loosing a bird a day to unknown illness???

[chickenmamalp]

Hi
I'm scared something is infected our flock.
I have lost a chick each day.
They get lethargic. sleepy
seems some stiffness in legs
noticed a few tiny blood spots
don't know if something bit it
then its head rolls back and dies in my hands.
They are fine and then.....
the one today did have water coming from its mouth.

Anybody know what i can do???

 

[hinkjc]

Any mold, decaying matter in their space? What about poisons or toxins (rat bait, etc)?

 

[chickenmamalp]

just poop

 

[chickenzoo]

Blood in poop is often coccidia, I use Corid from Tractor Supply, I give those affected a drop in the mouth, then a tablespoon in the water for a few days.

 

[chickenmamalp]

I don't see any blood in poop
they are just still and stiff legged then die
only other thing is the itsy bitsy drops of blood that i just though somone picked at them

 

[hinkjc]

Where are these drops of blood located? If they're coming from the mouth/nostrils, it could be toxin/poisoning or ILT. I do believe you'd see many more signs with ILT, however with toxin ingestion it tends to go very fast fron ingestion to death.

 

[CoopCrazy]

I ahd some of my meat chicks do something similar.. They wouild just slow down then the next day would be laying with one leg out adn then the next day dead... I never did find out why.. But I only lost 3

 

[hinkjc]

Meat birds are another factor, as they have known heart issues due to rapid growth. If the OPs birds are meat birds, this is another good point.

 

[rcentner]

just wonderin....what are you using for heat for them? Are they somehwere where carbon monoxide could be a factor? The blood spots, where are they? all over the skin? Birds are extrememly sensitive to CO, I just wanted to throw that out there in case.
I would clean everything, be sure the temperature is good, feed a medicated chick starter and use vitamins in the water. I thought heart problems were identifyable by the combs turnin bluish-purple prior to death. I realize that they are little, but check the combs too.
Be sure they are eating enough as well, could be a hypoglycemia happening. wow...so many things it could be.
I hope you dont lose any more.

 

[fiberart57]

How old are they? Are they on medicated feed? If not, cocci could potentially overwhelm them quickly. Usually there's blood in the stool but not always.

I agree to check their environment but also check what you're feeding them and where and how the feed is stored. Sometimes feed stores will put out last years bags of feed that weren't sold and like someone said, there's a possibility of toxins. While I'd like to think that this doesn't happen, I'm not naive.

Try a complete restart of everything. Get new food, fresh water and if you're using electrolytes, read the back label three or four times to get the correct dosage. Fresh bedding, pine shavings, not cedar is best.

You might try hardboiling some eggs and making a creamy soup out of the yolk and feeding them that for more nutrition.

Good luck, Mary