My barred rock died within 24 hours of first symptoms

[trudes19]

If anyone could give me an idea of what happened and also what I should do with my remaining 5 birds.

Last night my 1.5 year old barred rock, couldn't make the jump into the coop so I picked her up and put her in. Next morning, she came out with the others but then stayed in the pen right underneath the coop and wouldn't move. Just sat there fluffed out slightly with eyes opening and closing. I picked her up, which is rare because she normally is impossible to pick up. I was able to get her to drink some water. I placed her in the grass and she fell over. I noticed with holding her, she lost a lot of muscle mass. I decided to quarantine her in the garage in her own pen with her own food and water. She wouldn't move or roost. I went to work, came home, and she looked awful. Comb dark reddy brown and could barely keep her head up. I began doing some research and then decided to go take some pics of her but she passed.

In my research, seems like some of these symptoms aren't uncommon. Ive read maybe coccidiosis? I'll check the pen tomorrow but I don't recall bloody poop.

Any ideas on what it could be? and secondly, any tips on what I should do with the rest of the birds for prevention?

Thanks ,
Mark.

 

[azygous]

Yes, it could be cocci. It wouldn't hurt to put the flock through a course of Corid.

If you have a compost pile, it could be botulism toxin if the pile is particularly anaerobic. The symptoms are as you described your hen had.

A neuro toxin poison could also kill very quickly and the symptoms are as you describe - muscle malfunction, balance problems. Sources are moldy feed, machinery leaking fluids onto the soil, insect poisons, mushrooms and toxic plants.

It is important to investigate and identify the source of the poisoning so you don't lose any more chickens if that was the cause of this hen's death.

 

[Honeybee22]

I am so sorry for your loss.

Was she laying and acting normal before last night? The reason I ask is that yesterday I was reading about Avian Visceral Gout (Avian Urolithiasis) because another member was sharing an X-ray of her chicken that was dying. Her peritoneal cavity was filled with urate crystals. I found out that there are no symptoms until right before death. It happens from the kidneys shutting down over time. The kidneys slowly stop working and the urates build up, but the chicken can continue to live normally even on the lowered kidney function so thus no signs or symptoms.

There are a few causes for this. Either infectious bronchitis and avian nephritis virus or dietary issues like too much calcium or protien, water deprivation, sodium bicarb in a chickens diet or Vitamin A deficiency (all over a prolonged period of time).

I'm not sure if this was your chicken's problem, but here's a page with some info if you want to rule it out.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/3646/avian-urolithiasis-visceral-gout-an-overview/