Set of weird symptoms, what could it be?

[chickenmomma16]

1) What type of bird(s), age and weight
They are all 2 year old, Wheaten Ameraucanas. Just checked, they are a good weight.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Puffed up, head pulled in, lethargic, pretty weak, roosting during the day. Occasionally picking at something, but not always eating it.
All the sick ones are drooling too. One of the roosters has dried drool on his shoulders where he had his head while sleeping. Mouths are slightly open too.

3) How long has the bird(s) been exhibiting symptoms?
3-4 days

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Yes, 4 for sure, 2 roosters and 2 hens. A couple others will be looking better one day then look terrible the next. Now they are looking bad again. In the same coop 4 sexlinks 1yr old, seem completely unaffected.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I ran out of food, but when I gave it to them a couple didn’t eat which is why I started to look at them closer. They have also been free ranging almost every day the last couple days and the wild ducks have been in the pasture too.
Also, I dewormed them for 3 days in a row with fenbendazole about 2 weeks ago for round worms that I seen on the poop board (quite a few were passed on the poo board).
We also have been having a rat problem and there is always rat poo in the feeders. I actually just got a “Ratinator” delivered this morning, and I have hardware cloth to fix the enterence points of the rats. I have been worried they were eating the rat poop.

7) What has the bird(s) been eating and drinking, if at all.
Not much. They have Nutrenas “Egg Producer” free choice and a couple hours of free range time if I’m home. I syringed egg yolk to the sick ones.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Green & Yellow poop some runny, some formed.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I syringed egg yolk to the ones that were not eating initially but now a couple others are not looking very good so once my baby wakes from her nap I will try and feed the ones looking the worst some egg yolk.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Completely myself.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Pictures shortly...

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
8x12 coop, covered run, pine shavings in the coop, wood chips in the run, stall dry on poop boards.



I’m kinda at a loss. Tried doing searches but nothing has come up yet that fits their symptoms.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry to hear it.

I'm still working on an assessment and suggestions but wanna share this link with you quickly...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

Hope it helps.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Take my poo comment back. All the green/yellow poops are runny.

 

[Eggcessive]

Some of the droppings look as though there is “cooked egg-like material, which can be a sign of egg yolk peritonitis. E coli can also cause yellow droppings. That wouldn’t explain the rooster’s illness though. He may have an intestinal infection or a crop problem. Check crops in early morning to make sure they are emptying overnight. If they are full and hard or puffy, something may be wrong. It would be good to get some fresh combined droppings to take your regular vet who could do a fecal float for worms and coccidiosis, and a gram stain for bacteria. Have you used rat poison? Or could they have gotten into something poisonous in the yard, such as a plant?

 

[chickenmomma16]

Some of the droppings look as though there is “cooked egg-like material, which can be a sign of egg yolk peritonitis. E coli can also cause yellow droppings. That wouldn’t explain the rooster’s illness though. He may have an intestinal infection or a crop problem. Check crops in early morning to make sure they are emptying overnight. If they are full and hard or puffy, something may be wrong. It would be good to get some fresh combined droppings to take your regular vet who could do a fecal float for worms and coccidiosis, and a gram stain for bacteria. Have you used rat poison? Or could they have gotten into something poisonous in the yard, such as a plant?

Crops are totally empty. I will see about the fecal float. Don’t use poison, there isn’t much to get into around here. They frequent a burn pile that has paint chips in it and love to dust bathe in it. That’s the only thing they could have gotten into.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Well that was unsuccessful... spent the last hour on the phone. Only to be told the vet want $63 for an office call then lab on top of that. It’s too much money for chickens! I have no problem collecting poo and I can even draw blood myself and I found a lab nearby that can do the testing, but I have to know what I’m testing for. When I talked to the lab they said they can look for parasites but didn’t recommend the gram stain for bacteria because the sample would likely be tainted from the natural “flora” in the environment. Plus I just treated for worms a couple weeks ago...

If it is bacterial could I treat with an antibiotic from the feed store? I also have some Corid for cocci. Could I just treat for good measure? I’m so frustrated right now.

Never had this many birds sick at once and not know the cause. Usually I have resolved problems quickly after a little reading.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Here’s the lab if your curious: http://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/avian. I think they do necropsies too.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I hate to blow this thread up but one of the roosters is gasping now... they are deteriorating rapidly.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

I understand not wanting to spend a ton of money on testing. The gram stain would be to look for an abundance of E.coli, or clostridium perfringens. But I would probably go ahead, and treat with Corid for possible coccidiosis. It won’t hurt them. Give probiotics if their feed doesn’t have them already. Most feed stores don’t sell oral antibiotics anymore. A few are injectable Tylan 50 which can be given orally, and injectable penicillin. Amoxicillin can be found online as Fish Mox, and it would be pretty good to use as an antibiotic. However, if you are dealing with egg yolk peritonitis or E.coli overload, there probably isn’t a whole lot you can do. Hope that helps. I don’t do too much to my chickens if they get sick, other than some basics.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I understand not wanting to spend a ton of money on testing. The gram stain would be to look for an abundance of E.coli, or clostridium perfringens. But I would probably go ahead, and treat with Corid for possible coccidiosis. It won’t hurt them. Give probiotics if their feed doesn’t have them already. Most feed stores don’t sell oral antibiotics anymore. A few are injectable Tylan 50 which can be given orally, and injectable penicillin. Amoxicillin can be found online as Fish Mox, and it would be pretty good to use as an antibiotic. However, if you are dealing with egg yolk peritonitis or E.coli overload, there probably isn’t a whole lot you can do. Hope that helps. I don’t do too much to my chickens if they get sick, other than some basics.

I usually don’t do much with my birds either but these particular birds are a little more special. My plan was to Breed them to the SOP and possibly showing them. As it stands now, 6 of my 8 Ameraucanas are sick.

I will call the feed stores nearby and see if they have any antibiotics. I don’t mind giving injections either. My early years I spent working at a veterinarian hospital then later at a goat farm giving vaccines and drawing blood so I’m pretty comfortable around needles.

Would Tylan or Penicillin be my best bet? And forgive me, just to clarify, they both CAN be given orally? I don’t think I have the time to order Amoxicillin. As it’s looking I may be taking in a bird for a necropsy if he doesn’t turn around soon.