One hen dead two days ago, pullet looking lethargic today

[hyzenthlay]

Help! I am traveling out of the country for 2 weeks and got the following news from my pet sitter. The day before yesterday, they went to the coop in the morning and found my otherwise healthy one year old buff Orpington hen dead in the coop, no apparent injuries.

This morning they noticed my 8 week old lavender Orpington pullet "sitting in the coop hardly moving. [They] put food right in front of it and it didn't eat. [They] just checked on it now. She's still alive, but not moving."

This is all I know. It also sounds like they aren't too hot, they have free access to food, water, and grit. The hens and pullets are separated from each other in the coop, so they are not sharing food and water, but you have to walk through the hen section to get to the pullet section. I fear there may be an illness in the coop. Any suggestions?

I won't be back home for a week, so I'm trying to figure out what to tell them....


ETA, I have Corid, Duramycin, and electrolytes there that I just ordered to have on hand. Would any of those help? Can I ask them to give them all of those things at the same time in case any of them help?

 

[hyzenthlay]

UPDATE: I just got an email saying that the sad chick is now a dead chick.

I asked them to put Corid in all the water for the whole flock (2 tsp of the 9.6% liquid solution per gallon). I also asked them to put the chick in a plastic bag in the freezer so I can send her for necropsy when I get back next week.

I also asked them to lay off all treats except a little cracked corn for now. I had given a variety of treats (cracked corn, BOSS, dry mealworms, lettuce, dates, yogurt, garden weeds like grass, dandelion, bindweed) and asked them to give a bit to the birds twice a day since they are used to free ranging during the day but they are mostly cooped up for the 2 weeks I'm gone and I didn't want them to get too bored and start picking on each other. I usually give them some treats each day even though they do free range, just because they run up and beg when they see me coming, so the treats themselves aren't new (except the dates--I only gave out a couple of those before I left, and some of the hens seem to like them). But maybe they were too enthusiastic with the treats and the chickens could be getting sour crop? I did ask them to give plenty of grit each day, though, since the hens weren't free ranging.

I just don't know. I feel so awful, and worried about the others, and I wish I were there to manage it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your loss.

It must be so frustrating to not be home to see what is going on first hand.

Adding the Corid to the water was a good idea. Even if it's not cocci, the Corid won't hurt.

It sounds like you have advised them to do all they can be done at the moment. Plenty of fresh water, limit treats, fresh food and see how it goes.

I wish you well.

 

[hyzenthlay]

Thank you so much for your reply and confirmation that I might be on the right track. It really is hard without being able to see them. Our neighbors are great to help us with this, but they're not chicken people, so it's a lot to put on them. I haven't heard any more bad news from the homefront yet today, so that's something...

 

[hyzenthlay]

Just an update on this--got a necropsy on the pullet that died, and it came back positive for intestinal coccidiosis. So, the guess was right, and the Corid stopped the spread. No more illnesses or deaths, and my remaining chickens all appear happy and healthy at this point. Happy-ish ending, I guess--just wish I had been there to treat the flock earlier. No guarantee I would've seen it and known what to do earlier, so maybe the outcome would've been the same, but I know my girls better than the petsitter could, so I still wish I had been here.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just an update on this--got a necropsy on the pullet that died, and it came back positive for intestinal coccidiosis. So, the guess was right, and the Corid stopped the spread. No more illnesses or deaths, and my remaining chickens all appear happy and healthy at this point. Happy-ish ending, I guess--just wish I had been there to treat the flock earlier. No guarantee I would've seen it and known what to do earlier, so maybe the outcome would've been the same, but I know my girls better than the petsitter could, so I still wish I had been here.

I'm glad your other chickens are doing well and that the necropsy confirmed your suspicions.

What a worry that must have been to be out of town and not be able to deal with this in person.

Hope everyone continues to be happy and healthy.

Thank you for the update.