OUTBREAK!!!!! drooping wings, lazy and death.

[silkiechicken]

I would take a fecal sample to the vet to get a diagnosis on what is in their guts before treating left and right. Might not be treating for the right thigns and making them worse. Best of luck.

 

[beakkeeper]

Quote:
Ditto. I'm sorry you're losing all those birds!

 

[chookee]

recently moved birds....has it anything to do with their new quaters/sleeping area etc
any toxins, pesticides etc???

 

[Omran]

Quote:
most likely they are speaking about a desise carrier, when they move /bring new birds to the flock( that's how I understood it at least) I might be wrong.
Omran

 

[ddeans]

Bump

 

[chickenlady]

Sounds like botulism or something toxic. Maybe their food, maybe wet hay/litter, maybe something in the environment. It would be something that all your birds now have access to. I would take a good look around. Do they freerange at all? Maybe some kind of plant. Best of luck to you.

 

[angidee]

I am having a similar problem...
My chicks are 5 weeks old, they are outside, but with two heat lights in a draft free area broody area they can come and go from. They have been outside for over a week and at first they were all lively and running all around...now, a second chick is standing in the broody area, head sagging down and wings drooping to it's side. It won't lay down, even when other chicks come lay down next to it...just stands there, head hanging down & wings drooping.
This is the second chick with the exact same symptoms. The first was two days ago.

Their area has brand new pine shavings. they have three waterers with vitamins & electrolites and they are on medicated chick feed.

I have looked up every single chick illness and none match. They don't have dark faces, they aren't breathing oddly...just extreme droopiness.
Anyone have any ideas??????

 

[mypicklebird]

http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/extension/poultry/contactus.html

try your local poultry extension folk- they may be able to help with a necropsy.

It sounds like you either have a toxin (like botulism- any access to spoiled meat/maggots, rancid food, ect?) or some very fast acting infectious agent- bacterial or viral. If there is nothing obvious amiss about the farm besides the obvious (dead chickens)- IMO you need a necropsy ASAP from an expert.

 

[fiberart57]

Angidee,

Check the amount of electrolytes in the water. I have a friend, new to chickens, who misread the directions for the electrolytes. It says on the back: One packet per gallon for stock solution. The stock solution is where you further dilute it considerably; it is not to be given to the babies, or any animal, at that concentration.

What had happened was that their water was overly concentrated and they weren't getting hydrated enough as well as over 100 times the dosage of electrolytes.

Three died before we got the situation remedied.

Mary

 

[angidee]

I went to the feed store yesterday and told them what was going on and got the same advise...

Just 24 hours later with fresh water they are looking considerably better!
Wish I would have known prior to the first chickie, but so glad we figured it out in time for the other one and the rest of the flock!!!!

It can be very nerve racking trying to self diagnose with no vet training...I came up with all kinds of diseases in my search. Fresh water was the happiest remedy EVER!!!!!!

This was a hard lesson learned, but one mistake that will never be made again!!!