coccidia as they have all been exposed to it.
Also although some people swear by DE as a "cure all"(and feed stores like to sell it) there is little proof that it is actually effective against anything.