I've been reading the posts on BackYardChicken for some time now, trying to get help and increase my knowledge on chickens. I finally decided to join cuz I realize I have many questions to ask. I just traded in my three Mallard ducks for 6 Dominique chicks. Years ago we hatched eleven bantams and raised them successfully with no problem. We never had to do anything but feed them, so I never knew that chickens sometimes need medication. A few days after I had my six dominiques, (They're chicks, but they already had most of their feathers when I got them), I noticed the biggest one was acting sort of weird. She may have been the biggest, but she weighed the lightest. She was always so calm, and didn't get excited over the food like the rest of them. She spent most of her time all puffed up; and I noticed she would sleep all day. At first I thought she was just big and lazy, but then her condition got worse. Whenever I'd wake her up, she would twirl around with her head cocked, like she couldn't control herself. She had a hard time getting enough food, cuz she was weak and the others were pushy. So I decided to isolate her and make sure she was eating right. I wrote the man I got her from, and he said she might have worms or toxcitiosis. He suggested I give her tetroxy and told me that I should worm my chickens every four months. (Course, I never knew you were supposed to worm chickens. I thought only dogs and cats needed that...cuz our bantam flock never needed any help, and they were always healthy.) So I went buy some tetroxy and wormer, and gave her tetroxy in her water. I never wormed her, cuz I was afraid of giving two medications at once. She seemed to get better. She stopped twirling around when she walked, and seemed a little stronger. She was eating good, and drinking, though she still was light and rather weak. I thought for sure she'd get well; but yesterday, when I went to clean her crate, she was dead. What could I have done wrong? Was I supposed to worm her right away?
Interesting that he thought of toxcidiosis. I'd never heard of it and had to look it up. Usually, first guesses for such problems would include coccidiosis (cocci,) worms, and maybe mold, as in feed or compost. At her age I'd think of cocci, although you didn't mention blood in her stool and usually when they get that sick from cocci, you see the blood. Worms are also a possibility, though I would think she would have been a bit young for a severe enough infestation to kill her. Often you can take a stool sample to a vet and get them to check for worms without spending a fortune. Some on here worm once a year, some twice or more, some never do, some use "natural" preventives, some claim none of these work. It's something you should probably read up on, and decide for yourself. This should have gone in the emergencies/diseases or predators and pests forum, and it would have been good if you'd answered the questions at the beginning of the emergencies forum. Your location in your profile would also have been good, as cocci are more prevalent in some areas than others. If I were you and in the US, I'd see what my county extension agent had to say about local chicken illnesses. Anyway, hope the rest of your flock is OK, and
I've had this problem once before. Could it have been wry neck? If you can google that, it'll give you more info on what the symtoms are. There are a few causes for wry neck. Bacterial, Viral and neurological. Sorry for your loss. I lost my fav. Polish to wry neck.
Good thought, just thought of Marek's and wry neck. Also lice/mites, though I imagine you checked for these.
