Please, ANY advice or ideas. I'm upset! I lost a hen today, a good hen ... all my hens are good. I noticed 1 hen wasn't out free ranging, she sat in the coop door, went later to check and she was on roost earlier than usual and had something hanging off her butt. She gave us a pretty good chase in the coop. I checked her and it was cockleburrs in her feathers. That's also when I noticed her butt and around looked ... inflamed? Gross for sure. Wet feathers around her vent. Cleaned her butt, noticed black on her nose, scratched it off and realized it was dried boogers, or whatever chicken snot is called.
Took her straight to a large dog crate away from the coop.
Put feed in and fresh water, she ate some and drank some. Then I noticed she was kind of raspy when breathing. We let her rest.
Went to check her today, more raspy, one poop that was runny but she was up and standing. Left her rest. Went to check again and she wasn't standing. Raspy was much worse and we knew she was suffering.
Hubby was going to put her down but as I got her out of the crate she died.
This made me check the others closer tonight. I think 1 is a bit raspy, noticed a few possibly panting.
Didn't see any nasty butts or wet vent area feathers. I got my birds from reliable folks, none of them would have sold me possibly sick birds. I have a lot of trust in them. They haven't had any issues lately.
What can I do? Give them? Treat them? I don't want to lose all of them!
After A LOT of reading I found nasty butt to be vent gleet. But still can't figure out what's causing the raspy sound.
Perhaps gape worms? I started free ranging through the day within the last couple of weeks.
I threw them some old feed a few days ago. Mold or yeast?
My eyes are crossing from all the "technical" words and translation. I'm rattled, afraid of losing all my birds.
Update 8/26:
I lost another hen today. Again a Leghorn. She's the one that was a bit raspy. Her activity didn't seem to decrease. She was eating and drinking.
Now I'm noticing other hens and pullets have .. I'm not sure how to explain but it's a discharge from the nose and looks like dirt has dried on it giving a dirty look. I have been watching as close as humanly possible! I noticed last night that a couple of others, including a young roo aprox. 3 months is closing one eye. I'm not seeing any eye discharge, just closing one. When one or both eyes are open they look okay.
None are showing signs of nasty butt (vent gleet). I haven't seen any blood.
We got Duramycin-10 and Wazine to worm them.
My mother in law suggested game bird feed, so I'm adding that to their usual pellet feed.
PLEASE?! Any help, advice, suggestions?
Took her straight to a large dog crate away from the coop.
Put feed in and fresh water, she ate some and drank some. Then I noticed she was kind of raspy when breathing. We let her rest.
Went to check her today, more raspy, one poop that was runny but she was up and standing. Left her rest. Went to check again and she wasn't standing. Raspy was much worse and we knew she was suffering.
Hubby was going to put her down but as I got her out of the crate she died.
This made me check the others closer tonight. I think 1 is a bit raspy, noticed a few possibly panting.
Didn't see any nasty butts or wet vent area feathers. I got my birds from reliable folks, none of them would have sold me possibly sick birds. I have a lot of trust in them. They haven't had any issues lately.
What can I do? Give them? Treat them? I don't want to lose all of them!
After A LOT of reading I found nasty butt to be vent gleet. But still can't figure out what's causing the raspy sound.
Perhaps gape worms? I started free ranging through the day within the last couple of weeks.
I threw them some old feed a few days ago. Mold or yeast?
My eyes are crossing from all the "technical" words and translation. I'm rattled, afraid of losing all my birds.
Update 8/26:
I lost another hen today. Again a Leghorn. She's the one that was a bit raspy. Her activity didn't seem to decrease. She was eating and drinking.
Now I'm noticing other hens and pullets have .. I'm not sure how to explain but it's a discharge from the nose and looks like dirt has dried on it giving a dirty look. I have been watching as close as humanly possible! I noticed last night that a couple of others, including a young roo aprox. 3 months is closing one eye. I'm not seeing any eye discharge, just closing one. When one or both eyes are open they look okay.
None are showing signs of nasty butt (vent gleet). I haven't seen any blood.
We got Duramycin-10 and Wazine to worm them.
My mother in law suggested game bird feed, so I'm adding that to their usual pellet feed.
PLEASE?! Any help, advice, suggestions?
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