Sleepy and dead chickens

[LanzaroteSteve]

Hi, I'm new to this forum but hope someone can help.
I woke this morning to find one small chick (about 1.5 months) lying practically lifeless in the chicken run. I tried to feed with egg yolk and fresh water but it died within an hour.
After this I noticed a number of the other smaller chicks were becoming uncoordinated and started lying down and closing their eyes.
I've taken the 4 chicks (aged between 2-3 months) inside the house and tried to feed with yolk and water. They are still very drowsy and just seem to want to sleep.
I am keeping an eye on 2 of my older hens (7 months) who are not as noticably sick but do appear a little drowsy.
There is no discharge from nose or eyes and no strange smell. The poorly chicks have runny stools and are a mixture of colours brown/white/red depending on the hen but no worms have been seen. They also have soft crops and aren't of egg laying age so I'm struggling to find anything similar to this online.
I'm guessing its viral as it's catching and as there have not been any changes in diet.
I live in Lanzarote and I don't have a avian vet available until tomorrow so if anyone could help with any advice that would be greatly appreciated.
At the moment I have the sick chick in a box covered with a towel and they also have fresh water and food. I've also been dunking the beaks of the chick in the water to try and get them to take some water.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

 

[NellaBean]

I would treat for Cocci......use Corid if available (sulmet if not).

 

[dianneS]

I have no idea what it could be, but I hope someone here chimes in and can help you. Are they warm enough? I know you said they're about six weeks old, but I've had some die at that age when the nights got cold and the heat lamp was turned off.

Good luck, I'm anxious to read other's input. Keep us posted too.

 

[LanzaroteSteve]

Hi there, thanks for the help so far, won't be able to get a vet to look at them until tomorrow to try to treat for cocci.
Yeah they are warm enough as it's 25 degrees c here during the day and 19 degrees at night.
Any more help or ideas for any home medication I can use just for today would be helpfull. I've tried dipping their beaks in yogurt and adding a little sugar to their water but have seen very little change so far.

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
X2 always treat as soon as possible for this...it kills rapidly

 

[Chickenaddict]

1.5 months old and 19 degrees seems to me they might have gotten tooo cold but the red poo also indicates to me they may have cocci. Sulmet or corrid will cure them, you can usually find both at the feed store. Best of luck to you and your birds

 

[LanzaroteSteve]

Having done a little research on Cocci this is looking like the probably cause! Not able to get any medication today so will have to hope they hang in there until tomorrow. Let's hope the Spanish vet knows the medication recommended on this site.
I don't think it's the cold as some older hens are showing much less exaggerated signs of the same thing, they also will be a lot warmer in their coop. I also would have thought 19 degrees C was pretty warm.

 

[Judy]

If this is cocci it would be very good to beg or borrow a little Corid (or even Sulmet, the second choice) today, from somewhere, if possible. At least I would give them a little live culture yogurt or other probiotic; you may want to mix it with a little of the feed or something for them to accept it.

 

[leadwolf1]

If you can, you don't need a vet for the Corid, get to a tractor supply...they have it in stock and it is very easy to use!

 

[LanzaroteSteve]

Thanks guys for the help
Unfortunately we don't have tractor supply shops on the island. Would there be any point in trying a pharmacy?
I've been trying them on natural yogurt and 2 of the 4 are showing small signs of improvement and are eating and drinking a little themselves when not laying down.
I've now separated the 2 showing signs of improvement from the other 2.
I've spoken to a few people I know on this small island but none have heard of this let alone have any medications for it. They also normally order med's online from the UK which takes about a week to arrive.
It looks like we will probably lose the 2 that aren't showing any signs of improvement and are just laying still with eyes closed. They do open their eyes for a short while if stroked but otherwise are non responsive.
Whilst we have quite deep little (fine gravel) I've moved the run and disinfected the coop as cocci seems to be passed through the chickens poo.
The older hens now seems to be ok apart from one has a little cough. These have a separate run and coop so I'm hoping they'll be ok until I can get a vet tomorrow.