Please Help! Chickens lethargic, eyes closed, won't eat or drink!

[attobrig]

Please someone help! One of my older girls started, won't move, eyes closed all the time, won't eat or drink, can't keep her head up. Now my other two are the same this morning. They are free range, and always have been, nothing has changed. I did feed them some grapes the other day which I hadn't washed, could I have poisoned them?
Can anyone help please - very distressed!

 

[KayTee]

What are their poops like - solid and normal, or runny? Do they look red or bloody?

Is it possible that they had access to anything else to eat that could have affected them?

Has there been any change (however minor) that you can think of ? The more information you can give us the more likely it is that someone will be able to help.

 

[cafarmgirl]

X2, more info needed. Any new birds brought in recently? Any chance of moldy feed anywhere they could have gotten into? My first suspicion with quick onset of those symptoms in multiple birds would be coccidiosis but it could be a lot of things.

 

[attobrig]

Thanks everyone. Poops are very runny. We had a lot of rain recently, followed by horrendously humid days (in Australia). I empty their food everyday, but mould is a possibility with the weather. One of my ladies is around 4 years old, the other we got around 6 weeks ago. I thought the 2 new ones were sick, but one was simply laying, she is now up and running around, so only have the two sick one. I have them in a box in a quiet room and have been giving them water through a dropper, also gave them some honey water. The elder one seems to have picked up very slightly since yesterday but still not moving, but was at least able to swallow, she is no longer laying either, and hasn't layed in months, she's retired, so I don't think she is egg bound. The other is only young, I bought her point of lay, but has only been laying around 3-4 weeks. Can chickens get ticks? It is tick season at the moment. We have had snakes nearby, but only pythons, and they are after the mice. I can't think of anything else that has changed, same food, same everything. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[attobrig]

Thanks everyone. Poops are very runny. We had a lot of rain recently, followed by horrendously humid days (in Australia). I empty their food everyday, but mould is a possibility with the weather. One of my ladies is around 4 years old, the other we got around 6 weeks ago. I thought the 2 new ones were sick, but one was simply laying, she is now up and running around, so only have the two sick one. I have them in a box in a quiet room and have been giving them water through a dropper, also gave them some honey water. The elder one seems to have picked up very slightly since yesterday but still not moving, but was at least able to swallow, she is no longer laying either, and hasn't layed in months, she's retired, so I don't think she is egg bound. The other is only young, I bought her point of lay, but has only been laying around 3-4 weeks. Can chickens get ticks? It is tick season at the moment. We have had snakes nearby, but only pythons, and they are after the mice. I can't think of anything else that has changed, same food, same everything. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Warm, wet conditions and new birds brought in not long ago are all prime factors for coccidiosis. Since it can be a fast killer I'd treat for that first and right away.

 

[attobrig]

Tjank

...

Warm, wet conditions and new birds brought in not long ago are all prime factors for coccidiosis.  Since it can be a fast killer I'd treat for that first and right away.

 

[attobrig]

...

Tjank

Warm, wet conditions and new birds brought in not long ago are all prime factors for coccidiosis.  Since it can be a fast killer I'd treat for that first and right away.

Thank you for your help. What is coccidiosis and how is it treated?

 

[KayTee]

This is a very informative article about coccidiosis and how to treat it:

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/coccidiosis/index.aspx

You need to get corid, amprolium or something similar to treat it. Cathy (Casportpony) has a great page with all the dosing information you could possibly need:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/818879/updated-corid-and-amprol-amprolium-dosing

Don't waste any time - coccidiosis can move quickly, and can be fatal in some birds.

 

[attobrig]

Thank you so much for your help. Unfortunately as it was Christmas day nothing was open, I managed to get some powdered antibiotic which I have been giving them through dropper. I am going to try and get some corid (or the Australian equivalent) today. They are no worse but also no better. The third hen is not affected, but has decided to become broody! Gosh it's all happening here! Will post again later - but thanks for your help.