I am new to this but need help and fast please. chickens dying.

[dusterbd]

We have 14 buff orpingtons, 5 black giants, 2 rhode island red bantams and we just bought four blue laced red wyandottes. Anyways these are all young around 6-10 weeks old and starting yesterday morning went to feed them and one of the blue laced red wyandottes was dead. Then this afternoon went to check them and one of the other blue laced red wyandottes was acting funny. She was fine last night and this morning but this afternoon she was hunched down with her eyes closed barely breathing. We worked with her for a while but nothing we done helped her. We just burried our 2nd chick and Im upset and confused. What ever is happening to them it comes on quick and they pass away fast. symptoms are lathargic, not breathing good and not eating or drinking. It justs lays with its eyes closed moves when messed with but not much. Any advice would be great. Thanks for reading ~Les~

 

[emvickrey]

I had the same thing happen to a bunch I bought from a local breeder. They dropped of one by one. What ever it was wasn't contagious. I kept them away from my other chicks and after 2 weeks there was one that was still alive and it seemed to be fine so I put it with my other chicks. After a few days it started the symptoms and died but none of the others died. I'm thinking it was genetic. I tried everything but nothing worked.

I wish I could help you but I will be watching this post to find out if somebody else knows. I'm curious as to what was wrong.

 

[carrlr]

I would make sure to separate the remaining two blue laced from your other chickens. It was more than likely something they had before you received them. When you say you just bought them, how long have you had them?

 

[lotzahenz]

You must definitely quarantine the new birds, as they may be contagious. The only way to know for sure what is wrong is to get a dead or live bird necropsied (live bird will be sacrificed) and they will send you a report of what disease you may have. This seems to happen so often, when new birds are introduced and there are many many threads on dying birds. I wish you the best of luck and hope your flock will be safe. HenZ

 

[dusterbd]

We haven't had the new ones that long only about a week. I just talked to a lady who replied to my posting on craigs list who said she had the same problem in some of the chickens she had. She told me what I am describing sounds like coccidiosis and to try them on sulmet for two days. Were gonna give it a shot and pray that it works. We are getting the one out that is still acting sick and deffinately going to wake up early and disinfect the chicken pen really good. Wish me luck and thank you all for taking the time to read and give advice on what may be wrong.

 

[krobin04]

We have 3 out of 4 Americaunas left, with 1 going down. VetRx has made her more comfortable, I think, and we are hand watering her. I ordered some vaccine and disinfectant on-line and am waiting for it. We have 5 Wyandottes and hopefully they will be OK. What is it genetically to make a bird go down like this? Stumbling, eyes closed, listless. I am praying for your babies, and for you as you go through this confusing time.

 

[winnieandchicken]

coccidiosis will cause bloody poop. have you check that?


someone forwarded me this page from University of Florida extention service, it had very nice description of poultry diseases:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[emvickrey]

When mine acted like this their poop was normal. They appeared to have no problems at all then they would sleep longer than the others and stop eating, then when they where awake they would be weak and finally too weak to stand and lay down and die. It was a slow process but it took about 24 hours from the time they started sleeping more than the others till death. The oldest one lasted several weeks but when it pooped it would chirp out loud then rub on it's vent afterwards. It's poop was normal but around it's vent was featherless from the rubbing it did with it's beak. It wasn't active from day one but it would eat and drink take a walk around the brooder then up on the perch for a nap. It was feathered when it died. I had put it with mine just a few days before it died because I thought it was going to make it. None of mine died or got sick. That is why I feel it was genetic. Maybe something went wrong in the incubation. I don't know but I didn't get any more from that breeder. When I bought them I started loosing one at a time everyday. Occasionally 2 a day. I bought 18 and it took 3 weeks for them all to die. I should have had a necropsy done to find out why but it isn't nearby.