Troubleshoot my chicken problem?

[Sachasmom]

I'm having issues with some of my Jr birds. Symptoms include loss of condition, wing droop, general lethargy, usually some poo running down their butt, followed by death.

It does not appear to affect all of them and only the young birds once they go outside. I've wormed, treated for Coccidia and cleaned and disenfected coops with Oxine. Jrs are fed unmedicated chicken starter, most have access to grass/etc when they free range.

Any ideas on what else this could be? I lost half of my young silkies to it, the other half survived. I have also medicated my adult birds in case they were the cause of the issues.

I could send stuff out to be tested if I knew what I should be testing for?

 

[aoxa]

Anything going on with the crop of the bird?

I know if I see crop impaction, they have these symptoms if it's gone unnoticed for a while. I've lost a few to this, but they were very young. They had been eating the shavings.

 

[Sachasmom]

I don't think so? What would I look for? I can do a necropsy if there would be something I could look for? I found two more out there dead just now, there is a silkie exhibiting symptoms too, its very unsteady on its feet, but most of the other losses did not exhibit these symptoms.

They're fine until they go outside, so they are clearly *catching* something out there from either the adult birds or the ground. It almost looks like Coccidia (minus the bloody poops) Should I switch them to medicated feed or just keep their water medicated? I have waterfowl so I do not do medicated feed.

Does Oxine kill Coccidia?

 

[aoxa]

I don't think so? What would I look for? I can do a necropsy if there would be something I could look for? I found two more out there dead just now, there is a silkie exhibiting symptoms too, its very unsteady on its feet, but most of the other losses did not exhibit these symptoms.

They're fine until they go outside, so they are clearly *catching* something out there from either the adult birds or the ground. It almost looks like Coccidia (minus the bloody poops) Should I switch them to medicated feed or just keep their water medicated? I have waterfowl so I do not do medicated feed.

Does Oxine kill Coccidia?

I don't know..

Oxine works great for respiratory issues.

How old are they?

Is it too cold outside?

For crop issues you would notice a very hard crop. My few that have had it were puffed up. They looked cold and swallowed a lot. If it is squishy and liquidy - it could be sour crop.

Is there any chance your feed is bad?

You can feed the waterfowl medicated starter with no issues. The medication in the feed never leaves the gut. I was told by a long time breeder/exhibitor of toulouse. He said the medication wouldn't affect them at all.

What chick starter is lacking for waterfowl is Niacin.

Amprolium is absolutely safe for ducks.  It was the old medicated chick starter of many decades ago that ducklings couldn't have.  Information seems to be lagging about 40 years behind reality.  Old wives tales get repeated over and over just like they are the truth.

Medicated Starter with Amprolium or Bacitracin in it will NOT harm your waterfowl. I have confirmed this with two Poultry Research Veterinarians. I have used medicated starter on all of my birds for years now – chicks and ducklings alike – and have had no problem. This myth was actually once true years ago when different types of drugs were used in medicated feeds. But with the use of Amprolium in particular now, it is no longer a concern.

Always feed medicated starter unless you are trying to be organic/natural. Risking Cocci is not worth it in my opinion.