I cant figure out what is happening to my chickens

[smoore7489]

So, a few months back I had a chicken start to loose weight rapidly. I immediately thought it was worms. I bought some horse wormer, with ivermectin as the main ingredient (some one's suggestion on here I believe) and gave her a pea size amount and the rest of the flock too. It didn't seem to help at all. She eventually just withered into nothing and died.
Recently after her death, I bought 8 lavendar orpington chicks which I have had major problems with because they weren't in the best shape when I got them. (Former owners had horrible living conditions. But I couldn't leave them there like that. Lesson learned though!)
Anyways I have two of them who aren't gaining weight right now. Everyone else is fine besides these two and it's so much like the other chicken. I gave them wormer and nothing. I don't even see worms in their feces. (I have them separated and locked up)
Someone please help! I dont know what is going on. Besides the weightloss, they eat fine, drink fine, and move around fine.

And if it is worms, please help me understand how to dose them better or a different brand that may have worked for you.

 

[DobieLover]

If you don't see worms, you should not worm them. If you suspect worms, you should get fresh samples from the suspect chicken(s) and get a fecal float done to confirm.
How old are these chicks and what are you feeding them?

 

[smoore7489]

They are about 6 months old but the one that is really effected doesnt look 6 months at all. She is tiny. I just feed them commercial layer pellets. Either nutrena or dumor brand. I've given her eggs as well to try and up the protein.
Before I got them, I found out a few weeks later the original owners fed them commercial MEDICATED feed, which has stemmed problems for a few of them that have been corrected as of now.
So their immune systems were pretty weak when I recieved them.
All of them are doing well now, except for the two I have mentioned with extreme weight loss.

 

[DobieLover]

Have you checked their crop function? Full at night, empty in morning? No foul smell coming from their mouths? Are they being prevented from getting at the food? Food available at all times with fresh water?
I have not heard good things about Dumor. I actually had a person tell me he was feeding Dumor and one of his roosters died. He had a necropsy and was told that the bird basically starved to death. The rooster was confined to a small pen and only fed Dumor. Who knows?

 

[smoore7489]

Have you checked their crop function? Full at night, empty in morning? No foul smell coming from their mouths? Are they being prevented from getting at the food? Food available at all times with fresh water?
I have not heard good things about Dumor. I actually had a person tell me he was feeding Dumor and one of his roosters died. He had a necropsy and was told that the bird basically starved to death. The rooster was confined to a small pen and only fed Dumor. Who knows?

No sour crop. And they do get a pretty full crop by nighttime. I have them in a cage and I never let their feed or water get empty because I have been trying to have them gain weight. It just seems like all my efforts have been futile. They aren't sluggish or lethargic either.
I usually dont get dumor but recently bought a couple bags because of the big sale they had at TSC for black Friday. I'm just at a loss with all this. I'd I could afford a vet, or was near one I would take them but we live so far away from town, it's not possible at this moment.
I have never had a problem with my chicken's health up until this year.it has been a horrible year for me and my chickens.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Aw What wormer did you use?

 

[LoveMyChickenBabies]

I agree with DobieLover. You need to get a sample of their feces and bring it to a lab or something. Hopefully they can figure it out.

 

[DobieLover]

No sour crop. And they do get a pretty full crop by nighttime. I have them in a cage and I never let their feed or water get empty because I have been trying to have them gain weight. It just seems like all my efforts have been futile. They aren't sluggish or lethargic either.
I usually dont get dumor but recently bought a couple bags because of the big sale they had at TSC for black Friday. I'm just at a loss with all this. I'd I could afford a vet, or was near one I would take them but we live so far away from town, it's not possible at this moment.
I have never had a problem with my chicken's health up until this year.it has been a horrible year for me and my chickens.

Sorry you are having such a hard time.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Apologies, you wrote already you used ivermectin.. hopefully someone here can clarify but I think I've read on here that is not an effective wormer .... if that is the case it could be just a different one you need!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

a few months back I had a chicken start to loose weight rapidly. I immediately thought it was worms. I bought some horse wormer, with ivermectin as the main ingredient (some one's suggestion on here I believe) and gave her a pea size amount and the rest of the flock too. It didn't seem to help at all. She eventually just withered into nothing and died.

I have two of them who aren't gaining weight right now.

I gave them wormer and nothing. I don't even see worms in their feces.

Besides the weightloss, they eat fine, drink fine, and move around fine.

Before I got them, I found out a few weeks later the original owners fed them commercial MEDICATED feed, which has stemmed problems for a few of them that have been corrected as of now.
So their immune systems were pretty weak when I recieved them.

Post some photos of them along with their poop.
Was the Medicated feed Chick Starter?
Do you know how long they were fed the medicated feed? Generally medicated feed in the US contains a very small amount of Amprolium/Amprol which is a Coccidiostat. That should not really have any negative effects. What were the problems that you saw that needed to be corrected?

If you can tell us exactly what horse wormer you have we can help with dosing - a photo of the the product you have is best.
While it is ideal to have a fecal float to see if there is a worm load, a lot of people don't do this. Keep in mind that knowing which/what type of worms your chickens have is always best this way you can give the correct medication. Ivermectin with???Praziquantel will treat tapes and maybe roundworms.
It may be better to get something like Valbazen or Fenbendazole (Safeguard) and give the correct dose to treat a broader range of worms.

Rapid weight loss/wasting if not worms, coccidiosis or similar - then Marek's disease would need to be looked at. Birds with Marek's can eat very well but still just waste away due to tumors and I suspect an inability to absorb/process nutrients like they should.