Sick Hen!

[princess12]

I had a 6 month old rooster had and all of sudden he became lathargic and would not move or eat. I moved him to his own area gave food and water and he would barely eat. He would literally stand as if he was a statue? There were no injuries to him no bleeding in stool nothing! I tried to hydrate him with a dropper of which he refused needless to say 2 days later I let them out out of their run to free range and about 10 minutes after he was laying in the yard dead. The most subtle thing that sticks in my mind is the statue part he was so still he looked like a statue standing around? Now I have a hen thats around 2 years old and she was the bossiest of all my hens, suddently 3 days ago she started acting the same way just standing around like a statue? Now she is in her nesting just sleeping when i nudge her she barely moves refuses food and water? The rooster died in late ocotber now its Feb and I have a hen thats sick with the same symptoms. The rest of the flock is fine as of now? Please help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How's the ventilation? What's the diet?

In all honesty, with just a symptom of lethargy, it's impossible to say what it was. Chickens can be afflicted by as many different things (and sometimes the same things) as humans. Without other identifiable symptoms, it just means it was very, very sick. There are normally but not always other symptoms. It could have been any number of things - Botulism, Toxicosis, Gout, Influenza, Lysteriosis, Marek's, Spyrochetosis, Staph Arthritis, Strep, Ulcerative Enteritis. In addition to disease, it could have been parasitic, environmental or nutritional. The only sure way to know what kills a bird is to do a necropsy. And even then, it's sometimes inconclusive. Sometimes chickens just die and others won't be affected. If more than one is affected a necropsy is definitely in order. Some of the things, like gout can be nutrition related so I would review feed/water regimen. This time of year, people tend to close up their coops causing ammonia buildup and bacteria prosper in the warmer moist environment resulting in respiratory issues from a lack of air exchange. I'd take a close look at that too. Winter requires just as much if not more ventilation than summer.
I often suspect diet/nutrition when there are no symptoms other than rapid or sudden death. I once lost a nice hen from being too fat. She was fine one day and died overnight. After a necropsy I discovered the problem and put the whole flock on a diet. Excessive calcium (layer feed for birds not laying) can cause kidney failure/visceral gout, calcium buildup in tissues and other organs. Those things can cause sudden death with no other symptoms and most people never suspect nutrition as the cause. Just because one's birds all seem healthy and they're feeding a high quality food, it is still a good idea to evaluate diet from time to time.

 

[princess12]

Should I start the flock on antibotics? If so what should I buy at the feed store?

 

[princess12]

Sorry diet is cracked corn laying pellets, bread yogurt, gravy etc but mostly the cracked corn and laying pellets she was molting and then she finally finished and was being as bossy as ever and then this happened. The house is open plenty of ventelation. Fresh water daily even tried to hand feed her no sucess her comb is turning which tho. The rooster that died with the same symptoms his was oraange? I researched that one and found that he may have had a kidney damage? I am not sure what a necropsy is? I am not completely new to raising chickens but i am new to the illness as I have never had a chicken sick until now and then back in october. I read somewhere to put corcid in water? Is that anitbiotic its labeled for cows but 1 teaspoon in chicken water per gallonfor 7 days? Thanks for you advice!

 

[realsis]

Before you start antibiotics you need to know what your treating for to get the correct antibiotic. Please look listen and feel for clues. Look at the bird is she puffed up ruffled feathers how is her stool? Color and consistency? Listen for any signs of wheezing or cough. Is any mucus present? Feel her crop is it emptying as it should. When had she last laid her egg? Is there any more clues you can give us at all to help? Is her stool loose and frothy? Does her tail Bob when breathing meaning she is having a difficult time catching her breath. Any of above symptoms? Each question I've asked is a clue to a particular illness. If you can answer these questions we might be able to help figure out the nature of the illness. Was any new bird's introduced into the flock? What are the conditions like? Is it muddy or wet? Any thing you can think of that might be a clue as to what is going on will help.

 

[realsis]

Corid is a specific medication for coccidosis. Signs of coccidosis can be puffed up ruffled feathers excessive sleepiness blood in stool may or may not be present.loose frothy stool and lethergie. Does she have these symptoms?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sorry diet is cracked corn laying pellets, bread yogurt, gravy etc but mostly the cracked corn and laying pellets she was molting and then she finally finished and was being as bossy as ever and then this happened. The house is open plenty of ventelation. Fresh water daily even tried to hand feed her no sucess her comb is turning which tho. The rooster that died with the same symptoms his was oraange? I researched that one and found that he may have had a kidney damage? I am not sure what a necropsy is? I am not completely new to raising chickens but i am new to the illness as I have never had a chicken sick until now and then back in october. I read somewhere to put corcid in water? Is that anitbiotic its labeled for cows but 1 teaspoon in chicken water per gallonfor 7 days? Thanks for you advice!

Cracked corn is 10% protein at best and woefully short on vitamins. That and bread should only make up 10% of the total diet at most.
As an example, if you're feeding a 16% protein layer feed and 50% of the diet is corn and/or bread then total intake would be under 13% protein, which isn't enough.

Before you start antibiotics you need to know what your treating for to get the correct antibiotic. Please look listen and feel for clues. Look at the bird is she puffed up ruffled feathers how is her stool? Color and consistency? Listen for any signs of wheezing or cough. Is any mucus present? Feel her crop is it emptying as it should. When had she last laid her egg? Is there any more clues you can give us at all to help? Is her stool loose and frothy? Does her tail Bob when breathing meaning she is having a difficult time catching her breath. Any of above symptoms? Each question I've asked is a clue to a particular illness. If you can answer these questions we might be able to help figure out the nature of the illness. Was any new bird's introduced into the flock? What are the conditions like? Is it muddy or wet? Any thing you can think of that might be a clue as to what is going on will help.

X2

The majority of things it could be will be unaffected by antibiotics.

 

[princess12]

She is not weezing no mucus. I have not seen a bowel movement, her feathers are not ruffled she would just stand there feathers allsmoothed downed barely wanted to walk. She is resting in a nesting box with now signs except sleeping even when i touch her. She acts like she is very tired she refuses food and water and usually if you touch their beeks they will try to get away but nothing with her she is not breathing hard seems normal. This is what happened with my rooster too. In their run they have no grass it is a bit muddy due to all the rain and snow and no sun recentley. Her crop seems empty per she has not been eating even when she would come out she would stand all alone not even attempt to et or drink. I have 3 white hens i have only collected 2 eggs in the lat few days so i dont think one was from her.

 

[princess12]

She is not weezing no mucus. I have not seen a bowel movement, her feathers are not ruffled she would just stand there feathers allsmoothed downed barely wanted to walk. She is resting in a nesting box with now signs except sleeping even when i touch her. She acts like she is very tired she refuses food and water and usually if you touch their beeks they will try to get away but nothing with her she is not breathing hard seems normal. This is what happened with my rooster too. In their run they have no grass it is a bit muddy due to all the rain and snow and no sun recentley. Her crop seems empty per she has not been eating even when she would come out she would stand all alone not even attempt to et or drink. I have 3 white hens i have only collected 2 eggs in the lat few days so i dont think one was from her.