* URGENT* Sick hen died * UPDATE NOT GOOD*

[archerobx]

I had a hen that wouldnt roost and either slept on floor by door or in nest bucket. Last week she started sneezing. Yesterday she was real lathargic and I thought she was sleeping outside because it was warm. I looked and her one eye was closed. she had to be encouraged to eat and drink. no mucus or anything. Today I checked on her and she was dead on the coop floor. No mucus around eyes or nostrils.
I think she may had been old when I got her. I have heat lamp set up to warm the chickens on roost but she slept were it was cold.

Wondering what I do with the flock? Do I not eat there eggs incase there sick. Do I give them meds? Would rather not give meds, trying for the whole natural thing but if it keeps the rest healthy and safe I will do it.

thank you
Ryan

 

[RM44]

In my opinion, and I'm not very experienced but have suffered chicken illnesses, if you haven't noticed any other chickens acting poorly, just observe. You can also check with your state to find out if they offer to necropsy the hen for little or no cost. Then you'd know for sure. If you don't get that done, then at the very first sign of another one getting sick, I'd try to figure out what the problem is before it becomes widespread.

How long did you have this bird in your custody? If it was a new addition, then there's a chance it brought something in. If you had it for a while (meaning many, many, many months or a year), then the risk is much lower and it's probably just a fluke.

From all the research I've done, it seems the biggest risk to your flock is when you bring in new birds. That is when you risk exposing your current flock to whatever the new guys might be carriers for. If that sick bird has been with the rest of your flock for any length of time (even a matter of days), then all the rest have been exposed, so you'll need to wait it out and observe.

Good luck.

 

[feathersnuggles]

I second the statement that the "biggest risk to your flock is when you bring in new birds".

That said, if the dead bird WAS a recent addition to your birds, it is also a possibility your flock carries a disease they've developed a resistance to, and this new bird, being from outside your flock, succumbed to that disease because it did not have the same resistance.

 

[archerobx]

Thanks for yalls reply.

want to say the two birds were brought home 6 weeks ago.

I will contact the dept of ag.
thanks

 

[archerobx]

This Am I went out to give fresh water. I didnt see the rooster. He was in the coop looking out the window. He had one eye squinting and just sitting on roost. I looked over the other birds and another one has white stuff in eyes and looks like had nostril discharge, but she was active.

The ag dept is about an hour away and my son is sick so I cant drop off the bird to have a necrospy done.
I am going to seperate the sick ones as soon as I get something built for them.

Any suggestions on what I can give them or what may be causing this?
Friday my wife is off and I plan on pressure washing and bleaching the coop in hopes the helps.
Also should I pitch the eggs? can they carry disease?

Is their like a broad spectrum anti biotic I can give.

The rooster is a pain in the ass but I really like the guy, real pretty. Feel bad that I am unable to do something.

I appreciate any advice.

thank you
Ryan

 

[archerobx]

1) What type of bird : Production red rooster and buff hen. Normal healthy weight

2) What is the behavior, exactly: Rooster wont leave coop. squinting eye, no crowing. Hen sneeze, white stuff both eyes, looks like nasial discharge

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? today

4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. : No

5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. : had a sick hen she was sneezing, one eye closed and very lathargic


6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.: rooster not today hen yes

7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Rooster had yellowis diarrhea on feathers

8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? nothing

9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? : tret myself

10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.

11) Describe the housing/bedding in use : coop with several birds, heat lamp for heat at night, I did turn it on when I saw the rooster wasnt comming out, thought maybe he was cold.



any advice would be great

 

[AmyBella]

If you decide to medicate the birds then you may have to stop eating the eggs, but they should be fine for now.

If I were you, I would separate the sick ones as soon as possible. A necropsy should help you determine a course of treatment, but in the meantime you can treat with VetRX if you want... it is not a cure, but it is like vicks vapor-rub and helps them breathe. Adding some extra nutrition and probiotics might be a good idea - plain, active culture yogurt, apple cider vinegar in their water, scrambled egg for protein and either water soluble vitamins and electrolytes or a few drops of Poly-vi-sol without iron. (Kid's vitamin) If you have sterile saline solution or a human eye wash you can use that to flush away the eye goobers.

It is tough when birds get sick. Some people cull at the first sign of respiritory disease because they can be devastating and remain contagious within the flock for life. If you search around the forums for "coryza", "sneezing", "swollen eye", etc you can get an idea of what others have done in your situation. Good luck!

 

[archerobx]

thank you

 

[archerobx]

Update:


the hen is seprated and seems very happy. Her eyes cleared up but there is a bubbling from the tear duct.

The rooster was put down. I was unaware that I had another rooster and the little one took advantage of the sick big one.

thanks again.
sorry for all the posts

 

[PandoraTaylor]

Sorry for your loss