- Apr 30, 2013
- 11
- 1
- 24
Hi! Well, I've had chickens for a couple of years now and every so often some of the older ones (ones that either don't lay any more eggs or are just laying their final ones) all get similar symptoms and die off. Normally it's only one or two that die off at a time and I don't think it's contagious considering their all in the same coop together (and it's never affected any of the younger, freshly laying hens).
Basically, they start to get really sluggish and then they begin to walk like penguins, really slowly and almost painfully. Their combs get all droopy and start to turn bluish and their eyes get a little bit out of focus. None of the sick ones seem to drink or eat, it seems like to much of a burden for them to reach down and peck at the food. Then the most noticeable thing is they loose all the feathers by their vents and mid way up their stomachs and their abdomins get incredibly swollen and stretched. Some times they have junk on/surronding their vents and they don't lay eggs. They usually live like this for 5-7 days getting worse each day before going almost paralyzed and laying down and just dying.
I was hoping that someone could tell me what this is and if there's a cure possibly. I just hate to loose any more of my oldest chickens. (One I have is 7 years old, the others all have died from this and so she's the last of my origonal flock and I have a soft spot for her, so I'd really hate to see her catch this.)
Thanks!
Basically, they start to get really sluggish and then they begin to walk like penguins, really slowly and almost painfully. Their combs get all droopy and start to turn bluish and their eyes get a little bit out of focus. None of the sick ones seem to drink or eat, it seems like to much of a burden for them to reach down and peck at the food. Then the most noticeable thing is they loose all the feathers by their vents and mid way up their stomachs and their abdomins get incredibly swollen and stretched. Some times they have junk on/surronding their vents and they don't lay eggs. They usually live like this for 5-7 days getting worse each day before going almost paralyzed and laying down and just dying.
I was hoping that someone could tell me what this is and if there's a cure possibly. I just hate to loose any more of my oldest chickens. (One I have is 7 years old, the others all have died from this and so she's the last of my origonal flock and I have a soft spot for her, so I'd really hate to see her catch this.)
Thanks!
