Looking for opinions and thoughts sick hens.

[Folly's place]

Only post mortem exams or lab testing will answer your questions here. Assuming that management is good, Marek's disease strikes me as a real possibility, which would be bad, but if you get a diagnosis, you can move forward. Good information is worth the cost!
Don't get more birds until this is sorted out either.
So sorry! Your state veterinary school/ lab is worth checking out, if there's not a avian vet nearby.
Mary

 

[Hanginwithmypeeps0816]

Ive also read that not all wormers are equal, some target some types of worm where others can target another, and that rotating worming medicine can help prevent worms from gaining a tolerance.

Is it only her birds that are dying?

Maybe try her on some yogurt.

How does her poo look?

Yes it is only her birds that I have lost. (Other than to a fox 2 years ago) these are the only birds that have died here. Poo is watery but looks normal not off color or anything. I was thinking maybe mites with the head shake? I'm hesitant to spray my birds right now because its winter and cold but will tonight if it might help.

 

[Reurra]

Wiggling the head can be caused by discharge from the nose. My girls are healthy and shake their heads and they dont have mites or illness, they just always do it.

You can use wood ash as a mite deterrent in their dust bath. If you think its mites, peek at the base of her feathers for clotted white clumps. Like lice on people, they lay their nits on the base of the feather shaft. She would have to have a pretty serious case to be this far gone. And your other birds would show signs too.

There are a few products you can use for mites. Sevin powder works great from my own experience. Wear gloves and a mask when applying.

DE is suggested too, but its silica based and can cause long term lung issues for anyone thats breaths it.

Permethrin/Pyrethrin based products like horse spray can work too, but if you have cats, it can poison them.

Is she skinny? Are her eyes sunk in? Is her comb pale pink or bright red?

She does look a lot like my wellsummers, normal poo, eating very little, but just not thriving.

 

[Hanginwithmypeeps0816]

Only post mortem exams or lab testing will answer your questions here. Assuming that management is good, Marek's disease strikes me as a real possibility, which would be bad, but if you get a diagnosis, you can move forward. Good information is worth the cost!
Don't get more birds until this is sorted out either.
So sorry! Your state veterinary school/ lab is worth checking out, if there's not a avian vet nearby.
Mary

Thank you. After the nightmare this has been I'm done with birds, as these die off I wont replace. It has occurred to me it could be mareks but it just seems odd its isolated to these birds out of my flock

 

[Hanginwithmypeeps0816]

Wiggling the head can be caused by discharge from the nose. My girls are healthy and shake their heads and they dont have mites or illness, they just always do it.

You can use wood ash as a mite deterrent in their dust bath. If you think its mites, peek at the base of her feathers for clotted white clumps. Like lice on people, they lay their nits on the base of the feather shaft. She would have to have a pretty serious case to be this far gone. And your other birds would show signs too.

There are a few products you can use for mites. Sevin powder works great from my own experience. Wear gloves and a mask when applying.

DE is suggested too, but its silica based and can cause long term lung issues for anyone thats breaths it.

Permethrin/Pyrethrin based products like horse spray can work too, but if you have cats, it can poison them.

Is she skinny? Are her eyes sunk in? Is her comb pale pink or bright red?

She does look a lot like my wellsummers, normal poo, eating very little, but just not thriving.

She isnt skinny yet, but as with the others they start out like this and get progressively worse. I have a jug of elector so I dont mind mixing up a batch and giving it a go. It did warm up to 40 here today. Her eyes are not sunk in but at this point arent very responsive. Comb is pale ish. Can be seen here.

 

[Folly's place]

I thought they were your only birds, sorry. Are your other birds all older, and/ or vaccinated against Marek's disease? It would certainly be better if this wasn't the problem!
Spinosad is very good treating mites and lice, and you've been looking at them at night with a flashlight, I hope.
Mary

 

[Hanginwithmypeeps0816]

I thought they were your only birds, sorry. Are your other birds all older, and/ or vaccinated against Marek's disease? It would certainly be better if this wasn't the problem!
Spinosad is very good treating mites and lice, and you've been looking at them at night with a flashlight, I hope.
Mary

Yes so these birds are the only ones I've had issue with they came as a set of 8. I'm down to 4 (fearing 3 shortly) I purchased 10 birds from a feed store two years ago and lost all but 3 to a fox one day. Then bought 17 more. Lost 1 to a dog I believe. And other than that have never lost a bird until these ones came around. Idk if most feed store birds are vaccinated it is possible I guess? They are older and all appear healthy. I have checked a million times for lice/mites but can treat for them anyway just to be safe.