Welsummers down...

[LuisaD]

I bought two welsummer chicks amongst my collection of day old chicks 3 years ago, and within the last 6 months, they have both died from the same signs and symptoms... coincidence or what..? they were fairly young? They both went a little paralyzed almost, just didn't care to move, super weak... The first one I didn't see the signs as being serious, just dehydrated and before I knew it, her face was planted in the floor and I had my husband kill her, since I didn't want her to suffer anymore... Now this weekend, my last welsummer showed the same signs...with a super pale comb. I instantly brought her in, gave her medicated vitamin water with food, and let her hang out in the trailer... The next day she seemed more alert and her comb was back to being red... I came home after running some errands a couple hours later and she was planted in the ground dead. :/ Anyone know what this could be? It's weird that it would be the same breed, and same signs.. poor girl.. now I feel bad for not putting her out of her misery... Can't win darned if you do, darned if you don't... I just didn't want to not give her a chance at life.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you explain being a little paralyzed? Were they weak in the legs or did they walk funny and lie down a lot? Paralysis in the legs or wings can be from Mareks disease or botulism, and other toxins (such as lead poisoning.) Weakness, not wanting to move, could be a sign of egg yolk peritonitis or internal laying. Had this hens been wormed, or did they have any signs of mites or lice?

 

[LuisaD]

what would the signs of mites or lice be? she would walk but was just super lethargic and lazy... so it was more of a walk a bit and lay down.. she was definitely separating herself from the rest of my girls... and she didn't attempt to run from me.... she just let me pick her right up... i would put the vitamins in every once in a while.. I don't know how often you should do that... problem is, I have a pregnant goat living in the coop with them and I don't want her to drink it as it could cause an abortion.

 

[Eggcessive]

Vitamins are put in the water every day. To look for sings of mite or lice, you may see redness, loss of feathers. lice eggs at the base of feathers near the vent, or the bugs on them. Some mites only come on the at night in the dark, so checking with a flashlight may help. Here are some links to read:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

 

[LuisaD]

That makes sense. What vitamins can I use that wouldn't be harmful to my goats? I clean my waters out daily because even though my goats have their own water they choose to use the chickens and I live in Arizona and my chickens stand in their water to cool off and disgustingly poop in it.

 

[Eggcessive]

An inexpensive way of getting the B vitamins into your chickens would be to dissolve a B Complex tablet into their water daily. I use Rooster Booster Vitamins with Lactobacillus, since it has the probiotics. Avian Super Pack is a good one to add to the water 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons of water. This kind would be good to use every other day. Durvet makes this one for livestock and poultry that include electrolytes (as does ASP.) http://www.strombergschickens.com/p...lyte-Concentrate/Poultry-Vitamins-Supplements
http://www.jefferspet.com/products/avian-super-pack-4oz

 

[LuisaD]

And that's all safe for my goats especially the pregnant one?

 

[Eggcessive]

There would be no danger in the B complex tablets at all, since animals will excrete any excess in their urine. The other vitamins with electrolytes would be okay especially for hot days when there is danger of dehydration. But if you are worried about the goats drinking the water, you could make a little fence around your chicken waterer that the goats couldn't get into.