I give up. Please help me diagnose my problem.

[jenmenke]

I currently have 2 hens. Previously I had four. I lost one in mid summer and another on Christmas. Both seemed to just drop dead, with no explanation. Neither seemed sick.

This past fall, I installed a droppings board and use SweatPDZ underneath the roost and clean poops daily. It has allowed me to notice abnormalities and has caused a HUGE improvement in my winter coop (I am in Minnesota and the current temp is -17.)

The two remaining hens have the following problems:
Hen 1 has a gurgling sound almost all the time.
Hen 2 has chronic liquid poops that run from dark mustard to greenish black to whitish green. OCCASIONALLY they are normal.

Both hens are laying normally, eating like fiends (normal) and drinking normally. They are active and seem fine, aside from the above descriptions.

Several weeks ago, while cleaning the droppings, I noticed what appeared to be thread-like white worms in one of the poops. I have never seen any since.

Immediately, I researched that on BYC and bought some Wazine and dozed both hens. Neither of the above maladies were improved. So I came back and researched some more. I bought Vermex and dosed them approximately 3 weeks after the Wazine. That was about 2 weeks ago. Still no improvement in runny poop or gurgle sound.

What now? Please advise.

(please note that while I love my chickens, I am not a "bring them in the house" owner. Been there, done that and they still died. I've been raising chickens for almost 15 years and I've never really had any problems, so this is new. I love them and will do what I can, but it does not include vet trips or more than $50. Hope that doesn't sound callous, I'm just trying to preclude any advise that has me making them a better breakfast in the morning than I eat myself.

 

[Eggcessive]

Wazine will only get roundworms which is what you were seeing in the droppings, but they get other worms that are harmful and not easily seen. I would use SafeGuard horse paste 1/2 ml to worm them. That brand is pretty cheap, and another more expensive one, Valbazen will get most of the worms that chickens get. Your hen that gurgles probably has a chronic respiratory disease such as mycoplasma G. They are both carriers now, so others added would also get sick. They could also have some coccidiosis causing the runny stools, and it may be mild considering they don't have all the symptoms. But treating with Corid or amprollium for 5 days might clear it up, and won't harm them if they don't. The gurgly hen or both of them could be treated with Gallimycin, Tylan, or tetracycline in the water which might clear the symptoms.

 

[jenmenke]

Thanks Eggcessive. Couple questions:

you say:
"They could also have some coccidiosis causing the runny stools, and it may be mild considering they don't have all the symptoms. But treating with Corid or amprollium for 5 days might clear it up, and won't harm them if they don't. The gurgly hen or both of them could be treated with Gallimycin, Tylan, or tetracycline in the water which might clear the symptoms"

Corid and/or Amprollium treats Cocci? And Gallimucin, Tylan and Tetracycline would treat the respiratory problem?

As for the respiratory, that is something she/they would have forever, infecting new coop-mates? How do they get that? Is it from something I am not doing right?

thanks!
Jennie

 

[dawg53]

Worms weaken a chickens immune system to the point it makes chickens susceptable to respiratory diseases. Since you've had your chickens for awhile, I dont believe cocci are the problem. First, worm your birds with safeguard or valbazen as Eggcessive stated. Verm x is useless.
Next after worming, feed your birds scrambled eggs mixed with buttermilk for a few days. The buttermilk is a better probiotic than yogurt and will coat the intestinal lining, unlike yogurt which has a tendency to pass through them. The scrambled eggs are extra protein to help rebuild strength. Once your birds have regained their strength, observe them for other respiratory symptoms including; head shaking, wheezing, sneezing, bubbly eyes, facial swelling, snotting etc...with respiratory diseases, there are usually more symptoms involved than gurgling like I mentioned.
Dosage for safeguard equine paste is a "pea" sized amount given orally to each chicken. Repeat dosing again in 10 days. If you are able to purchase safeguard liquid goat wormer, administer it orally using a syringe without a needle. Dosage is 1/2cc orally given to each chicken, repeat dosing again in 10 days. The dosage is the same if you decide to purchase valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer.

 

[jenmenke]

BLAH! I misspoke. I didn't use Vermex. I accidentally bought that realized it was simply a "cure all" type of thing and then returned it. I bought and dosed them with Durvet Ivermectin Pour On.

From what I read here, that was a more effective wormer. Again, though, I noticed no change in symptoms. Does that change any of your advice?

I'm so sorry for the misleading info.

 

[dawg53]

BLAH! I misspoke. I didn't use Vermex. I accidentally bought that realized it was simply a "cure all" type of thing and then returned it. I bought and dosed them with Durvet Ivermectin Pour On.

From what I read here, that was a more effective wormer. Again, though, I noticed no change in symptoms. Does that change any of your advice?

I'm so sorry for the misleading info.

Unfortunately Ivermectin is ineffective treating internal parasites in chickens due to its overuse as a miteacide, worms have built resistance to the product:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0450.1989.tb00635.x/abstract
I recommend using one of the wormers in post #4. Good luck.

 

[gander007]

Wazine will only get roundworms which is what you were seeing in the droppings, but they get other worms that are harmful and not easily seen. I would use SafeGuard horse paste 1/2 ml to worm them. That brand is pretty cheap, and another more expensive one, Valbazen will get most of the worms that chickens get. Your hen that gurgles probably has a chronic respiratory disease such as mycoplasma G. They are both carriers now, so others added would also get sick. They could also have some coccidiosis causing the runny stools, and it may be mild considering they don't have all the symptoms. But treating with Corid or amprollium for 5 days might clear it up, and won't harm them if they don't. The gurgly hen or both of them could be treated with Gallimycin, Tylan, or tetracycline in the water which might clear the symptoms.

Big X2

 

[jenmenke]

oh for pete's sake. Seriously? GRRrrowl. I saw Ivermectin on here several times.

Also, what does "Big X2" mean?

 

[DeckDuck]

Wow, I was thinking of using Ivermectin on my birds. Good thing I saw this post! It looks like I have more research to do now.


I hope you're able to help your birds Jenmenke. Has the hen that gurgles always made that noise when she breathes or is it a new development? I ask because I had a chicken who had deformed air sacs, among other things, and she existed in a perpetual state of respiratory crackling sounds. It was caused mostly because she was not capable of removing dust from one of her air sacs (so said the vet

). Birds who have been injured (especially from being squeezed too tightly) can also have problems with their air sacs that might cause that. It's unlikely that this is the problem your hen is having, but I don't know about anything else so I thought it would be worth suggesting.

X2 means times-two; it's frequently used around here and I guess it basically means "I second that."

 

[jenmenke]

Has the hen that gurgles always made that noise when she breathes or is it a new development?

you know, I can't really say for sure. I want to say that she didn't do it when I first got her, or I would have been inclined to call the person I got her from. But she has definitely been doing it for quite a while. She doesn't really shake her head or display any of the other symptoms of respiratory illness.

We've had such an insane below zero stretch the past two months… This is getting so old. I keep the lightbulb on 24/7 until nighttime temps get closer to zero. Not that that has anything to do with my questions. More just a "woe is me" because I have to go check on them again since I haven't been out there for a few day.