Something killing our chickens

[RIR7jn]

We need some help in figuring out what is moving through our flock. Some symptoms are the same, but not all. The first chicken we lost had these symptoms: red streaks in her legs, her legs were always cold, she started to always have messy poop, she lost a lot of weight, and she would keep her head tucked in, which made her crop push out. Then she died. The second chicken we lost did not lose any weight, but she started having that same mushy, messy poop. We separated her from the flock, and we put Corid in all the water. Her crop was extended and she was gurgling. So we "vomited" her, and a lot of dark brown, coffee colored liquid came pouring out of her. She wouldn't eat, even if I made the feed mushy. Her gurgling got worse and she had a lot of trouble breathing. We went to get an antibiotic for her and she passed before we got back. Now I have a third chicken with that same messy poop. She eats a lot, she seems normal, except for her poop. There's no solid poop in the coop from where she was roosting. Does anyone have any idea what could be going through our flock? I have not seen any worms in any of the poop, not even in the poop of the chickens that have died. And it seems to be slow -- the last chickens didn't die until about after a month from the time we began noticing the messy poop. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Two things you need to do. Have a fecal sample read to see what is going on intestinally.
Send a dying bird off to your state poultry lab for necropsy and lab work so you'll know exactly what is killing them and what course of action you need to take.
What state are you in? I can find the contact information for you.
Most will send you a FedEx shipping label.
It doesn't sound like coccidiosis so Corid won't help. I also would refrain from administering antibiotics because it is likely not a bacteria that can be cured with them.
Giving any meds before the lab work can negatively affect the validity of the results.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

red streaks in her legs, her legs were always cold, she started to always have messy poop, she lost a lot of weight, and she would keep her head tucked in, which made her crop push out. Then she died.

second chicken we lost did not lose any weight, but she started having that same mushy, messy poop. We separated her from the flock, and we put Corid in all the water. Her crop was extended and she was gurgling. So we "vomited" her, and a lot of dark brown, coffee colored liquid came pouring out of her. She wouldn't eat, even if I made the feed mushy. Her gurgling got worse and she had a lot of trouble breathing.

third chicken with that same messy poop. She eats a lot, she seems normal, except for her poop. There's no solid poop in the coop from where she was roosting.

I agree with @ChickenCanoe testing and necropsy will give you valuable information.


How old are these chickens?
I notice a "trend" possibly - the 2 that died - they had crop issues or am I mistaken?
What type of food/treats do you feed?

 

[RIR7jn]

We haven't given the third chicken any antibiotics yet -- that was for the second chicken but it was too late. We are in Florida and the chickens will be 3 years old in May. I'm not sure if the first one had an issue with her crop -- she ate right up until she died, but she would, in a sense pull her head in sort of so that her crop looked like it was protruding. The second definitely had a crop issue, but not sure why, and then she started the gurgling. They are Rhode Island Reds. Their feed is the pellet feed for poultry and we put grit and oyster shell in it for extra calcium. The are free range and eat grass and bugs all day.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Here is your poultry lab.
Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory


Florida Department of Ag and Consumer Services

2700 N. John Young Parkway

Kissimmee, Florida 34741-1266

Phone: 321-697-1400

IAV-A, CSF, CWD, ND, FMD, IAV-S, PRV, SCRAPIE, ISA, VHS, SVC


The pellets are for poultry but is it layer or all flock feed? Layer is about 16% protein and 4% calcium. All Flock could be anywhere from 18-20% protein and 1% calcium.
Don't mix anything into the feed. Grit and oyster shell need to be in separate containers so they can choose when they need to consume some.
Adding oyster shell to feed - especially if it is layer feed will give the chickens no choice but to overdose on calcium.

 

[RIR7jn]

Thank you for the poultry lab info. It's layer feed. And thanks for the info about the oyster shell and grit -- we had added it because the RIRs eggs were breaking in the nesting boxes, and the shells seemed thin. We have buffs and we have RIR / Jungle fowl mix -- all of which have eggs with harder eggshells, but they are all younger than the RIRs.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Calcium isn't always the answer to thin eggshells. The calcium must be in the correct ratio to phosphorus - about 10:1. If that ratio is off it can negatively affect shell quality.
Vitamin D3, magnesium and manganese are important as well.
If you are on city or county water, excessive chlorine can also negatively affect shell quality.
Shell quality is more of an issue in hot climates and RIRs are built for cooler climates.
Whatever disease may be going through your flock can affect shell quality too.
Here's a couple good articles on eggshell quality.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm013
http://www.nutrecocanada.com/docs/s...-formation-and-eggshell-quality-in-layers.pdf

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We haven't given the third chicken any antibiotics yet -- that was for the second chicken but it was too late.

You gave the 2nd chicken antibiotics or Corid? Just in case, Corid is a coccidiostat that only treats Coccidiosis. It has not antibiotic properties.

In the meantime, the 3rd girl, what does the poop look like - I understand it's loose, but is it like mucous, egg yolks and whites or anything like that?
When was the last time she laid an egg?
Did the 3 older girls every have any respiratory illness?

I know, I ask a lot of questions It can be a challenge to know what's going on with chickens, so a lot of times it's a process of elimination. Getting the fecal float will rule out worms and coccidiosis overload. Feel her abdomen for any swelling, bloat or feeling of fluid which might indicate a reproductive problem. Also while you are feeling her up, check through her feathers for any external parasites.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The fecal float will also detect bacteria.
I though one flock had worms but instead of treating I found a vet willing to read a sample without seeing "the patient".
They didn't have worms at all but a heavy clostridia bacterial infection and was given tetracycline. Cleared it right up and had I treated for what I THOUGHT it was. I would have wasted a lot of time to the detriment of that flock.

 

[RIR7jn]

First chicken symptoms: Red streaks in legs, feet stayed cold. Mushy poop that turned watery just before she died. Lost a lot of weight and would fall and just stay there (just before she died). She (and all the other RIRs except one) stopped laying when the weather started turning cold about a month or so before she passed. I didn't notice any weight loss before she began falling because she ate all the time and I think her crop protruded, but when you felt it, it felt normal.

Second chicken symptoms: Mushy poop so we isolated her. We noticed her crop was protruding and she would stay with her head "tucked in". When I heard her start gurgling, we "vomited" her and then she began eating again, although all she really did was peck at the ground, she wouldn't eat the layer feed. When we vomited her, a lot of dark brown, coffee colored liquid came out. We would check her every morning to see if her crop was full, but she really wasn't eating hardly at all during the day. But her gurgling got worse and then the afternoon she died, she was opening her beak to breath. The first chicken never did that. And she didn't gurgle. This chicken was laying eggs when none of the other RIRs were. But she stopped about the time we noticed problems with her.

Third chicken: She is still alive and seems normal, except that her poop is mushy -- I have attached a photo -- and this is what the poop of the first two chickens looked like. And her bottom is messy like the first two chickens we have lost. This chicken has not laid since the weather began turning cold.

I have put a probiotic in their water today and still have one bowl of water with ACV in it. They have DE in their coops.

ChickenCanoe: Can I send this fecal sample to Bronson ADDL for testing? I looked at their site -- is that the fecal direct exam? I know there is a wildlife vet in our county who is supposed to be really good with chickens as well, but I don't know if she would do the fecal test. Thanks to all input from everyone who has replied