Mystery illness......help!

[ChickenPox]

My little flock consists of birds aged 3 months - 7 months. We had some ducks in there too, but I recently got rid of them and the nasty pond I couldnt seem to keep clean enough. They have clean water daily out of a 5 gallon waterer with a lid and the nipples on the bottom. I had seen them drinking out of the nasty duck pond though. It's been gone about a week.

One of my laying hens just dropped dead the other day. She was laying us an egg a day (I know it was hers) and acted fine, was in good weight, nothing seemed off at all. Just found her dead under the coop. At the time I thought maybe a roo had tried to breed her under there and broke her neck or something, since under the coop isn't very tall. I had integrated the younger birds in there about 2 weeks ago (everyone I have raised since chicks or eggs and they are all raised the same way.) Aside from some picking, everyone seemed to be doing well.

Yesterday I found one of the 3 months old on death's doorstep. I tried, but she didn't make the night. Seemed to be skin and bones, but she was eating fine (and the others were letting her) the last time I noticed her, which was about 2 days ago (there are quite a few of them in a large pen, I feel awful that I didn't catch it sooner.) And another 4 month old has been kinda wobbly, still eats and drinks, etc. She just prefers to lay down to eat.

It has been AWFUL hot and humid here, preceeded by 2 weeks of almost daily rainstorms, and my pen has been a mess. I"ve been watching for bloody stool or bright green stool, but haven't noticed any. All the other birds (about 25) seem to be doing great, although eggs production has dropped off significantly.

I plan on treating with sulmet to see if maybe its coccidia combined with the heat, but aside from that, I am at a loss. I just don't want to lose any more babies! Advice?

 

[CMV]

I would be treating for cocci, too. Their age, combined with the particularly wet weather, would lead me to believe they have a cocci overload.

The only time I have ever had to treat for cocci was one summer when the weather had been non-stop rain for weeks. My birds were 2 years old at the time, and had never had an issue. One morning I opened up the coop and thought a blood bath had occurred. A quick head-count revealed that no one was dead or injured, but the coop had blood everywhere. A quick course of Sulmet took care of the problem. It was impressive how quickly the birds got sick and started showing major signs of an illness, though. One day- fine. Next day- blood all over the place and chickens staggering around like they were on their last leg. Fortunately, I didn't lose anyone because I acted so fast.

 

[ChickenPox]

Thank you for your experience! Honestly, coccidia is the only thing I have ever had to deal with in my birds.....never had mites, worms (I deworm once a year just in case) or anything else. But I had some chicks that were dropping like flies a few years ago and determined it was coccidia. Once treated, I didn't lose any more. Any time I had chicks start to die, I just automatically treated, and it quit. Never had to deal with it in adult birds though. I must have a lot in my area.

Praying this works. I just sent 3 four month olds to thier new home last night, and I suggested that she treat with sulmet. I would hate to think that I sold some sick babies! (They all appeared 100% fine, but better safe than sorry.)

Thanks again, and I will update again in a few days in case someone else is dealing with this too!

 

[ChickenPox]

Just an update.....I lost another 3 month old. NO ONE around here sells sulmet, so I got some corid and prayed that the cattle stuff is the same as the chicken stuff and tried to do the conversions for dosage as best as possible. (Then added just a touch to be sure.) Everyone was alive as far as I could tell this morning. I have separated the two remaining 3 month olds from the rest of the flock.......I had always planned on them being separate anyway as they are brown leghorns and I wanted to hatch chicks. Unfortunately my quad has turned into a pair. Praying I get to keep the pair!

 

[CMV]

Keeping my fingers crossed for you! Cocci acts very quickly to do damage, but the damage doesn't heal quickly. That's the danger.

 

[ChickenPox]

The two little 3 month olds are still skin and bones, but they are hanging in there. They eat with gusto, but don't seem to have any energy. I am going to continue with the corid for the rest of the week like it states. I think I have had better luck with the sulmet. Maybe this isn't cocci. But what else would cause such extreme weight loss and lethargy? They are also in a cage with a wire bottom for the meantime. The cockerel is doing better than the pullet.

 

[CMV]

It's the lesions in the GI tract. They are preventing the absorption of nutrients and calories. Once those lesions heal, you should start seeing some weight gain and energy. The trick is to keep them alive until those lesions heal. They will be very fragile until that happens.