Hi,
I'm a long time reader but sad to say that my first post is about a horrible thing that happened to my flock this morning. We had a mixed flock of 6 different birds, including 1 rooster and 5 hens. This morning, the rooster and one hen died suddenly and one of the other hens is now sick. The vet was quite useless really and didn't know much about chickens. I hope someone on here can help figure out what the problem is, as I really want to save the sick hen and the 3 others, as well as prevent such a thing from happening again.
These are the symptoms and details about the birds:
Isis – lavender araucana approx 10 months old
Ruairí – black orpington rooster approx 1 year old
Féileacán – black + white hamburg approx 1 year old
Remaining flock:
Lucy – frizzle bantam cross approx 18 months old
Buttercup – shaver cross approx 15 months old
Aoife – blue orpington approx 9 months old
These three seem unaffected so far. We're treating them with the same medication as Féileacán and have them separated from her at the moment.
We are totally devastated. This was our first time keeping chickens and they were such beloved pets. We started with Lucy and Buttercup in April last year and added the others gradually over the next couple of months. Aoife was our last addition in July.
Interestingly, the three affected birds all came from the same breeder, although I don't know if that means anything, as we have had them for so long now.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I'm a long time reader but sad to say that my first post is about a horrible thing that happened to my flock this morning. We had a mixed flock of 6 different birds, including 1 rooster and 5 hens. This morning, the rooster and one hen died suddenly and one of the other hens is now sick. The vet was quite useless really and didn't know much about chickens. I hope someone on here can help figure out what the problem is, as I really want to save the sick hen and the 3 others, as well as prevent such a thing from happening again.
These are the symptoms and details about the birds:
Isis – lavender araucana approx 10 months old
- off the lay for a couple of months but otherwise active and normal
- a bit lethargic and slow on Thursday evening, but not noticeable enough that we thought anything of it until afterwards
- found dead on Friday morning just outside the coop
- green diarrhoea beside dead body
Ruairí – black orpington rooster approx 1 year old
- had bumblefoot, which we were planning on taking him to the vet for next week
- otherwise fine, healthy and active right up until Friday morning
- found close to Isis' body on Friday morning
- unable to stand up – legs not working at all
- wings flapping
- head drooped to one side, eyes closing
- died within 5 minutes of being found
Féileacán – black + white hamburg approx 1 year old
- no noticeable symptoms at all until Friday morning, after death of the other two
- limping, especially on right leg
- took to vet – vet said both thighs were hot and inflamed
- unable to diagnose
- treated with antibiotics (Baytril), anti inflammatories (Metacam) and Baycox (to cover all bases, she said)
- currently isolated from remaining flock
- hobbling around, still limping and legs a bit shaky, no improvement since treatment
- pecking, scratching, eating and drinking as normal
Remaining flock:
Lucy – frizzle bantam cross approx 18 months old
Buttercup – shaver cross approx 15 months old
Aoife – blue orpington approx 9 months old
These three seem unaffected so far. We're treating them with the same medication as Féileacán and have them separated from her at the moment.
We are totally devastated. This was our first time keeping chickens and they were such beloved pets. We started with Lucy and Buttercup in April last year and added the others gradually over the next couple of months. Aoife was our last addition in July.
Interestingly, the three affected birds all came from the same breeder, although I don't know if that means anything, as we have had them for so long now.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.