We lost another chicken UPDATE: EVERYTHING IS BACK TO NORMAL

[Bebe Brett]

It must be so sad when you find a dead bird. No matter how they died, I am so sorry. Something killed one of my last lot of hens, there was blood and feathers all over the place, and I felt so guilty that I had not protected properly. This lot are guarded like the crown jewels!

 

[WalkingWolf]

You mentioned pale combs and wattles, depending on age this may mean lack of oxygen to the blood. Look to see if they are panting and when they do the edges of the comb get a purplish tint. If this is the case you have a airborne fungus infecting the lungs, and then traveling to the brain. Until they recover you must use heavy doses of vitamins and probiotics. What you are describing does sound like fungus, and I would suspect the food source as it is affecting so many birds. Make sure you keep your food out of high humidity, it may be necessary to put rice bags in the bottom of your storage containers. Depending on how much you feed I would freeze then microwave food before dispensing it to the birds. This is also for parasite eggs, I just found out the other day that freezing kills some of these eggs in food. Dried red peppers is a irritant to parasites, I feed them to my birds in eggs once a month. Tape worms are not as much a problem on the east coast as they are in the southwest but it would not hurt to treat for them.

 

[GertieBird]

I am very sorry for your losses. I have had some mysterious losses in my flock since I started keeping chickens ~2 years ago. I did have a veterinarian do a necropsy (post-mortem dissection) of two of my birds and sent the samples to the state lab. Came back as possible Lymphoid Leukosis (some consider this a variant of Mereks). These birds showed weakness/limping/neurologic signs.

The best diagnostic tool for chickens is (unfortunately) the post-mortem exam. And the very best exam is done when the lab gets the entire bird. You should find the phone number(s) addresses and hours of the labs nearest to you, and find out how to get there and whether they accept specimens brought in person (get the protocol for doing this, as there are usually forms to fill out, and perhaps special instructions, especially with regard to preparing a specimen). They can give you prices too. After they pass, chickens start decomposing very quickly due to their high body temps. The best way to preserve a bird for the lab is to get to it ASAP after is passes and wet the bird down in cool water, wrap it in damp newspaper and refrigerate it (freezing can damage tissues). Then call the lab or follow their protocol to get the bird there ASAP. But it's always best to have this info ahead of time so you can get the best answers.

Please note that cocci and coccidia are NOT the same thing. Cocci are round bacteria (staphylococcus is an example of a cocci). Coccidia is a protozoan parasite which causes diarrhea (sometimes bloody), and can cause illness/death in chicks/young chickens. Also, pale combs and blue/purple combs are not the same thing. Pale refers to a lighter shade of red (which as someone mentioned, may not be abnormal) and can be a sign of anemia, or low red blood cell levels. Blue/purple color (cyanotic combs) refer to blood that does not contain enough oxygen, which, as someone mentioned, can be a sign of some respiratory diseases. However, anemic animals can have compromised oxygen-carrying ability.

Hope this all helps. It's hard to have and then lose such wonderful animals and not know why. The more chickens I keep the more I learn about them. I have not been able to find a great resource on chicken health/anatomy/care/disease/treatments. For me, it has been and may always be a trial & error, continual learning experience. Chickens are complex animals, and I think, for me, it's been very challenging to learn about them because they are so different from mammals.

Yikes! Sorry to have rambled! Signing off now... And best of luck to you and figuring out what's going on with your babies!

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:
I saw them panting but no purple on the comb it was only because they were hot that they were panting.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Many chicken people use the term cocci as a shortened term for coccidia. Technically, you are correct, but then cocci as you use it is also a shortened term for staphylococci, streptococci, etc.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Have you been practicing good biosecurity too? You said that nobody has set out poison, no lawn care, no poisonous plants, etc. But you did mention a rooster coming over from another farm? If anything I wouldn't allow that. Even though there is a fence between him and your birds, he could still pass on disease or parasites. Also, have you been cleaning the clothes, shoes, and stuff that you wear while visiting other peoples' poultry? That can be transmitted by clothing, too. Not to mention quarantining any new birds that you get.

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:
I have made sure I wear new clothes before I go to see someone elses poultry. Our chickens were already sick before the rooster started coming over.

 

[Chris09]

do you guys/ gals think that his birds might have Syngamus trachea (gapeworm, forked worm, red worm)

Chris

 

[luvarabhorses]

Chris, I think that is a great idea about the gapeworm!! I had pheasants and went through a period just as Maxx describes where I would go out and bang...one would be dead. Everyone on here does the pour on ivermectin thing. IMO, and I may get jumped on for this: You have so few birds at this point I would just get a generic Ivermectin horse wormer (about $6) from Tractor Supply and put a tiny dab (about half a pinky nail) in the mouth of each of your remaining birds. The proper thing is the Ivomec pour on though.
really hoping you figure this out! I am starting to feel like I am on the diagnostic squad of Dr House, (wishing I looked like 13 : ) )

 

[luvarabhorses]

Please note that cocci and coccidia are NOT the same thing. Cocci are round bacteria (staphylococcus is an example of a cocci). Coccidia is a protozoan parasite which causes diarrhea (sometimes bloody), and can cause illness/death in chicks/young chickens. Also, pale combs and blue/purple combs are not the same thing. Pale refers to a lighter shade of red (which as someone mentioned, may not be abnormal) and can be a sign of anemia, or low red blood cell levels. Blue/purple color (cyanotic combs) refer to blood that does not contain enough oxygen, which, as someone mentioned, can be a sign of some respiratory diseases. However, anemic animals can have compromised oxygen-carrying ability.

Sonoran Silkies

I may need to reread what you wrote but I know the above post is correct..and confusing. I couldn't figure out for a long time why Ivermectin wouldn't knock out a parasite, then I found out that coccidia is not cocci, coccidia are protozoan animals while cocci are bacterium.
Coccidia have to be treated with antibiotics, as do cocci infections even though coccidia are parasites. Confusing!!

Most people call staphylcoccus, "staph" as in you have a "staph" infection, or "strep" (streptococcus)

You may already know this and it is me confusing things more but here is a decent article on coccidia:
http://www.millerhatcheries.com/Information/Diseases/coccidiosis.htm​