Runny yellow poo, dead hen, now another?

[Astrid]

Hi there,
I just lost an aged Plymouth Rock hen. She'd had runny yellow poo for a few days but was eating, drinking and acting normally. She went downhill quickly and I lost her in just a couple of days. This morning, similar poo appeared on the roost so I think someone else might have whatever Joan had. All are acting normally, eating and drinking tho laying has fallen off, but all are four years or older. Joan was the oldest at 7.

The only change is that I ne of my buffs started brooding around Memorial Day. A friend gave me some fertile eggs (we don't have a roo) and she has been happily sitting. Yesterday we checked her and found that instead of the six eggs we put under her on Memorial Day, only two remained, plus one that was all broken. NO sign of the others. No shell, nothing. Could Joan and whomever else is sick have eaten a "bad egg" when Broody left the nest briefly? I'm at a loss. I've had hens for years and have never had a disease or sudden death issue. All are on organic layer crumble, a bit of scratch grains, water with ACV added and kitchen veggie scraps. They free range in the late afternoon/evening when we are home, and have a spacious coop and enclosed run during the day.

I'm desperate for answers as I've got the remaining five older ladies plus six five week old babies. I've attached a pic of this morning's poo. Any help you could provide would be most appreciated. I'm worried about my girls!!

Astrid

 

[enola]

Have you wormed your hens? Be sure and check the for lice and mites.

 

[Astrid]

I've not wormed them, but check carefully for signs of worms in the droppings and have never found any. No sign of lice or mites either; I inspect frequently. Broody had six eggs; three disappeared. Do you think that had anything to do with it?

 

[Astrid]

anyone else? Should I worm them?

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually round worms are the ones we can see in the droppings, and chickens can have several types. Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer 1/2 ml by mouth and repeated in 10 days would treat them. It is common for eggs to disappear from a nest. I have had this happen, and I assume the broody has eaten them because they were bad or not fertile. Bright yellow droppings can sometimes be a sign of E.coli.

 

[Astrid]

I'll pick up some wormer today. How does one treat e.coli? And are we at risk?

 

[Eggcessive]

All chickens have E.coli in their intestines, but when a chicken gets egg yolk peritonitis they can get E.coli into the rest of the abdomen causing massive infection. Your older hen could have possibly had this. EYP is fairly common in some hens over 2 years old. I would just monitor the stools for awhile. Antibiotics such as penicillin can be used to treat EYP, although there is no cure. Here is some reading about it: http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx

 

[Astrid]

Should I worry about my one month old chicks? Or the rest of my flock? Can they come down with EYP after coming into contact with the older girl?

And are the babies too young to worm with the goat wormer?

 

[Fancychooklady]

I usually don't worm chicks before 8 weeks of age. This poop chart may help . I wouldn't rule out cocci.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html

 

[Astrid]

Looks most like the EYP poo photo. Cocci-- is that the same as coccidiosis? If so, contagious, correct? Will worming harm them?