Soft eggs then death

[rosemary10]

Were you feeding spinach?

No, I was not feeding spinach. But they do free range.

 

[chickens really]

No, I was not feeding spinach. But they do free range.

Would they consume their nutritional balance daily of feed or forage more daily?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They are on a layer feed for a mixed flock, I should have been more clear. I am a vet tech and performed a necropsy on them but I hadn't seen anything abnormal. I think it might be egg yolk peritonitis, but everything I've read about it says it's pretty much untreatable. Would penicillin not even work? I really don't want to lose any more birds.

Egg Yolk Peritonitis and most reproductive disorder cannot be cured. You can try treating with an antibiotic to help with infection though. I would not use Penicillin, instead I would use either Baytril or Amoxicillin.

It's good that you performed a necropsy - nothing abnormal? No excess fat in the abdomen, ovaries all looked normal, nothing wrong with the liver, etc.? If you happen to lose another one, do another necropsy and take some photos.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...eproductive-system/egg-peritonitis-in-poultry

You may also find this thread helpful, quite a few different illnesses/conditions identified here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ning-contains-graphic-necropsy-photos.823961/

 

[casportpony]

Very sorry for you losses.

They are on a layer feed for a mixed flock, I should have been more clear.

What is the calcium content of your feed? Ideally you want something that's 3-4% calcium.

I am a vet tech and performed a necropsy on them but I hadn't seen anything abnormal..

No fluid or bits of yolk floating in the belly?

I think it might be egg yolk peritonitis, but everything I've read about it says it's pretty much untreatable.

If you catch it soon enough you *might* be able to treat it with something like Baytril.

Would penicillin not even work? I really don't want to lose any more birds.

Penicillin is unlikely to work because it doesn't treat gram negative infections, and most EYP and salpingitis bacteria are gram negative.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a couple of links to pictures of necropsies which are helpful to know what organs are which, and how it helps to take pictures. Of course, most of us just do a simple necropsy unlike these links show:
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/heshamkotb/illustrated-guide-to-poultry-necropsy-and-diagnosis

https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/sites/gateway/files/A visual guide to a chicken necropsy.pdf

 

[Kathy Golla]

I’m with excessive that it’s pretty rare to have them all die of seemingly the same thing, there must be a common thread.
There’s also a disease called called ILT, where a symptom is egg problems, but you would see other respiratory symptoms with it.
Are your birds overweight?
Do the state necropsy as others have said to solve the mystery...

 

[Eggcessive]

@Kathy Golla do you mean infectious bronchitis virus? I am not aware of ILT causing egg shell problems. Here is a good link about eggshell problems that has helped me identify shell problems I have seen, since my flock once had IB:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[Kathy Golla]

I brought a hen into the vet for laying shell-less eggs and the vet mentioned ILT as having egg symptoms. I hadn’t heard of it so I had him repeat what it was AND asked him if he wasn’t talking about IB.
Not sure....
Let me know if you think it’s completely wrong and I won’t repeat that info again!

 

[Eggcessive]

I hate to disagree with the vet, but they may have mixed up the disease names or been misinformed. Infectious bronchitis (IB) is well known to cause thin shells, wrinkled and other oviduct problems. Reproductive problems and kidney problems are common in survivors of IB.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avian_infectious_bronchitis

Some info on ILT which can cause a drop in egg production as does most other respiratory diseases:
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/infectious-laryngotracheitis-ilt

 

[Kathy Golla]

OK sounds good, people aren’t always right...I wouldn’t doubt it. Thanks for the education.