Hi all,
One of my girls is having a really hard time. I thought I would open the door to a dead chicken this morning
Not sure what breed she is but she's very underweight for her normal self.
She started with low energy and diarrhea and is now nearly immobile and doesn't seem to have an appetite or the energy to eat. She is very underweight. Her comb is purple and she has trouble breathing, sometimes breaths sounds a little thick. She is currently laying on the floor of the coop with her eyes closed and is taking noticeably deep and quick breaths.
Her symptoms have been severe for the past 2-3 days, but I haven't been in town to see is she's been losing weight for awhile
Quite a few of my birds (~5 out of 14 chickens) have fallen sick and died with nearly the exact same symptoms over the past 1.5 years, but only one is sick at a time and months can go by between illness. One bird had a slow asymmetrical paralysis and a convulsing, twisting neck reminiscent of Mareks but the others haven't had that symptom.
No signs or trauma or any recent changes in environment.
I've been replacing the water every day and they are being feed with Purina layer crumbles.
Diarrhea is very watery with slight green tint, no visible worms but it did seem almost grainy. Her rear feathers around the cloaca are much dirtier and smell more than normal.
I'm lost on treatment. So far just trying to keep her energy up and give her fresh air in case it's a respiratory or mold issue. In the past I've looked for them being egg bound, sour/impacted crops and the like.
There are no avian vets accessible to me and I would like to be able to stabilize her so that I don't lose her overnight if possible.
They have pine shavings that are clean and dry, but I haven't done a deep clean of the coop yet for spring.
Any help would be appreciated. It's been heartbreaking to slowly lose my girls when I'm sure it's a management issue.
One of my girls is having a really hard time. I thought I would open the door to a dead chicken this morning
Not sure what breed she is but she's very underweight for her normal self.
She started with low energy and diarrhea and is now nearly immobile and doesn't seem to have an appetite or the energy to eat. She is very underweight. Her comb is purple and she has trouble breathing, sometimes breaths sounds a little thick. She is currently laying on the floor of the coop with her eyes closed and is taking noticeably deep and quick breaths.
Her symptoms have been severe for the past 2-3 days, but I haven't been in town to see is she's been losing weight for awhile
Quite a few of my birds (~5 out of 14 chickens) have fallen sick and died with nearly the exact same symptoms over the past 1.5 years, but only one is sick at a time and months can go by between illness. One bird had a slow asymmetrical paralysis and a convulsing, twisting neck reminiscent of Mareks but the others haven't had that symptom.
No signs or trauma or any recent changes in environment.
I've been replacing the water every day and they are being feed with Purina layer crumbles.
Diarrhea is very watery with slight green tint, no visible worms but it did seem almost grainy. Her rear feathers around the cloaca are much dirtier and smell more than normal.
I'm lost on treatment. So far just trying to keep her energy up and give her fresh air in case it's a respiratory or mold issue. In the past I've looked for them being egg bound, sour/impacted crops and the like.
There are no avian vets accessible to me and I would like to be able to stabilize her so that I don't lose her overnight if possible.
They have pine shavings that are clean and dry, but I haven't done a deep clean of the coop yet for spring.
Any help would be appreciated. It's been heartbreaking to slowly lose my girls when I'm sure it's a management issue.