Miscellaneous health concerns

[ChickenMamaC]

My flock basically looks and acts well. However, there are a couple of concerns. Several of my hens (all are ~16 months old) have very ragged tail feathers and one has been molting/ experiencing feather loss on her chest only for a couple months.
A different one had watery diarrhea off and on for a few days, but it cleared up with probiotics and reducing treats.
Now I’m noticing little reddish dots in solid poop. It almost looks like small seeds. I’ll try to get a photo later.
I tried preventive de-worming with Zyfend but when I read the worm descriptions, I’m not seeing anything like that in their poop.
What could be going on? We don’t have a livestock/poultry vet anywhere nearby so I’m not able to request a fecal float (I called every traditional vet in town).

 

[Criticalicious]

The ragged tail feathers and loss could be simple molting, which will make them cranky and acting off. Watery diarrhea could be drinking excess water, if it's been hot. Sounds like it's OK now.

Are your chickens eating something with red seeds or is it possible it's blood? I would test the consistency of the red dots (with a stick or something) to test if it's blood or seeds, to get a better idea of what those are. If blood, it could be cocci starting. The treatment for that is Corid. You can get it at TSC in powder or liquid form.

 

[DobieLover]

We don’t have a livestock/poultry vet anywhere nearby so I’m not able to request a fecal float (I called every traditional vet in town).

It doesn't matter if a vet sees chickens or not. They ALL can do a fecal float on chicken feces. The parasite eggs are the same no matter which animal excreted them. I would take a combined sample in to your regular vet.

A poop picture will help. They could just be shedding intestinal lining which is normal.

Have you closely examined their skin at night looking fo external parasites to rule out feather damage from lice?

 

[townchicks]

It doesn't matter if a vet sees chickens or not. They ALL can do a fecal float on chicken feces. The parasite eggs are the same no matter which animal excreted them. I would take a combined sample in to your regular vet.

They all CAN, but unfortunately some WON'T. My regular vet won't, and even my avian vet won't unless they see the chicken, (even though they have seen the hens previously) it makes me mad, but they have the control. I think I'm going to get supplies (if I can, I haven't looked) and do my own. Of course, I'll have to get a microscope too.

 

[aart]

I’m not seeing anything like that in their poop.

You likely wont, except round and tape worms, all others signs are microscopic.

A poop picture will help. They could just be shedding intestinal lining which is normal.

Yup!!

Have you closely examined their skin at night looking for external parasites to rule out feather damage from lice?

Ditto Dat^^^

Bug check notes:
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

 

[DobieLover]

They all CAN, but unfortunately some WON'T. My regular vet won't, and even my avian vet won't unless they see the chicken, (even though they have seen the hens previously) it makes me mad, but they have the control. I think I'm going to get supplies (if I can, I haven't looked) and do my own. Of course, I'll have to get a microscope too.

Sounds to me like you have a bunch of greedy vets in your area. I can't think of a clinic in my area that WON'T do a chicken fecal. And two will see chickens, but that doesn't make them specialists.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

The to-do list was very good and easy to follow. Very nice.

 

[ChickenMamaC]

It doesn't matter if a vet sees chickens or not. They ALL can do a fecal float on chicken feces. The parasite eggs are the same no matter which animal excreted them. I would take a combined sample in to your regular vet.

A poop picture will help. They could just be shedding intestinal lining which is normal.

Have you closely examined their skin at night looking fo external parasites to rule out feather damage from lice?

They literally all told me no. I have not checked them at night, but I have inspected them. I also treated with Premetherin just in case.

 

[DobieLover]

They literally all told me no. I have not checked them at night, but I have inspected them. I also treated with Premetherin just in case.

@Sue Gremlin

 

[aart]

They literally all told me no.

My former vet told me no also, with a 'deer in headlights' look on her face.