Very ill chickens

[HuskerHens18]

that's good, it was just a random thought on my part. Hope someone can help you figure this out!

I really appreciate it! Everything helps

 

[Shezadandy]

Have you tried Corid for coccidiosis yet? That's one of those pretty easy to do things that might well turn them around if it is the issue.

Have you looked at the feet of your limping chicken to see if maybe its developed a bumblefoot issue?

It's possible that something like coccidiosis (unless it's been ruled out by the droppings) came to life with a vengence because of the wet weather.

Combine that with not enough water- water is such a hugely important factor - and to be without it- especially in hot weather- is very serious.

Chickens expel an enormous amount of water just breathing. If they couldn't replace it, their immune system probably took a big dip.

Are the survivors drinking well for you?

 

[Kat C]

My father and younger sister. According to them they never fed my chickens, that the feed I put in the feeders lasted the whole time(I have a 50lbs feeder). One thing that worried me is when I got home nobody had water and it was extremely hot, but everyone did have food. I watered them right away and all seemed okay except for one chicken who was limping pretty severely. I've been home since Sunday, so I've been here all this week and things just seem to be getting worse. Trying to pry information out of these two is like pulling teeth, they swear up and down they did everything I asked and nothing happened. It's just odd I've now lost 5 chickens and possibly a 6th if my GLW keeps going downhill. I hope the university gets back with me fast, I've spent so much money at the vet I'm tying to hold out until we know what's going on for certain.

A 50 lb feeder that lasts for over 4 days when it is wet and rainy. Could you have developed mold in the feeder? "Poorly stored pelleted foods and grains are especially prone to mold contamination when they are left unprotected from moist conditions. For this reason, all food and grit should be refreshed daily during wet or damp weather and opened food bags must be stored in airtight containers that are lifted off the ground by wood supports." http://www.birdhealth.com.au/mould-infections--toxins Here are some of the symptoms of mold poisoning that include in-coordination and Diarrhea
Dehydration can also cause multiple problems including diarrhea https://www.vetpoultry.com/blogs/ba...pot-signs-and-prevent-heat-stress-in-chickens But if it rained all week I presume they were able to get water from the ground.

 

[ChickaMama49]

Put ac vinagar in water; dust food with food grade de ; give mealworms; give oyster shell; black oil sunflower seeds; grit. Do you give regular treats like kitchen scraps? Maybe something was moldy? Just a thought.

 

[ChickaMama49]

I’m saying to do all that to help build up immune systems

 

[HuskerHens18]

A 50 lb feeder that lasts for over 4 days when it is wet and rainy. Could you have developed mold in the feeder? "Poorly stored pelleted foods and grains are especially prone to mold contamination when they are left unprotected from moist conditions. For this reason, all food and grit should be refreshed daily during wet or damp weather and opened food bags must be stored in airtight containers that are lifted off the ground by wood supports." http://www.birdhealth.com.au/mould-infections--toxins Here are some of the symptoms of mold poisoning that include in-coordination and Diarrhea
Dehydration can also cause multiple problems including diarrhea https://www.vetpoultry.com/blogs/ba...pot-signs-and-prevent-heat-stress-in-chickens But if it rained all week I presume they were able to get water from the ground.

If there was mold, it's gone now. Because I checked and there's none, the food is almost gone. The feed is still dry. I use a trash can feeder

It is off ground level by about two maybe three inches. The chickens are free ranged every day, I'm not sure If that matters at all. I will read those articles right now, thank you so much

 

[Kat C]

Also have you considered that there might be side effects from the sulfa treatment?
https://www.westernunity.com/agrar/product.php?id_product=22 "In poultry, depression, retarded growth and haemorrhages may occur."
From a previous BYC Thread a poster wrote "Actually, sulfa drugs are not the safest drugs for chickens, since they can have side effects on kidneys and hearing. Dosage should be foolowed carefully. For coccidiosis, the safest drug is amprollium (Corid, Ampromed, Coxoid) that treats all know strains of coccidia that affects chickens. Either is used commonly for egg layers. There is no egg withdrawal with Corid (amprollium) since it is not an antibiotic. Sulfa drugs (Sulmet, Sulfadimethoxine, Dimethox, Albon) are antibiotics, and waiting several weeks after treatment to resume eating eggs would be wise." https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sulfadimethoxine-use.1082631/ Sometimes the treatment can be worse than the disease. There is a tendency to over treat chickens IMO. We do almost no medical intervention in our flock and they do just fine. But they are chicken mutts and having crossed multiple breeds back and forth, and culling those that don't thrive we now have a very healthy flock of vigorous chickens we minimal health issues.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Put ac vinagar in water; dust food with food grade de ; give mealworms; give oyster shell; black oil sunflower seeds; grit. Do you give regular treats like kitchen scraps? Maybe something was moldy? Just a thought.

You know that could be possible, my dad likes throwing fridge scraps out to them. I don't, but since I was gone he very well may have fed them some. I will call and ask. Thank you!!!

 

[Kat C]

If there was mold, it's gone now. Because I checked and there's none, the food is almost gone. The feed is still dry. I use a trash can feeder View attachment 1439375 It is off ground level by about two maybe three inches. The chickens are free ranged every day, I'm not sure If that matters at all. I will read those articles right now, thank you so much

Probably not mold then at your ened. Looks like a good setup.
However the mycotoxins that mold create are not killed by heat. Perhaps the grain used to make the feed was moldy and the feed had mycotoxins while no longer having mold. "The grains are not cooked, but heat is generated as the pellets are forced through the molds." https://hencam.com/henblog/2015/04/how-laying-hen-pellets-are-made/ The mold problem is a big issue for farmers as when they make ethanol any mold is killed but not the mycotoxins. The left over from making ethanol is used as DDGS.. Dried Distiller Grains which are fed to cattle and pigs. If they have too much mold in the corn then the DDGS are not fit for feed so the ethanol plants reject grain that is too moldy. http://www.knowmycotoxins.com/resou...try-diets-ddgs-may-be-door-mycotoxin-exposure Sort of grasping at straws for you

 

[HuskerHens18]

Also have you considered that there might be side effects from the sulfa treatment?
https://www.westernunity.com/agrar/product.php?id_product=22 "In poultry, depression, retarded growth and haemorrhages may occur."
From a previous BYC Thread a poster wrote "Actually, sulfa drugs are not the safest drugs for chickens, since they can have side effects on kidneys and hearing. Dosage should be foolowed carefully. For coccidiosis, the safest drug is amprollium (Corid, Ampromed, Coxoid) that treats all know strains of coccidia that affects chickens. Either is used commonly for egg layers. There is no egg withdrawal with Corid (amprollium) since it is not an antibiotic. Sulfa drugs (Sulmet, Sulfadimethoxine, Dimethox, Albon) are antibiotics, and waiting several weeks after treatment to resume eating eggs would be wise." https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sulfadimethoxine-use.1082631/ Sometimes the treatment can be worse than the disease. There is a tendency to over treat chickens IMO. We do almost no medical intervention in our flock and they do just fine. But they are chicken mutts and having crossed multiple breeds back and forth, and culling those that don't thrive we now have a very healthy flock of vigorous chickens we minimal health issues.

Oh my gosh I didn't think of that. That might explain the unhappiness. The reason my vet gave me Sulfa is because I treated coccidia with Amprolium last fall and he said this strain is immune to it now. The vet's assistant measured a daily dose so I wouldn't have to, but the amount isn't labeled on the container. It's per 50 gallons or something so she measured it out into 5 gallon proportions so it was easy for me. Again, I will read those articles right now. THANK YOU I appreciate this so much!