So in early spring we bought 20 something chickens and now we're down to 3, 2 roosters and a hen. About 2 wks ago 1 of the roosters started to walk around with his wing spread out. Figured he was hot, as we live in TN. But the next day he could barely walk, he seemed lethargic and his butt was wet. So, we bathed him, put athlete foot cream on his butt, gave him plain yogurt and brought him inside. After about a week he seemed better, not perfected but better. We put him in quarantine far from the other chickens outside. A few days later the ladies got in his area. But to do so they ended up flipping a board on him and we brought him in to fix both areas and put him back out. Now he's walking upright like the upright ducks, but needs to flap wings to get around. Now the other rooster started acting the same way. I'm not really sure what's going on or what to do. Please help. Our family is heart broken. I just don't want to lose anymore. By the way the Adults seem very healthy and unaffected.
Welcome to BYC. So you have lost 17 out of 20 chickens? What were all of their symptoms? How old are they?Did you notice any standing hunched over or puffed up, lethargic, with diarrhea? Have any had leg weakness or paralysis? If you lost that many I would have to guess that something pretty contagious such as coccidiosis has been affecting them.
legs do seem weak. And all the symptoms I posted above. "barely walk, he seemed lethargic and his butt was wet, holding wings out".
Contact your local extension agent and find out how to get a necropsy performed on your next bird that dies. Also explain what to them what is happening in your flock.
I think necropsies are free in TN. "The Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (KAHDL), a part of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Consumer and Industry Services, provides no-cost diagnostic services for food animal producers and low-fee diagnostic services for companion animals." Source: http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/publications/labguide/laboratoryguide.pdf Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory Ellington Agricultural Center 436 Hogan Road Nashville, TN 37220 615.837.5125 -Kathy