Suspect blackhead

[chicknmania]

WE have a little hen just over a year old. She has never done very well since she was hatched, mostly staying by herself away from the flock but she was eating and drinking so I just figured that was just her. Two days ago I noticed she was sitting by herself and acting lethargic. I caught her and placed her in hospital pen, and dewormed her just as a matter of course because originally I thought that might be the problem, though I just dewormed the flock in June. I did not notice before, but now it is obvious that she has black lining her comb. She is very lethargic, poor appetite, underweight, ruffled feathers. No lesions or anything in her mouth.

We have had chickens for 20 years and never had this problem, but now I am extremely worried, because we have peafowl. I will try to post pic, but I have to get someone to help me catch her again, her hospital pen is big and elevated so she's hard to catch. I have not seen her droppings, so I'm guessing maybe she has diarrhea.

We deworm the flock every six months with a broad spectrum dewormer and alternate dewormers to avoid resistance buildup. I'm not sure that it isn't heart failure, or some other organ failure, considering the way she has never seemed right, but I'm just not sure.

Should I consult a vet? Treat or cull? The rest of our flock, including the peafowl, seem fine at this point.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Can you share a picture? I don't believe chickens come down with blackhead. They can be carriers. Black on the comb sounds more like wounds.

This time of year wild birds are starting to migrate and they can bring various illnesses to our domestic fowl. Also shifting temperatures can stress birds immune systems. If she's always been a bit poor in health she will be more susceptible to getting sick.

 

[chicknmania]

Can you share a picture? I don't believe chickens come down with blackhead. They can be carriers. Black on the comb sounds more like wounds.

This time of year wild birds are starting to migrate and they can bring various illnesses to our domestic fowl. Also shifting temperatures can stress birds immune systems. If she's always been a bit poor in health she will be more susceptible to getting sick.

I just read an article ( I'll have to find it again) that blackhead in chickens is becoming more common especially in areas with warm, wet summers. We didn't have that much warm, but some, and it was definitely wet. Not only does she have the black lined comb, but also she is very lethargic, poor appetite, weight loss, ruffled feathes, hunched over...all symptoms of Blackhead. I don't expect her to survive, but if she does, I will try Metronidazole and follow up with Oregano oil, which i learned can be a powerful thing to use as a preventative and treatment. I'll see if I can get a picture today. So far, the rest of the flock is still fine. I'm hoping that because she did not socialize much with the flock, generally stayed in one spot, and they have a huge barn as living quarters and also free range, that we might dodge a bullet. Fingers crossed. I am going to treat the flock with oregano oil in their water starting today for a week or two, and i think Strike 3 helps a bit too, and they've been on that for the past couple weeks. I'm thinking it might be liver disease too....symptoms are similar, and that would explain why she's never been quite right. She's only just a year old.

 

[chicknmania]

Now her beak is turning black too...

 

[chicknmania]

I finally found images of blackhead in chickens and it's a match. I'm terrified for the rest of my flock especially my three peafowl. So far everyone is still OK as far as I can tell.

 

[chicknmania]

Here are pictures which i also posted in another thread. She died this morning. Some pics are post mortem

 

[beachbunny76]

I just saw your post and I am so sorry you lost her. I've never heard of blackhead before I saw your post so I want to thank you for sharing this. It is really scary that this condition is now becoming more prevalent. I live in a warmer area (southeast US) and I hope we never see this. I pray your other chickens and pea fowl don't get this. Best of luck.

 

[chicknmania]

I just saw your post and I am so sorry you lost her. I've never heard of blackhead before I saw your post so I want to thank you for sharing this. It is really scary that this condition is now becoming more prevalent. I live in a warmer area (southeast US) and I hope we never see this. I pray your other chickens and pea fowl don't get this. Best of luck.

Thank you! I never did know what it was because I chose not to have a necropsy done. I know everyone on here says blackhead in chickens is very rare but she did have all the symptoms. I never saw any droppings at all in her pen so I'm guessing she had diarhea, but diarhea can be a symptom too, or so i read. There was one yellow poop in the barn where they all live and that is one of the symptoms of Blackhead. I kept the flock on Oregano oil and I will take them off it and deworm them soon, just to be safe, although we deworm regularly. We have been fortunate as no one else in the flock has been sick so far, and it's been almost two weeks since she died, so I am feeling very thankful! Best of luck to you too!

 

[Newchickgrandma]

So sorry you lost your chicken

 

[chicknmania]

So sorry you lost your chicken

Thank you. I am very thankful that the rest of the flock had no ill effects!