spreading sickness amongst hens?

[michleeh]

We have a chicken situation that I'm wondering if someone might have some insight on. We had a hen die a couple weeks ago, which considering she was one of our older ones, we weren't totally surprised. Then a somewhat younger one started looking sickly and showing similar symptoms last week and now another younger one is looking sickly. The last two are holding on, but the older of the two is worse off. Now I'm figuring it's something that it spreading from one to the other. They overall look slower, droopy, not perching, diarrhea, not very interested in eating or drinking. As the sickness progresses the hen tends to wheeze, like an asthmatic. We put some apple cider vinegar in the water and got the older one to eat some hard-boiled egg yolk this morning. We also just put out the heat lamp for them and they're huddled under that.

Any thoughts?
Michele

 

[Eggcessive]

I would start them all on Corid (amprollium) in their water--1 tsp powder or 2 tsp of the liquid in 1 gallon of water for 5-7 days. I would suspect that you have got coccidiosis going around, maybe a new strain brought in. The wheeze may be a virus or something else that they are getting from their resistance being down. More information on how long you have had them and if any have been brought in recently would help.

 

[michleeh]

They are an established small flock of 11 hens. The last time anyone was added was a year and a half ago.

Would I need to separate the sicker ones from the rest of the flock?

 

[Eggcessive]

If no hens have been added then I would doubt it is coccidiosis unless a new strain got tracked into your yard or coop on shoes. Separating may do no good, since whatever is there has exposed most of them. You may need to worm everyone, check closely around vents and all over for mites or lice eggs, check crops for impaction, and check for vent gleet. Getting a necropsy on a sick bird may tell you what you are dealing with. Many people don't like to use antibiotics unless you know what you are treating, but I would be tempted to start oxytetracycline or erythromycin in their water. Many chicken diseases, both intestinal and respiratory ones, will respond to these. If you do think it could be coccidosis, a drug called DiMethox would treat both coccidiosis and some respiratory and intestinal problems. Here are some links if you can't find these products locally:
http://www.jefferspet.com/tetroxy-hca/camid/LIV/cp/MOB-T1/cn/3502/
http://www.jefferspet.com/gallimycin-powder/camid/liv/cp/WJ-G5/
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e078da-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

 

[seminolewind]

Wheezing sounds like a respiratory issue. I think I would get some Tylan for them. And Tylan and Corid can be used together.

 

[michleeh]

A neighbor seems to think that it's coccidiosis, so we started on Corid today. The older one looks a little better, but the younger is collapsed (no wheezing) lying in the sun. It looks as if today would be her last; unfortunately she's one of our favorites. We gave her some droppers full with the Corid water. She's not eating. Is there any last minute effort that might boost her a little?

Thanks so much.

 

[seminolewind]

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. Offer more droppers, maybe add some sugar to it for some energy. I hope she survives

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Do a little research on this web sight.

http://www.poultry.uga.edu/agrosecurity/section4/commonpodis.htm

So many poultry diseases are so similar that sometimes my head wants to explode from trying to keep all the symptoms clear in my mind.

 

[michleeh]

Unfortunately our easter egger, Cinnamon, is no longer for this world. When this hit, she was still molting, which probably did her in. The other one is still under the weather a bit, but seems to be turning around. She's been seen eating a little feed and fruit/veg scraps. No one else seems sick at all, so we're hoping that it has halted, whatever it was.

Thanks for all the help and support!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Keep us informed.