meds for my flock

[FoghornTim]

I had a hen with a runny and bloody backside back in early April. Took her out, kept her in isolation for over a month. Was sure she would pass in a few days, but she got better, started eating more and more and her backside cleared up. I finally thought, ok, place her back in the coop. She was fine, not sure she started laying again, however about 3 weeks after coming back to the coop, I found her dead Saturday morning. I saw no signs of why this time.

So last evening (Tuesday) I came home and found another hen dead. She had the same look of her backside the other one did back in April, but I did not notice it until I picked her body up.

I thoroughly clean out the hen house, new straw in the nest boxes, had been using wood shavings, for the sake of a change, put in clean new straw this time (Used straw in the winter and started with shavings in March. New water, everything.

Way back when, as a kid, I remember using something I added to the water of my chickens, I am talking 1980-ish, yes been w while in between raising them. I want to say it was called Terramycin.

I live in central Ohio and only access to two farm stores, Rural King and Tractor Supply. I looked online last evening and not seeing anything out there I could use as a antibotic to help my ladies that remain stay healthy.

My feeding is laying pellets from Rural King, I just had them eating on a Flock Block recently, and we give them some free range once in a while and some heads of cabbage.

Hope to told enough here to get some good advice from any of you. Sad to lose my hens,

needing help here in Ohio
tim

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

As of this year due to people over using antibiotics to treat their chickens you can no longer buy stuff like that over the counter and you now need to see a vet.

From your description it sounds more like cannibalism, especially if their bottoms are bloodied. Sometimes chickens just die from no apparent reason, but upon an an autopsy the reason can often be found.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with Oldhenlikesdogs that it sounds like they are vent pecking and cannibalising each other. It may be one or it could be more. Do you let them outside daily to free range? Some breeds are more aggressive than others, so I would spend some time observing them. What brand is your feed? I ask because I tried a feed from RK that my hens would not eat, and it looked darker than the brands like Nutrena, Purina, and Kalmbach that they normally love. Make sure that you have enough room in your run especially if they are not out free ranging. Layer feed is 16-17% and you can try boosting them with some extra protein, or bump them up to flock raiser or chick feed for a bit. Separate any bullies or send them to freezer camp. Also make sure that your coop is predator proof in case something got in to do this. Free ranging can be a good way to keep them from picking on each other.