Three Days, Three Dead Birds, Looking for Advice

[Wood River]

Hi everyone. I've been hanging around the site for a while but finally need some real help.

Two days ago I unexpectedly lost a Black Sex Link, no trauma or immediately visible symptoms. I found her in a nesting box curled up as if she had been sleeping.

Today, I found two more Black Sex Links dead. One sprawled out under a roosting bar inside the coop and one sprawled out inside the run - this one was significantly prolapsed - a good 18 or 20 inches of intestines hanging out, but no visible sign of an egg.

I quickly inspected the rest of the flock and identified two birds who appear to be very inactive, just sitting on interior roosting bars, with very floppy combs.

-Affected birds are Black Sex Link hens, seven or eight months old. I have Amberlinks who appear to all be healthy in the same enclosure. The Amerlink combs were still standing and normal looking.

-Behavior has been normal until the two today that appeared nearly lethargic.

-I have not noticed any bleeding or signs of trauma and until two days ago, everyone was eating and drinking normally.

-I did notice today some softer looking, wet poops in the run.

-The run is on the ground, bedding in the coop is mostly wood shavings with numerous ventilation points in the enclosure. Temps here have been in the 80s, 90s and very humid, but the birds have been readily staying hydrated and active.

These are the two birds that caught my attention tonight, which I fear I may lose next.


I am hoping someone here can give me some advice on what might be causing my hens to get sick so suddenly, or at least what I might be able to do to try and boost their health. Thank you all in advance for any help!

 

[emmyn74]

Have these two breeds always been raised together or did u buy some and introduce any? Do they feel like an appropriate weight? Have u checked all of them for mites?

 

[emmyn74]

As far as boosting their health...I use avia charge in my water about twice a week...it's not cheap for a container but it lasts forever. Or u could try giving them some electrolytes in their water.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm so sorry to hear of your losses. That is disheartening and frightening.

I've got more questions than perhaps answers, but hopefully I can help aim you in the right direction.

To have a bird healthy one day then dead the next means either they were hiding the illness (which birds do to protect themselves from predators), or it means they may have gotten into something or something has been lurking and the heat triggered crisis.

It is possible the humidity is getting to them, as 90 degree weather and high humidity can overheat the birds. The limp combs give me clue that may be the cause.

I agree. Check their body weight. Is the keel bone very prominent? (As the above poster stated...do they feel to be a good weight?)

Both worms and mites can drain all energy from a bird leaving it anemic and weak.

The bird dead with entrails is a sign of predator, either before or after death. So, I would check your coop for signs of predation. Is there any sign of a bite or wound on any of the birds especially at the neck?

I don't have them in my area, but I've heard that oppossum kill by biting the neck. They can come back later to eat the entrails. Snakes also can cause bite kills, though they don't eat entrails. They eat eggs.

Last thought is they have gotten into a toxin of some sort. Possibly mold or botulism from poking around in a stagnate compost pile. The humidity and heat can cause bad things to grow in organic piles.

I would offer electrolytes in the water. Something like Chick Saver would be good.

Take a good look tonight to check for creepy crawlies at the vent or on the roost poles. Mites look like crawling black pepper, fast and quick specks. Red Roost Mites live in the coop and come out at night to feed. They look like red bubbles on the roosts after feeding, black specks on the bird before feeding.

Heat and worms can cause some watery poo. Look closely to be sure there are no signs of blood tinge. Final possibility is of course coccidiosis. In warm, humid weather, the coccidia protozoa can grow quite quickly. Not all strains create the blood diarrhea. Some target higher in the intestinal tract. First signs are lethargy, anemic look, huddled. Death can occur quite quickly.

Coccidiosis is treated with Corid, for I think, 10 days?

If you can, get a fecal float from a local vet to determine if internal parasites or coccidia are present.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[Wood River]

The Sex Links and Amberlinks were have always been together since they were four weeks old. The first to die was one of the smaller birds. The other two were average size but a little light. There was more food left over than usual yesterday and today.

I didn’t notice any mites but will have to give a more thorough check in the daylight.

I think I will add electrolytes to their water in the morning, especially with the heat.

 

[Wood River]

Thank you for the input. No sings of predation or entry into the enclosure, by anything large anyway. The birds have a large run and aren’t usually outside of it unless I’m nearby (I live adjacent to managed land with lots of hawks, coyotes and such). So I’m a bit stumped about the entrails being so displaced. If I’m not seeing signs of parasites, is it advisable to treat for Coccidiosis without confirmation?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

That is what I personally would do, barring the ability to get a fecal.

Examine for external parasites, check fresh poo for signs of worms, then treat with Corid.

Coccidiosis definitely can cause loss of appetite as the intestines become inflamed.

LofMc

 

[Wood River]

Thank you much, LofMc. That will at least give me a starting point. My first time with such a quick onset illness. Hopefully I can turn this around before it gets worse!

 

[Wood River]

Any thoughts on mixing electrolytes with Corid? Or should I finish the treatment first, then move to electrolytes?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Some feel giving vitamins, in particular vitamin B, is counterproductive while administering Corid.

The reason is that Corid inhibits vitamin B metabolism in the protozoa that cause coccidiosis. This is how Corid actually kills the coccidia...by starving them. Giving vitamin B supplements could render the Corid less effective.

Giving some probiotics would be useful as healthy gut flora helps keep the ever present coccidia in check. So would raw apple cider vinegar, raw with mother. The proteins in that feed the good probiotics. ACV also acidifies the gut making it less hospitable to undesirable parasites.

LofMc