isa brown really sick

[Docile chicky babe]

I have an isa brown called, Sweet Pea. She is a darling. The last 6 days she has been lying still. She is half the weight of the three Isa's I got at the same time. She is weak and lethargic. Doesn't move much at all during day. When she puts her head down to eat she doesn't have the energy to stand up. Her wings droop by her side and she has trouble standing. Any suggestions on her illness would be appreciated. No bloody stool, just discoordination. Merek's? Coccidiosis?

Thanks in advance A.J. Coops. The worst chicken farmer ever!

 

[azygous]

Yes, it could be Marek's or cocci or any of a whole catalog of chicken diseases. But it could be something as simple as being bullied away from the feeder and becoming too weak to stand.

You aren't the worst chicken farmer ever. You're probably in the front end of the learning curve. Keeping chickens requires, besides feed and care, a lot of observation. Just watching your chickens can teach you a lot about their health and well being, and it's highly entertaining besides.

One thing you need to observe is poop. It's the leading sign to whether you have a sick chicken or a healthy one. Describe this chicken's poop. It's my guess that it's thin, watery, and has green bits in it. If it's blackish brown and watery, that would indicate a bacterial infection. If it has bits of red, it could be blood signifying a cocci overload or there may even be other parasites in the stool. It would tell you wheter you need to treat for cocci or worms.

The most common cause of a chicken being sick is crop disorders. You need to examine the hen's crop. Is it full and mushy feeling? Or is it mostly empty with hard lumps in it? Look at the hen standing up. Does her crop hang down low from her chest and perhaps swing as she moves around? Check the crop at bedtime. Is it full? Check again first thing in the morning before she gets off the roost. Is it empty or is it still full? If it's still full, it means she has a crop disorder that may be causing her problems.

Meanwhile, try to get come boiled chopped egg into your hen. If she won't eat, try getting another hen to keep her company that won't bully her away from the food. Give them both enough so the sick hen will get some. Get some Poultry Nutri-drench. It's a potent vitamin supplement that can bring a malnourished chicken back to life. Give her a few drops on her food and mix some into her water.

Meanwhile, do the crop check, and we'll have further advice if it turns out her crop is what's giving her the problems. Also monitor the poop. It's best to isolate her for the time being to make the necessary diagnoses.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? I would follow the advice of Azygous, but I would go ahead and treat her for possible coccidiosis, especially if she is young. First though, give her water, or electrolytes and if you have yogurt, mix a little tsp into water. The Nutri/drench is very good instead of electrolytes. Dehydration can make a chick have droopy wings and even lame. Corid from the feed store is good for coccidiosis treatment. Dosage is 2 tsp of Corid liquid per gallon, or 1 1/2 tsp of the powder per gallon of water, used for 5-7 days. Some chickens are runts or have immunity problems, but coccidiosis can cause some of that. Mareks can cause a lack of immunity to many common illnesses, as well as paralysis and other things. Symptoms of coccidiosis are lethargy, standing hunched or puffed up, no appetite, runny poops with mucus or sometimes blood, and ruffled feathers.

 

[Christii]

Yes, it could be Marek's or cocci or any of a whole catalog of chicken diseases. But it could be something as simple as being bullied away from the feeder and becoming too weak to stand.

You aren't the worst chicken farmer ever. You're probably in the front end of the learning curve. Keeping chickens requires, besides feed and care, a lot of observation. Just watching your chickens can teach you a lot about their health and well being, and it's highly entertaining besides.

One thing you need to observe is poop. It's the leading sign to whether you have a sick chicken or a healthy one. Describe this chicken's poop. It's my guess that it's thin, watery, and has green bits in it. If it's blackish brown and watery, that would indicate a bacterial infection. If it has bits of red, it could be blood signifying a cocci overload or there may even be other parasites in the stool. It would tell you wheter you need to treat for cocci or worms.

The most common cause of a chicken being sick is crop disorders. You need to examine the hen's crop. Is it full and mushy feeling? Or is it mostly empty with hard lumps in it? Look at the hen standing up. Does her crop hang down low from her chest and perhaps swing as she moves around? Check the crop at bedtime. Is it full? Check again first thing in the morning before she gets off the roost. Is it empty or is it still full? If it's still full, it means she has a crop disorder that may be causing her problems.

Meanwhile, try to get come boiled chopped egg into your hen. If she won't eat, try getting another hen to keep her company that won't bully her away from the food. Give them both enough so the sick hen will get some. Get some Poultry Nutri-drench. It's a potent vitamin supplement that can bring a malnourished chicken back to life. Give her a few drops on her food and mix some into her water.

Meanwhile, do the crop check, and we'll have further advice if it turns out her crop is what's giving her the problems. Also monitor the poop. It's best to isolate her for the time being to make the necessary diagnoses.

I don't mean to hijack a thread about a sick chick, but you said something about the poo that caught my attention. I have a couple of healthy layers & have noticed watery poo like that from time to time. Is there any other sign that one of my girls might have some sort of infection? Or, forgive me for asking, maybe a thread on here with pics of poo? Ugh . . . Yes, I did just ask about chicken poo pics.

 

[azygous]

Here's everything you would ever want to know about chicken poop. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html

 

[Christii]

Here's everything you would ever want to know about chicken poop. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html

Lol tyvm

Oh, cool, I was on that site yesterday, but came back here because of all the good advice. Ty

 

[Docile chicky babe]

To all those who replied, a big thank you first and foremost.

The Isa Brown is about five weeks old. I am pretty sure it isn't a bullying issue. This is my first coop and I did read about having adequate food sources. I have 6 feeders. 2 inside the coop, and four outside undercover. They also get daily veggies from the garden that I scatter around (rocket, mixed lettuce leaves, beetroot, nasturtians, finely sliced carrots, chickweed, pineapple sage and wormwood.)

Here's my brief three month experience with poultry so far. Had twenty four eggs in the incubator. My 4 year old nephew rolled the Brinsea 20 on about day 16. I was putting scrambled eggs in my pocket so he wouldn't worry. Of the 24 eggs, one Belgian d'uccle was born with splayed legs. I took him to an avian vet who put her in skis. She died in my hands 3 days later.

Got 6 beautiful bantam Pekins from a dealer. All healthy but the 4 roosters had to go because they were starting to spar.

Got 3 Isa browns, three Australorps, 3 buff orpington chicks and 2 belgian d'uccles from a breeder. Good birds in the main. One Buff died the first night. Found chick dead under the Brinsea 50 heatpad. It looked only a day or so old and possibly a bit to young to survive the 2 hour travel. 2 of the Australorps were battling for dominance in a makeshift pen I had. I watched all day and literally thought they were going to kill each other or the Isas'. Both rehomed at a friend's farm and they are living happily free ranging.

My problems began when I went to another breeder. He fed live chicks to his dog! The place was filthy. I itched all the way home. This is where I think I made my BIG mistake. I didn't isolate from the rest of the young ones because he was a show winning chicken person type.

The 3 salmon faverolles, 2 Houdans (Fonze and little Fonze) and 6 d'uccles I got were malnourished with breastbones that looked like knife blades. I Isolated them in a cage with heat lamp when they started pooping blood. Used three different coccidiosis medications until I got it under control. Sulphur 3 for caged birds first, only because it was a long weekend and the only medication I could get. They were so lethargic I thought they would die. One Fav did die over the weekend. Switched to Amporium, much better alternative when the d'uccles got the same symptoms. Bloody poop everywhere. Now I use Bay Cox. Expensive but I'm not taking anymore risks.

Supplied supplements to water and gave each bird a dust bath to get rid of lice and mites before I put them in the main coop. I was so happy when I got the 2 Favs back to health. I massaged one of their crops when I suspected it might be impacted crop. Just their new muff feathers and my paranoia!

When Fonze died, then Little Fonze, just a couple of weeks old, did a face plant and got lethargic. I called the vet who came straight over. Said bedding and setup was clean and the fact I had administered electrolytes, resumed treatment for worms and coccidiosis was a good thing and I couldn't do anymore. Little Fonze died the next day.

Finally realized something was amiss with the Isa because she had been sitting still for a few days. I picked her up, she was half the weight of the others. She has those wobbly legs and curled toes that could be symptoms of Marek's. Vet's coming in next few days so I'll take some photos and keep you posted.

So that's why I am calling myself the worst poultry farmer. Incubated chicks 0/24. I've buried Tuna the salmon faverolles, Ruby, Fonze, Little Fonze, and Xxxx gold. For non-Australians that's a beer that looked the same colour as the buff orpington. I had to swallow a few the day I said goodbye to my favourite fav rooster. I was holding back tears.

Potentially I could have had as many as 50 chickens. I'm down to 12 with 0 eggs in sight. If the Isa Brown has Marek's, I'm seriously worried the rest of the flock is going to be infected too.

Then all I'll have is a collection of heat pads, sick bay cages, a large portable dog cage I used for the makeshift coop, several hundreds of dollars in medications, and a silly chicken swing that not one of the birds has used!

Thanks for all your help any way. Much appreciated. Fingers crossed this gets easier.

 

[azygous]

If you aren't dealing with coccidiosis, you're probably dealing with Marek's. I sure hope that isn't it. Marek's infects your premises for a good long time and can infect any new chickens you bring onto your place.

I urge you to get the next chicken tested that dies. If you're in the outback, you will need to ship the body to a lab, so you'll need to locate one now, then refrigerate the remains of the next chicken that dies until you can make the preparations.

It's crucial you know if it's Marek's so you can vaccinate future chicks. If you have laws governing commercial operations and this farmer who "shows chickens" is operating under that premise, you could have him shut down so he doesn't spread the disease as he's done to your flock.

It's so sad and unfair when an unscrupulous person ruins the poultry experience for you before you even get going.

 

[Docile chicky babe]

Thanks Azygous. It's been difficult. Fortunately I have a concrete floor in the run. I am removing all straw and burning it tomorrow. Then disinfecting the whole area again. I sprayed the nest boxes, floor and dirt around coop and run with something an old farmer recomended before the chickens went in to prevent disease in the first place. I put concrete down to try and stop soil born viruses but never thought baby chicks from a "reputable" breeder would bring it with them. I lost my little Isa Brown this morning.

Tuna, my Salmon Fav that died, had a tumor in her neck near her crop, another indicative sign of Marek's. I have the Isa stored in the fridge ready for the vet to test but I'm almost certain it's Marek's. I treated them for everything else.

I'll be buying all birds vaccinated now from caring breeders.

Anyway, thank you for your kind words and help. You sound like a wonderful person.