Something affecting my flock?

[aurora12]

I have had two hens die and now one is sick with similar symptoms. Symptoms include lethargy, neck drawn to shoulders, butt down a little, poopy butt. I have quarantined the hens when I noticed them acting differently but one hen got the same thing they have. I am unsure to what it is and why it is spreading. Any ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Do you live in the US? You have to use good biosecurity methods with a sick chicken (handwashing, change shoe, clothes, cover hair, and wash utensils and feeders separately /disinfect) as well as separating the sick birds far away. Your symptoms sound like coccidiosis. Most hens should be immune to coccidiosis germs on their property, unless they are new to the dirt or a new bird has recently been added. Treatment for cocci is Corid/amprollium for 5 days in the water. On the neck position, do you mean huddling or puffing up, or do you mean twisting the neck? Here is a link to read: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

This is a picture of huddling or puffing up from this link: http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/coccidiosis/index.aspx

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.
Like Eggcessive mentioned; if your hens have been on the same soil, they probably have built resistance to coccidia found on your property. Most likely they need to be wormed.

 

[aurora12]

Welcome to BYC. Do you live in the US? You have to use good biosecurity methods with a sick chicken (handwashing, change shoe, clothes, cover hair, and wash utensils and feeders separately /disinfect) as well as separating the sick birds far away. Your symptoms sound like coccidiosis. Most hens should be immune to coccidiosis germs on their property, unless they are new to the dirt or a new bird has recently been added. Treatment for cocci is Corid/amprollium for 5 days in the water. On the neck position, do you mean huddling or puffing up, or do you mean twisting the neck? Here is a link to read: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

This is a picture of huddling or puffing up from this link: http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/coccidiosis/index.aspx

Thanks for the reply. One of the hens that died looked like the picture above. What I mean about the neck is that they keep it close to their body. The hen that is currently sick is a little puffed up but lays down and does not stand in a penguin stance like the other hens. I am not sure if it is coccidiosis because they do not have bloody feces.

 

[dawg53]

FYI: Capillary worms in the crop can cause birds to withdraw their neck closer to the body. Also, there are 9 types of cocci that birds can get, only about 1 or 2 cause blood in feces.