Starving chickens

[Speckledbabies]

I have had 5 chickens for about 3 years with no problems. This spring one of them became broody, so I got 7 chicks for her from IFA. One failed to thrive and died after about 4 days. The rest seemed healthy. They grew into pullets and I was going to give my mom 4 of them, but suddenly one of the Buff Orpingtons was hiding and ADR. I brought her inside and gave electrolytes and got some food in her. She perked up a little bit, and seemed to start eating but she still had "starvation poop". I woke up one morning to find she had passed the night before.

Now a couple months later I have a Speckled Sussex that is from the same group of chicks acting off. She seemed to have been pecked at (not the bottom of the pecking order, and seemed to fit in just fine) not terrible, some superficial wounds that we cleaned up nicely and brought her inside. She seemed to be in shock. Gave electrolytes and food and she perked up, crop seemed decently full, but she still had "starvation poop". Her last droppings contained what looked like tapeworm segments. Got some de wormer but she had already passed.

Today the last I have of the chicks (copper maran) seems to be slowing down a little and puffed up. Feces is normal currently, maybe a little watery.

Everyone else is doing great. What would cause the death? I have done research and am still baffled, should I give the last one to my mom with the others? Thank you for reading such a long post.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Sounds like it might be worms. Have you tried worming the Marans?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

What is "starvation poop"?

 

[Speckledbabies]

Sounds like it might be worms. Have you tried worming the Marans?

Currently worming everybody

 

[Speckledbabies]

What is "starvation poop"?

Green, runny, minimal. Attached is the picture with the tapeworm segments, but essentially this is what it looks like.

 

[Aunt Angus]

You can try Corid, too, just in case. Being fluffed up can indicate Coccidiosis, and Coccidiosis kills quickly.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Green, runny, minimal. Attached is the picture with the tapeworm segments, but essentially this is what it looks like.

Thanks! I've seen this before in my sick chicken with coccidiosis.

 

[Eggcessive]

The picture looks to have tapeworm segments in it. Are they moving when first seen? Do you see those in more than one chicken’s poop? Praziquantel is needed to take care of tapeworms. It is found in Equimax horse paste, and dosage is 0.03 ml per pound given once and again in 10-14 days. If a chicken weighs 5 pounds that is 0.16 ml, a very small amount. Tapeworms can be a continuous problem if the droppings are there, and their intermediate hosts are not eliminated. Tapeworm eggs are found in snails, slugs, earthworms, beetles, flies and other intermediate hosts.
It would be good to know if any other worms which can be only seen with a microscope, are also affecting the chickens. A vet can perform a fecal float. For other worms, Valbazen or SafeGuard are best.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good video of what tapeworm segments look like:

 

[sourland]

That's a lot of tapeworm segments, I would worm the entire flock.