Hello! I’m sorry if it is rude to post in the emergency section before I have introduced myself properly on here, but my chickens are sick and I am desperate!
This is my first time raising chickens and I have been constantly reading up and trying to educate myself as best as I can, but they’re simply not getting any better.
My chickens:
6 Color Pack pullets born 4/21/2020
Alfredo (my sickest girl so far) 4lbs 3oz weighed 9/11/2020. 3lbs 10.5oz when weighed on 9/19/2020
Nugget 3lbs 10oz weighed 9/12/2020
Curry 4lbs 7oz weighed 9/12/2020 (I have not weighed her since but I suspect she has lost some weight since)
Tender 3lbs 12oz weighed 9/12/2020
Salad 3lbs 1oz weighed 9/12/2020
Sandwich 4lbs 7oz weighed 9/12/2020
Timeline of events:
Not sure if it’s worth mentioning but I am in OR and the wilfires/smoke/bad air quality all started 9/8/2020
On the morning of 9/10/2020 I found splatters of blood in the coop that looked like a murder scene. I thought maybe someone has been pecked in the comb/face, or they had attacked a mouse that got into the coop. I found no injuries on any of my girls, and no remains of any rodents when I cleaned out the coop that day.
The morning of 9/11/2020 I found blood again and called my local vet to see if they could do a fecal float once I found out who was having the poopy troubles. The vet found nothing to report about in the fecal test but suggested they may have worms even though she did not find evidence of any. For some reason she did not give me any deworming medication at this time and merely suggested that I try to purchase Piperazine from my local feed store. Could not find any. A friend of mine who raises chickens suggested that I switch everyone over to medicated starter feed from their current layer feed, so I did.
9/12/2020 Again, blood everywhere from my quarantined girl. I was able to convince the vet to give me SafeGuard and Corid (I had to adamantly request the Corid as I suspected Coccidiosis) but she only gave me enough to treat my quarantined girl Alfredo. I treated her right away. She is not eating as far as I can tell. This was the last day that Alfredo laid an egg.
9/13/2020 I finally got the vet to agree to give me SafeGuard for my entire flock. I treated the rest of my 5 girls. As of today Alfredo has a pale face/comb, is very lethargic and is not eating but still drinking water.
9/14/2020 I noticed that another one of my girls (Curry) was developing diarrhea and had to put some effort into convincing the vet to give me enough Corid to treat everyone. I started treating the remaining 5 girls with Corid.
Today Alfredo is looking worse. In addition to her pale face, lethargy, and refusing to eat, she has her feathers puffed up, head tucked in, and tail pointing downwards. Less blood in her diarrhea but it’s still there.
9/15/2020 My 5 girls have dry looking maybe slightly pale combs. Everyone is pooping normal, eating, and drinking except for Alfredo who is still quarantined.
As for Alfredo she still has small speckles of blood in her very watery diarrhea. During the day she is expelling what looks like pure water with occasional white streaks. She is finally starting to eat.
9/18/2020 Last scheduled day of Corid. Alfredo has more energy and is eating and drinking lots. She almost seems healthy except for her persistent watery diarrhea. She is pooping mostly water with small bits of droppings that are very green. After researching this I had come to the conclusion that her severe bout of coccidiosis had lead to a bacterial infection in her intestines. I called up my vet and was given Tylosin to treat her.
The rest of the 5 girls seem very normal and healthy but still have oddly dry looking combs.
9/20/2020 Things seem to be looking up and everyone seems happy and healthy aside from their dry looking combs and Alfredo’s watery and green diarrhea.
9/23/2020 I found blood and watery diarrhea everywhere in the coop this morning. Everyone still seems to be behaving normally but I am seeing more and more dark droppings that look like they have blood in them. Alfredo is still quarantined and looks very worn down today with a pale face/comb again.
Egg laying has dropped to maybe 2-3 a day. Not sure if it’s from illness or from the changing season. Seems like they got sick just as they were getting into their egg laying groove and I was getting 4-6 a day.
I have called three different veterinarians today (9/23/2020). Two have not returned my calls, and one told me they are booked until next week.
Do I start everyone back on Corid? It seemed like everyone was doing so much better while they were on it. I have no idea what to do now and I’m afraid I’m going to lose my whole flock. They’re like my babies and I’m so worried for them. Please help!
This is my first time raising chickens and I have been constantly reading up and trying to educate myself as best as I can, but they’re simply not getting any better.
My chickens:
6 Color Pack pullets born 4/21/2020
Alfredo (my sickest girl so far) 4lbs 3oz weighed 9/11/2020. 3lbs 10.5oz when weighed on 9/19/2020
Nugget 3lbs 10oz weighed 9/12/2020
Curry 4lbs 7oz weighed 9/12/2020 (I have not weighed her since but I suspect she has lost some weight since)
Tender 3lbs 12oz weighed 9/12/2020
Salad 3lbs 1oz weighed 9/12/2020
Sandwich 4lbs 7oz weighed 9/12/2020
Timeline of events:
Not sure if it’s worth mentioning but I am in OR and the wilfires/smoke/bad air quality all started 9/8/2020
On the morning of 9/10/2020 I found splatters of blood in the coop that looked like a murder scene. I thought maybe someone has been pecked in the comb/face, or they had attacked a mouse that got into the coop. I found no injuries on any of my girls, and no remains of any rodents when I cleaned out the coop that day.
The morning of 9/11/2020 I found blood again and called my local vet to see if they could do a fecal float once I found out who was having the poopy troubles. The vet found nothing to report about in the fecal test but suggested they may have worms even though she did not find evidence of any. For some reason she did not give me any deworming medication at this time and merely suggested that I try to purchase Piperazine from my local feed store. Could not find any. A friend of mine who raises chickens suggested that I switch everyone over to medicated starter feed from their current layer feed, so I did.
9/12/2020 Again, blood everywhere from my quarantined girl. I was able to convince the vet to give me SafeGuard and Corid (I had to adamantly request the Corid as I suspected Coccidiosis) but she only gave me enough to treat my quarantined girl Alfredo. I treated her right away. She is not eating as far as I can tell. This was the last day that Alfredo laid an egg.
9/13/2020 I finally got the vet to agree to give me SafeGuard for my entire flock. I treated the rest of my 5 girls. As of today Alfredo has a pale face/comb, is very lethargic and is not eating but still drinking water.
9/14/2020 I noticed that another one of my girls (Curry) was developing diarrhea and had to put some effort into convincing the vet to give me enough Corid to treat everyone. I started treating the remaining 5 girls with Corid.
Today Alfredo is looking worse. In addition to her pale face, lethargy, and refusing to eat, she has her feathers puffed up, head tucked in, and tail pointing downwards. Less blood in her diarrhea but it’s still there.
9/15/2020 My 5 girls have dry looking maybe slightly pale combs. Everyone is pooping normal, eating, and drinking except for Alfredo who is still quarantined.
As for Alfredo she still has small speckles of blood in her very watery diarrhea. During the day she is expelling what looks like pure water with occasional white streaks. She is finally starting to eat.
9/18/2020 Last scheduled day of Corid. Alfredo has more energy and is eating and drinking lots. She almost seems healthy except for her persistent watery diarrhea. She is pooping mostly water with small bits of droppings that are very green. After researching this I had come to the conclusion that her severe bout of coccidiosis had lead to a bacterial infection in her intestines. I called up my vet and was given Tylosin to treat her.
The rest of the 5 girls seem very normal and healthy but still have oddly dry looking combs.
9/20/2020 Things seem to be looking up and everyone seems happy and healthy aside from their dry looking combs and Alfredo’s watery and green diarrhea.
9/23/2020 I found blood and watery diarrhea everywhere in the coop this morning. Everyone still seems to be behaving normally but I am seeing more and more dark droppings that look like they have blood in them. Alfredo is still quarantined and looks very worn down today with a pale face/comb again.
Egg laying has dropped to maybe 2-3 a day. Not sure if it’s from illness or from the changing season. Seems like they got sick just as they were getting into their egg laying groove and I was getting 4-6 a day.
I have called three different veterinarians today (9/23/2020). Two have not returned my calls, and one told me they are booked until next week.
Do I start everyone back on Corid? It seemed like everyone was doing so much better while they were on it. I have no idea what to do now and I’m afraid I’m going to lose my whole flock. They’re like my babies and I’m so worried for them. Please help!
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