Not sure what is going on.....very worried!

[klapoint]

Hmm...sounded a lot like it. We used corid (on another chicken) and it the symptoms became worse. One day of Sulmet and the other hen was much better. The type of coccidiosis was treatable via Sulmet though. We first thought it
was an egg bound chicken, until the head twitches started.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

It was an egg This would have been her first egg. It was a large+ size egg trying to come out of a bantam sized Araucana. I don't know if she could have ever passed the egg..... There was alot of fecal matter and some yellowish matter so I think she was backing up and getting septic/infection. ???? So now my question is am I doing something wrong to cause this? I have a chicken tractor with Purina layena food available 24/7 some grit and water of course (just plain water no apple cider vinegar or anything added) My birds are let out in the morning and they range all day. I have water available at various spots around the property where they range. I am aware that they do not eat much of their Layena food.....they are much more interested in ranging. Is there something I need to change or add?

I'm sorry for your loss, and that this thread was among those I keep somehow missin' on here ... on any loss? We tend to blame ourselves, rather than accepting the fact that even those w/ the most experience and knowledge will lose birds: It's just the nature of keepin' flocks.

As for egg binding, the best article I've found on the subject:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html

If the liquid was found w/in the body cavity, and straw-colored, it's ascites, and most probably indicative of genetic deficiency. Ascites are also associated w/ lymphoid leukosis. If from the ceca, bluecomb disease is a possible cause (poults), and if it's broken egg yolks from the ovary, then bluecomb disease or fowl cholera are possible causes.

Take notice of the fact that *nothing* associated w/ poor flock management practices can be found among the possible causes of this bird's death.

 

[gg706]

Hi CowCreekGeek!

Thank You for the info. I think it is something genetic, her flock mate (from the same breeder in the same batch of chicks) bound up on her first egg and I had to cull her as well...it was exactly the same thing. I think if not bred properly Araucana can have ALOT of problems. My Wyandottes have been fine. So I am pretty sure it is not an illness or disease. It has been a few weeks and the others are fine. I did learn a lesson....you need to be careful where you get your chicks from if you are going to get Araucana!

 

[gg706]

Quite possibly too much inbreeding to get desired appearance with no consideration for producing a sound bird capable of passing an egg.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Quite possibly too much inbreeding to get desired appearance with no consideration for producing a sound bird capable of passing an egg.

Reminded of Walt Disney's movies inspiring folks to run out 'n get Cocker Spaniels, which compelled "breeders" (i.e. anybody w/ a papered and un-spayed female) to sling puppies indescriminately all over every middle-class neighborhood in America. The result? Dogs that bit children, due to poor discernment, and peed puddles when excited ... another formerly good breed, for the most part, ruined.

And, I couldn't begin to count the number of times I've had to deal w/ the cattle of others than couldn't deliver on their own, due to that massive bull w/ it's enourmous head that they thought would improve the quality of thier stock ... which is sorta like selectively breeding for the production of larger eggs.

 

[gg706]

Yes EXACTLY! Araucana are also a tailless bird so the "rumplessness" that adds to the appearence, also causes ALOT of problems! Learned that the hard way!

 

[tomhoogstra]

If she was egg bound she would of died within a day, but this might be an extraordinary case.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Yes EXACTLY! Araucana are also a tailless bird so the "rumplessness" that adds to the appearence, also causes ALOT of problems! Learned that the hard way!

But, those 'buttless babies' sure are cute lil' things ... however impractical they may be ~'-)

 

[gg706]

Yes they sure are! I am not saying DONT get Araucana they are WONDERFUL pets and a good breed....just be VERY careful WHO you get them from. Get them from someone who knows what they are doing!

 

[gg706]

If she was egg bound she would of died within a day, but this might be an extraordinary case.

Both of mine lasted more than a day. The first was 3 days and I culled the second was almost 2 days when I culled. I cut the first one open after death and it was an egg. The second one I put my finger inside and could feel the egg and could move the egg around but she could not get it out.