Pet poisoner has struck my flock again

[GodofPecking]

I have two dead and at least two dying birds from the same symptoms as last time (this is first time I posted for help), the sounds they are making as they die sounds like gargling (?) when they breath, or sounds like breathing out through a blocked nose. From last time and trying to save one of them, I know their is water in their crops, and likely to be much fluid in their airways and lungs, they have watery discharge if they go to the toilet.

I am not coping very well trying to decide if to put the two down, or try to save them. Last time I tried to drain some of the fluid repeatedly from one of the dying, it seemed to lengthen the life of the bird, but in the end it died just the same.

Is there much I can do, or something I can try ? racking my brain here. not doing well.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have two dead and at least two dying birds from the same symptoms as last time (this is first time I posted for help), the sounds they are making as they die sounds like gargling (?) when they breath, or sounds like breathing out through a blocked nose. From last time and trying to save one of them, I know their is water in their crops, and likely to be much fluid in their airways and lungs, they have watery discharge if they go to the toilet.

I am not coping very well trying to decide if to put the two down, or try to save them. Last time I tried to drain some of the fluid repeatedly from one of the dying, it seemed to lengthen the life of the bird, but in the end it died just the same.

Is there much I can do, or something I can try ? racking my brain here. not doing well.

Mercy Sorry!! Tell us more important info. Age, beginning symptoms, if you free-range, why you feel they are poisoned, what you are doctoring them with(med), type feed, etc, etc??

 

[GodofPecking]

Quote:
ages are adults, symptoms, lethargy at first, within a few hours dead, the ones dying gurgle occasionally, are easy to pick up, they pay little attention to anything. these ones don't free-range. I have nothing to give them, I don't know what I would give them. sometimes they give humans charcoal, no idea if that could help so late... and i dont have any. poisoned because of ## simultaneous ## onset of poisoning symptoms across many chickens, and poisoners recent behavior.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Quote:
OK, the adults are they 1 yr old or 5yr old or mixed ages. Sounds like you have neighbor problems??? If they are poisoned, probably is not nothing to give them. I would for sure be adding a camera, gate alarms, monitors, motion lights, etc---something to help, making sure my pen tops are covered with at least a netting where a neighbor could not throw stuff into my pen from a distance. I would have the chickens closed in their coop at night and early in the mornings I would look around the pen for added food before I let them out until you get this under control and monitor often during the day if possible.

As far as sick chickens----"most" get tylan50---I keep a bottle of that on hand. Good Luck

 

[bkyd utopia]

I'm having the same kind of problems with mine. They seem to be coughing or sneezing. I heard a gargling sound or "hufffing" noice when they finish drinking. they seem to be moving slowly and not very interested in seeing me this morning or yesterday. I had been out of town for the weekend and my son dumped alot of egg layer and scratch on the ground and in their trough while I was gone "his interpretation of feeding". They didn't eat it much over the weekend and it is still in the feed trough. They have slowed down their egg laying in the last week and one didn't even come out of the coop to look at what I was bringing them this morning. I have seen their feeding going down, but I just thought that might be because of all the other yummy things they get from the family....wilty salad, old Easter eggs, water melon rinds, banana peals etc. They are about 6 yrs old. 1 died about 2 weeks ago without any symptoms, and another one yesterday that I kinda expected to got months ago with some sort of equilibrium problem. The ones that are left I now recognize are moving very slowly now have this coughing thing going on.

I've had these hens for around 6 years, but this is the first cycle of issues I have every experienced......so I'm going to claim to be a novice at backyard chickens. Please let me know if anything sounds familiar.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@GodofPecking Can you take one to the vet for testing?
Look around to see if there is anything toxic, rotten, etc. that they could have gotten into. If death is that quick, I would suspect botulism or some type of poisoning, a vet can help confirm this.
Some people do try home treatment and are successful, do your research first, here's a link to some toxin flushes that you can try, if they are in that bad of shape, it's worth a try: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal

@bkyd utopia - with an older flock it could be a number of things. Vet care would be best. Coughing, sneezing, mucous and watery eyes could be an indication of respiratory illness, or if the feed that was dumped got moldy/spoiled it could be something like Aspiragillus. Do the best you can to clean up all the spilled feed, dry up any wet areas and provide them with fresh food and clean water. Offer some poultry vitamins and watch to see that they are eating/drinking well. Taking a fecal sample to your vet for testing of worms and Cocci would also be a good idea.