What am I doing wrong?!?!?!?!?!?!? PLEASE HELP!

[Animals970]

Hi, 2014 has been an AWFUL year for me and my chickens. I have lost 3 chickens so far, and 2 more of them aren't acting right. That is why I am posting here.

Chicken #1 is a 3 year old Red Sex Link hen. A few weeks ago she wasn't acting right, so I gave her a round of Antibiotics (Duramycin) and she started acting normal again after about a week. I thought she had internal laying, and I couldn't afford a vet, so I gave her the Antibiotics just to give her a little hope. Now she is acting strange again and I think she had Ascites. Looking back now, a remember her abdomen was like a balloon, and now she is sort of swollen, but not very largely swollen. She is also walking like a penguin, throwing up, and her poop s yellow.

Chicken #2 is also a 3 year old Red Sex Link hen. She started just sitting around and being lazy. She has lost weight and I felt around her abdomen to feel if she has Ascites, Internal laying, or Egg Bound. I thought she was egg bound cause a felt something hard in there, but the more I feel it the more I think it is just one of her bones. I have also given her Antibiotics, but they haven't done anything to help her.

Please help
Thanks,
~Animals970~

 

[dawg53]

I agree with your assessment that chicken #1 has water belly (ascites.) Here's a BYC thread with links pertaining to ascites. Consider culling her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/68731/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites
Chicken #2; inspect her for lice/mites especially around the vent area where it's warm and moist. Also consider worming her and your other birds with valbazen or safeguard.

 

[Animals970]

I agree with your assessment that chicken #1 has water belly (ascites.) Here's a BYC thread with links pertaining to ascites. Consider culling her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/68731/laying-hens-with-water-belly-or-ascites
Chicken #2; inspect her for lice/mites especially around the vent area where it's warm and moist. Also consider worming her and your other birds with valbazen or safeguard.

Thanks for the reply.

So, why should I cull her?

Why do you think she has lice or mites or worms?

 

[Animals970]

Ok, recent report....

Chicken #1

Loss of weight {She's not eating, she is drinking though}
She's not swollen anymore
VERY lethargic
Every now and then she'll throw up

Chicken #2

Loss of weight {Same as above}
I really can't feel an egg....
Also somewhat lethargic
She will make a sound when she breathes that sounds almost like a cough.