Very worried about my rooster, my whole flock.

[cwalter141]

My rooster was falling asleep in the enclosure during the day yesterday. Barely any crowing. No mating that i saw. This is very unusual and concerning. Added electrolytes and probiotics to the water. Dusted their living areas with diatomaceous earth because i see the hens seem itchy.
I am freaking out.
I started chickening for the first time in March. I bought my first chicks ever at a local feed store. In august they began laying. I was incubating and selling chicks. Everything was awesome. I keep them protected, with clean bedding, and feed nutrena layer crumble.
Then i decided to buy some new chickens. I was hasty. But i really wanted lavender orps. Well upon gerting home i could see feather loss in spots on these 8 wk old chicks. And a definite lice problem. I kept them separate. Treated for lice and mites. Their feathers came back. They gained weight.
But then, two weeks ago, one of my hens from my main flock were found dead as if she just dropped off the roosting bar overnight. Her neck was broken.
Then a few days ago, i discovered scabby spots on one of my hens faces. I quarantined her. I am worried it could be fowl pox.
It was the following day that my rooster is just sitting there falling asleep. One other thing: my hens only laid one egg, also very unusual. They normally lay, even on the coldest darkest shortest day. They are buff orps.
My husband bought supplies: poultry cell, iodine, electrolytes and probiotics. I am very upset and overwhelmed. I wish i never bought someones chickens. I fear i brought illness to my wonderful perfect flock. Im devastated. Mostly i wanna make this right. I appreciate all who take the time to read and offer advice to this newbie.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I am so sorry this is all happening, pests and sickness can be overwhelming.
It does look like fowl pox to me.

 

[cwalter141]

My rooster was falling asleep in the enclosure during the day yesterday. Barely any crowing. No mating that i saw. This is very unusual and concerning. Added electrolytes and probiotics to the water. Dusted their living areas with diatomaceous earth because i see the hens seem itchy.
I am freaking out.
I started chickening for the first time in March. I bought my first chicks ever at a local feed store. In august they began laying. I was incubating and selling chicks. Everything was awesome. I keep them protected, with clean bedding, and feed nutrena layer crumble.
Then i decided to buy some new chickens. I was hasty. But i really wanted lavender orps. Well upon gerting home i could see feather loss in spots on these 8 wk old chicks. And a definite lice problem. I kept them separate. Treated for lice and mites. Their feathers came back. They gained weight.
But then, two weeks ago, one of my hens from my main flock were found dead as if she just dropped off the roosting bar overnight. Her neck was broken.
Then a few days ago, i discovered scabby spots on one of my hens faces. I quarantined her. I am worried it could be fowl pox.
It was the following day that my rooster is just sitting there falling asleep. One other thing: my hens only laid one egg, also very unusual. They normally lay, even on the coldest darkest shortest day. They are buff orps.
My husband bought supplies: poultry cell, iodine, electrolytes and probiotics. I am very upset and overwhelmed. I wish i never bought someones chickens. I fear i brought illness to my wonderful perfect flock. Im devastated. Mostly i wanna make this right. I appreciate all who take the time to read and offer advice to this newbie.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your problems, and the loss of the hen. It is always a good idea to get a necropsy done by the state vet on a body to find out a cause of death. Reproductive infections, coccidiosis, crop disorders and other diseases can be common causes of death. It can be common to lose a chicken off the roost at night, and necks can appear broken that are not.

Fowl pox is spread by mosquitoes in your area. There is no treatment for pox. The wet form of pox which may make yellow plaques inside the beak and throat can be more serious.

I do not recommend DE because it can irritate breathing and eyes of peope and the chickens. What did you use to treat the lice? A permethrin product, spray or dust can be used at 10 day intervals at least 2-3 times, to get both the live lice and the newly hatched eggs. Martins or Gordons permethrin 10 concentrate is inexpensive and can be mixed with water according to the label to treat both lice on chickens and the coop, nest, and roosts after removing bedding.

 

[cwalter141]

Sorry about your problems, and the loss of the hen. It is always a good idea to get a necropsy done by the state vet on a body to find out a cause of death. Reproductive infections, coccidiosis, crop disorders and other diseases can be common causes of death. It can be common to lose a chicken off the roost at night, and necks can appear broken that are not.

Fowl pox is spread by mosquitoes in your area. There is no treatment for pox. The wet form of pox which may make yellow plaques inside the beak and throat can be more serious.

I do not recommend DE because it can irritate breathing and eyes of peope and the chickens. What did you use to treat the lice? A permethrin product, spray or dust can be used at 10 day intervals at least 2-3 times, to get both the live lice and the newly hatched eggs. Martins or Gordons permethrin 10 concentrate is inexpensive and can be mixed with water according to the label to treat both lice on chickens and the coop, nest, and roosts after removing bedding.

I used a permithryn product from tractor feed. I did not repeat! I am going to do that. Thank you for the tips.
My rooster seems better this morning. The diatomaceous earth I'd put in the enclosure got hammerred with rain overnight. I thought food grade was safe. Thank you for letting me know. I'm going to treat them all with the permithryn product.