Why are they so delicate? Just need a shoulder right now.

[Dudu]

I am NEW to chickens. I got my first ones in the beginning of June this year. With the exception of the six day-old girls we bought in early nineties when I was a teenager and who all lived a long, happy and healthy life and one of them in the end helped me become a vegetarian (it's been almost 14 years now and I'm forever thankful for that).

However, now I have constant worries because one or another of my partner's large flock always seems to get something, and usually it cannot be cured.

However, thanks to this AMAZING forum (and to God's mercy, without a doubt), I have already cured 4 hens and 2 young ones (one of them in an awful state) from dry chicken pox (and a litter of 8 more young ones now finishing the disease by themselves, thank goodness).

A few days ago I noticed a hen on the farm pecking her behind. Normally I don't pay attention to something like that, they seem to do a lot of it, but thankfully her behind was turned to me and I saw a meaty mass under her tail. I brought her home, showed to my partner, he told me what it was and by searching the posts here on Prolapse and doing exactly what people on here did (bathing twice a day and a gelly on it) she SEEMS (fingers crossed) to be on the mend now (it's in!).

However, it's cases like when you notice a birdie already standing with droopy wings and not eating that give me most of the worries. So far NO ONE has survived, no matter what I did. Antibiotics (suggested by a vet pharmacy) for a sneezy one, my small Berta that was not growing up, another chickie who died last week with no clear symptoms, and the very young ones that you just find dead in the crate near their mom or without her.

With dogs, if my puppy was exhibiting some such symptoms, I'd take it to the vet's and have blood tests run and checked the feces and urine too, just to begin with something.

With dogs, if a puppy gets e.g. Parvo, you can't normally be mistaken and there is a procedure to follow to save the pup.

With chickies, I am clueless and helpless. Nothing just seems to work in cases when you discover them tired and obviously feeling unwell and showing only some of the generic symptoms.

I just feel so sad about it. These are such fantastic animals, affectionate and highly intelligent (contrary to what proverbs say), and I get attached to them all and even if I'm not very close with some when they're healthy, when I bring them in sick my heart goes to them and stays with them.

Thanks for listening....

 

[nurse_turtle]

Check out the history of chicken evolution. These birds are the closest living relatives of T-rex. These babies are living dinosaurs. On an individual basis, one may seem fragile or delicate. Consider the survival of the species and you can eliminate "delicate" from the list of adjectives used to describe chickens. They are amazing survivors! Does this make us feel better when we lose one of our flock? No, but that is a human perception and a strictly human reaction. That doesn't make it right or wrong, it just is. I'm so sorry you're having so many issues with your flock, but know and remember that each win and each loss teaches us and touches us in some way and makes us all stronger, better humans. (Good Lord how cheesy!)

 

[ChooksChick]

You need a bottle of Corid. Add it to the water when you notice droopy or fluffed up chicks and you'll see a vast improvement. You're seeing coccidiosis, and if you do a search here for that term, you'll learn a lot about it! It's a protozoan parasite, and it is best treated by Amprolium. That's what you'll find in Corid. Amprolium (Corid, Amprol, and others) blocks Thiamin and keeps the parasite from being dangerous densities.

Other treatments are out there, such as Sulmet, but those are much harder on an already compromised intestinal tract, so it's best to stick with Amprolium.

 

[Dudu]

nurse_turtle, thanks for the words of encouragement.

ChooksChick, from what I understand, I'd need to see blood in poop to consider it to be cocci? I did read about it a lot on here, and did prevention for some babies with Sulfadimidine (that was available here), and then I read the label of their chick crumbs carefully and discovered that the food already has something against cocci, it's medicated I guess.

I will of course treat them against cocci, but then a lot of people say it's possibly worms.... And what to do (apart from culling?) with a sneezing chick with some discharge from the nose, that wouldn't be either case I guess, neither worms nor cocci...

I'm just looking for some kind of a logical protocol to follow when I see birds like this.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I dont know what drugs are available to you in Malta, most countries overseas especially in Europe are very restrictive as to what can be purchased so it might be tough for you to treat your chickens for the illnesses that are happening to them.
There are 9 types of cocci that chickens can get, it's not a necessary requirement that there would be blood in poop if it's cocci. Not all strains cause blood in poop. Corid treats all 9 types. Sulmet or or the one that you used only treats 2 types of cocci, but it also treats coryza, fowl cholera and pullorum. Corid is amprolium, try and get some.
Here are what you can use to treat for worms if available where you are at: Flubendazole, fenbendazole (panacur), albendazole, ivomec products (ivermectin), pyrantel pamoate with praziquantel, piperazine. Piperazine only gets rid of large roundworms. The other wormwes are more broad spectrum types and will get rid of most types of worms. With the exception of flubenvet, all the others require a second dosing at the tenth day. Flubenvet I believe, is mixed in their feed over a 7 days period of time.
Regarding the sneezing chick...could that be environmental? Such as; dust from her feed, pollen, dirt, smoke etc...? If you suspect that it's a respiratory problem, I recommend treating with "denagard." I know that it's sold in Europe (UK), but again, I dont know if you have access to it. Good luck.

 

[AZBootsie]

 

[Firefighter Chick]

treat for cocci now, then once they're feeling better treat them for worms. perhaps add a yearly or biyearly worming to your calender. I would be more concerned about cocci. Once you've done both give your coop a good scrub and disinfecting and get new bedding. I know it seems tough and overwhelming but things will get better. if things don't work out with these birds, chalk up a loss then start over when you're ready. There's so much good advice on here and you're NEVER alone. get a good nights sleep and try not to worry. we got your back.