Lost a few chickens: Puffy, lethargic, diarrhea, slightly blue comb, and then quick death.

[cocosandy]

Hi-
Ive lost a few birds this weekend, and its sort of a mystery to me. They seem to be a little down but nothing much to note, and then they get diarrhea and die. Ive been looking at the couple that seemed sick before just dying suddenly, and there was a little gaping but no big respiratory thing. No discharge, no smell or anything odd in mouth, no weight loss or strange behavior...feed is new, coops are clean...they have been wormed this year.
I lost a tiny oe bantam that I have had for 7 months...he has been fine. I lost one of his hens last week suddenly.
I lost an old, old leghorn hen that had lost her foot a couple of years ago and that has been as tough as nails nonstop (most likely to peck you if you step out of line)
I lost a newer young turken, but she and her sister both had wry neck, and I successfully treated the sister.
I have one older hen who is sort of puffed up and looks to be sick. It seems like her comb is a little blue and she has diarrhea.
I gave denaguard for possible respiratory infection...tho she only gapes if I pick her up and she is stressed; she isnt acting like there is anything wrong with her sinus or lungs...no marks in her mouth or smell....
I gave vet rx and also corrid for possible cocci.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Im pretty well versed with things that go wrong with chickens and if this one dies she is going to the state vet extension.
I also have them coming to NPIP test me this or next week (cant remember) but the tester doesnt know poultry disease because he specializes in larger farm animals. So maybe its best to send the next one to the lab.
The environment is so odd this year in the northeast that its hard to tell whats going on.
I have had mite problems but not in this coop....i have treated with ivomec pour on and I wormed a month or two ago.
Thanks for any ideas. I lost my prize oe roo yesterday and in spite of myself, Im upset.....I have too many roos, but I adored this guy!!

;-(

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

I am so, so sorry Coco

When my hens get a slight respiratory disease their combs turn blue, and the breathe heavy and have runny poops sometimes.
Since the NPIP is already coming, hopefully he'll find out whats wrong.

 

[cocosandy]

he doesnt know...he already told me that he handles mostly large animals and that he is not up on poultry. He just draws blood and drops it at the lab. If I have one going down when he is here I may be able to send the bird for necropsy....I find that even the students who work at the lab dont always know the field sicknesses unless they are a huge issue coming into the lab. The flock at UConn is pretty enclosed, but they do test and necropsy many birds from around the state....I just think that they dont see much *living* illnesses, so they dont know what its like in real life.
My one hen seems a little better today so maybe my hard hit with the kitchen sink worked...but it doesn't answer what happened to my lil' roo.
We'll see what happens...Ill report back.

 

[leadwolf1]

I would send one in for necropsy. I had one with the exact same symptoms...sent her in expecting a respiratory illness and instead was devastated by the news that it was Marek's. With several dying, I would want to know exactly what was going on.

 

[cocosandy]

These are vaccinated...but I have mareks here. Everyone has mareks and there are many strains now. This doesnt look like any mareks that Ive ever seen in my life (and Ive seen some mareks;-)
I will send one...just waiting for one to get sick...but maybe they wont...maybe thats that. Hopeful.

 

[leadwolf1]

This was deemed atypical marek's and your chickens have the same symptoms as mine did. I wasn't expecting Marek's either..no paralysis, no nerve involvement...but, since then I've lost almost 30 chickens to Marek's Vaccination doesn't protect them from getting the disease I've lost several vaccinated birds...and silkies seem to be very susceptible. Since you have dealt with it before, I'm sure you know what devastation it can cause. So sorry for your loss of your little OEGB roo, I lost my vaccinated OEGB roo...I swear, I loved that chicken as much as my kids...so, I can feel your pain

 

[cocosandy]

Yeah...he was a crelle tiny boy who could sit in my hand...he had 4 hens that matched him....RIP little boy. Te one chick that they hatched out seems to be a tiny white roo.
so much for crelle;-)

 

[seminolewind]

Have you thought any about coccidiosis? Or having both? I hope you can send your next demise if you have another. You really need to know what's happening.

 

[cocosandy]

Ive treated with corrid. I thought of it but there is no blood...that was my first thought. All I can think of is that maybe the food or something....its been awfully wet and maybe they got into something, but they are in different coops with different runs.