Sick chickens

[RodNTN]

Hi! So, I lost one of my Buff Orpingtons "Pumpkin" to an unknown illness.

Her balance had been very off, and her comb and wattles were PALE.

And at one point her legs were bleeding (btw, she did not have scaly leg mites nor were there any other parasites infesting her).

Her appetite was normal, and she was always thirsty. She died this afternoon.

Now, one of my Easter Egger's "Cookie" is very off balance and I'm worried sick. She looks fine, and is still acting like herself, but she hasn't been walking at all today. She also has a normal appetite and is still drinking. She just looks like she's drunk when she walks.

Pumpkins poop was normal: Firm, normal coloring. And Cookies' poop looks normal too.

I read that overripe fruit can cause Botulism, they have been eating some old raspberries that went bad (we have many raspberry bushes around the coop, and the chickens get many we don't pick or can't reach).

So, what could it be?? Should I treat with Baytril?
@azygous, @Wyorp Rock, @Eggcessive, does this sound familiar to any of you?

Thank you all so much in advance!

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be hard to know for sure what the cause of the illness is or if the 2 are related without a necropsy. Dehydration should be considered in hot weather. Old berries could have mold on them, and mold can cause poisoning or aspergillosis. Mold poisoning may cause imbalance and desth, but I would really want to do a necropsy through your state vet. The legs bleeding could have something to do with pecking or injuries. Look them over for evidence of mites. Not laying eggs may result in a pale comb, but illness or mites may also cause it. Were your chickens vaccinated for Mareks? I wish I knew what to suggest, but I would just keep observing thepat they are eating and drinking, and contact your state vet to see if you can deal with them directly or if you have to go through a local vet. Here is some contact info for state poultry labs:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[jllracer55]

I cant say for sure as I cannot yet figure out what is wrong with my birds but I am now suspicious of over ripe watermelon causing illness or being poisonous to our young birds.

 

[azygous]

The balance issue sounds like something has caused neurotoxic poisoning.
I agree with @Eggcessive that it could be mold. Over-ripe fruit or melon will cause runny poop, but not poisoning. However, if the over-ripe fruit has gotten to the moldy stage, that can make a chicken very sick and can kill them. This happened to one of my chickens a few years ago when she dug up a moldy squash from the bottom of the compost pile.

The thirst you describe as well as the bleeding on the legs may be important clues. If your chickens have eaten a mouse that has eaten rodent poison, it can make them very thirsty and cause neurological symptoms as well as internal bleeding since many of these rat baits are anticoagulants. Is it possible that you've set out rodent poison around your place? Vitamin K is the antidote. You give it once a day for 30 days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

And at one point her legs were bleeding

Her appetite was normal, and she was always thirsty. She died this afternoon.

Rod, I'm sorry for your loss
I agree with @Eggcessive and @azygous it would be hard to know the cause of death without investigating further.

What is the timeline of when you noticed symptoms until she died? (days, hours, etc.)
The legs bleeding is interesting-can you tell us little more about that? Was it the feet, hocks/joints?

Did you notice whether or not Pumpkin's crop was emptying overnight?

Now, one of my Easter Egger's "Cookie" is very off balance and I'm worried sick. She looks fine, and is still acting like herself, but she hasn't been walking at all today. She also has a normal appetite and is still drinking. She just looks like she's drunk when she walks.

With Cookie, I would check the crop in the morning before she eats/drinks, it should be empty.
Do as the others suggested, check for lice/mites - don't forget the ears, look for infection and evidence of ear mites this can cause loss of balance.

If you have a video of how Cookie moves, that would be good too.

 

[RodNTN]

It would be hard to know for sure what the cause of the illness is or if the 2 are related without a necropsy. Dehydration should be considered in hot weather. Old berries could have mold on them, and mold can cause poisoning or aspergillosis. Mold poisoning may cause imbalance and desth, but I would really want to do a necropsy through your state vet. The legs bleeding could have something to do with pecking or injuries. Look them over for evidence of mites. Not laying eggs may result in a pale comb, but illness or mites may also cause it. Were your chickens vaccinated for Mareks? I wish I knew what to suggest, but I would just keep observing thepat they are eating and drinking, and contact your state vet to see if you can deal with them directly or if you have to go through a local vet. Here is some contact info for state poultry labs:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Thank you so much for your reply! Most of my flock were vaccinated for Mareks when they were chicks, but these chickens were bought from a feed store, so I don't know.

 

[RodNTN]

I cant say for sure as I cannot yet figure out what is wrong with my birds but I am now suspicious of over ripe watermelon causing illness or being poisonous to our young birds.

Now that I think of it, we through an old watermelon out a couple of days ago. And the flock devoured it.

The balance issue sounds like something has caused neurotic poisoning.
I agree with @Eggcessive that it could be mold. Over-ripe fruit or melon will cause runny poop, but not poisoning. However, if the over-ripe fruit has gotten to the moldy stage, that can make a chicken very sick and can kill them. This happened to one of my chickens a few years ago when she dug up a moldy squash from the bottom of the compost pile.

The thirst you describe as well as the bleeding on the legs may be important clues. If your chickens have eaten a mouse that has eaten rodent poison, it can make them very thirsty and cause neurological symptoms as well as internal bleeding since many of these rat baits are anticoagulants. Is it possible that you've set out rodent poison around your place? Vitamin K is the antidote. You give it once a day for 30 days.

I have been very suspicious about the fruit, but we have had raspberry bushes growing around the chicken yard long before we had chickens, and the berries have never hurt a single chicken.
No, we have never set out any kind of poisoning

 

[jllracer55]

Ours did too, went nuts over it an now they are dropping like flies I cant win :/ Not sure if the watermelon had anything to do with it or not, i think mine is part dehydration sadly.

 

[RodNTN]

Rod, I'm sorry for your loss
I agree with @Eggcessive and @azygous it would be hard to know the cause of death without investigating further.

What is the timeline of when you noticed symptoms until she died? (days, hours, etc.)
The legs bleeding is interesting-can you tell us little more about that? Was it the feet, hocks/joints?

Did you notice whether or not Pumpkin's crop was emptying overnight?


With Cookie, I would check the crop in the morning before she eats/drinks, it should be empty.
Do as the others suggested, check for lice/mites - don't forget the ears, look for infection and evidence of ear mites this can cause loss of balance.

If you have a video of how Cookie moves, that would be good too.

Thank you so much
Pumpkin had been getting very weak for at least a month, and the balance problems hadn't started until last week or so. Cookies balance problems were so sudden, and she is acting perfectly fine otherwise. Her comb is red, and her eyes are bright. She has had diarrhea, but most of my laying hens have diarrhea when it is really hot (they drink constantly in summer).

Pumpkins shanks were bleeding, I cleaned them up, though, and sprayed with Vetericyn, and her legs were fine after that. But before she did have a really bad limp in her right leg. I assumed it was sprained, since there were no visible injuries (and no parasites).

Pumpkins crop emptied regularly, and so does Cookies.

 

[RodNTN]

Ours did too, went nuts over it an now they are dropping like flies I cant win :/ Not sure if the watermelon had anything to do with it or not, i think mine is part dehydration sadly.

I literally don't have a clue what the cause is