Sick girls need help asap

[Sabrinad710]

Hey guys! I'm pretty new here just officially signed up. I lost two girls yesterday and am not sure what to do now Or what even happened. Earlier this week they didn't look right, their faces seemed pale and almost like their feathers weren't quite right around their cheeks. My bf noticed one actually trip. Yesterday I went to let them out to roam the yard and one of them was gone and the other just laid there whining, I tried to get her to come out and she could barely walk almost like she was weak and lethargic. She just barely made it out the door. I called the local emergency vet but they were no help over the phone. Ran to tractor supply for advice and I came home tried to syringe feed her some electrolyte water and corn juice soaked bread but it wasn't working. She just kept closing her eyes and going limp. I kept trying with the water thinking she was dehydrated. Sorry this is so long. She didn't make it through the night. I'm afraid it's something contagious although all the others look fine so far. I have no idea what this could've been we only just got them in the spring they aren't even laying yet. Those two were the runts and smaller and thinner than the others. Any ideas? Thanks and sorry again for the lengthy message!

 

[Impatient]

Did they have any discharge coming from their nostrils or beak? How did their eyes look? We're they sniffling or sneezing before suddenly going down hill? Did you check the vent area to see if they were egg bound or had an infection? How did their poop look?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @Sabrinad710 Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your loss.

Having 2 die so suddenly on the same day is very concerning. Putting your location in your profile can help us when giving advice. If you are in the US, sending one or both bodies to your state lab for answers would be a very good idea. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

Can you take a fecal sample to your vet for testing of worms and coccidiosis?
What type of food/treats do you feed?

Look around and make sure there was nothing they may have eaten (moldy feed or mushrooms, rat poison, weed killer, fertilizer, a dead animal or maggots, etc.).

You mention that the feathers on their face didn't look quite right - can you tell us more about this?

There can be so many things that affect chickens, it's hard to even speculate what happened to your girls. Losing the use of the legs can be a number of things - Marek's comes to mind or something like Botulism. If both were runts and the same breed, it could have been a genetic/developmental disorder - but there really is no way to know.

Keep a watch on the others - see that they are drinking well and eating their food. Check the food just to make sure it's not out of date, moldy, wet or rancid. Feed can go bad quickly in warm weather.

I hope the others continue to do well and you have no more problems, keep us posted.

 

[Ravynscroft]

X2 what Wyorp Rock said...

 

[Sabrinad710]

Thanks for the info sorry it's taken me a while to get back. There was no visible discharge from anywhere and they aren't even laying yet so the egg being stuck thing didn't occur to me. I do t know about the poop because frankly there's 9 of them and I can't follow them around in between helping kids with homework and bring them to band and hockey etc haha there is a pile of mulch in the yard but they have stayed away from it. So far the rest of the girls look ok but it's only been a few days. Their eyes looked ok just scared and tired at the end there feathers on their face almost looked like they were dirty and wilting or something.
They have free range in the yard and there are woods but they tend to hang in the common areas so no dead animals. It's been humid as hell so I suppose the food could have had some mold it's changed frequently tho. Idk this is so hard I'm nervous about them everyday now!!

 

[Sabrinad710]

I give them layer feed from tractor supply it's a yellow bag I can't remember the name off the top of my head. Sometimes they get meal worms and mostly feed them fresh scraps like corn and oats or whatever I'm cooking that day. They help themselves to a tomato from the garden each day haha

 

[Wyorp Rock]

they aren't even laying....there feathers on their face almost looked like they were dirty and wilting or something....I give them layer feed

How old are they?
Can you post some photos of their face?

Do you see them actively dust bathing? Could be dirt on the face from that, but it would be best to inspect them carefully for any lice/mites and/or fleas. Depending on where you live Sticktight fleas can be on the face, they can look like dirt, but upon close inspection you can see that it's not dirt. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/lice-and-mites-pictures.1155789/

 

[Ravynscroft]

How old are they?
Can you post some photos of their face?

Do you see them actively dust bathing? Could be dirt on the face from that, but it would be best to inspect them carefully for any lice/mites and/or fleas. Depending on where you live Sticktight fleas can be on the face, they can look like dirt, but upon close inspection you can see that it's not dirt. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/lice-and-mites-pictures.1155789/

X2

Pics would help... also, layer feed (sounds like duMor) is unnecessary until they start laying... the grower/finisher has higher protein than layer, better for growing girls...