Sooo much pooping

[Rorrry]

Hi all

 

We have a strange problem occurring with our hens, in the last 4 days 2 previously healthy and happy chickens have just died. neither hen was old one being a 28 week old speckled sussex and the second a buff orpinton at just over a year old. both hens seem to have died in the same manner. In the space of 24hrs they have become lethargic to start with, such as not eating unless its right under their beaks, through to just standing around as if sleepy and finally just sitting down wherever and nothing you can do will entice them to move, if you pick them up and put them down again they just squat back down, shortly after this both girls died.

 

We're at a complete loss as to what may be causing this, our girls are well fed, watered and wormed. plenty of room to stretch their legs and wings if they feel like it, there is no way anything can get in to the run such as a fox or cat and niether girl shows any sign of a injury or health issues prior to this issue.

 

So as you can now guess we're worried about our remaining 5 girls, any help or advice would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Ryan and Angela

[Egluntyne]

Sounds as if they have had some sort of overwhelming infection. I'd take your other hens to the vet at the first sign of anything amiss, to be on the safe side.

[Redwing]

It cold also be a red mite problem or Coccidiosis

[chick wiggle]

Im so sorry, its so worrying for your other girls too. I hope they are ok

[Rorrry]

Hi again, i can confirm its not red mite but can you tell me what Coccidiosis is?

 

Also we have heard about hens being egg bound, could this be an issue as our girls started laying during the cold snap. each was laying 1 every 2 days but since its warmed up a little they have all stopped bar vanilla our gingernut but even she is laying infrequently.

 

Again thanks for your help/advise and so far Red, Pepper, Daphne, Vanilla and Primrose all appear fine (touch wood...)

[Redwing]

Coccidiosis is a nasty condition, classic sign is runny blood in the poo, it usually affects youngsters though

 

What are you worming them with? worms can lead to a drop in egg production

 

If you are still unsure i wouldnt delay and would get one to the vet (depending on how good your vets is though...) at the worst they may not know what it is but will prescribe Baytril (antibiotics) to clear up any infections

[The Dogmother]

Please get them to the vet if you haven't already done so - could be anything from your description, but Marek's works that fast and when one of my birds died of it afew years back, the symptoms were identical.

[Daphne]

I'll second Claret - vet asap. Whatever it is is serious and sounds contagious. If not Mareks it could be some sort of respiratory disease (normally you can hear/see these but sometimes the bird has it but the external symptoms appear way after the damage has been done internally).

[Rorrry]

I'm not sure what the wormer is as my wife deals with it, i do know we got it from the omlet store along with red mite treatment.

 

Again all our remaining girls have been fine today, vocal, scratching around, jumping on the bus stop (a little shelter in the run, they like to sit on it to sun bathe) and everything appears normal. i think we will book them in to the vets though as a precaution, we have a good one who is happy to deal with chickens.

 

Thanks for all your help, its much appreciated

 

Ryan and Angela

[The Dogmother]

I hope that you get it sorted, please let us know how you get on.

 

May I suggest that you pop to your vet and get soem Flubenvet to worm them with, that will discount any possible problems which may have bene caused by worms.

 

Marek's is very contagious (it's a herpes related virus) but having said that, most flocks have it 'in the background' and it will only surface if a chook is poorly or has a heavy worm load and isn't able to fight it off. None of my other hens succumbed to it and the one which did was under the weather anyway.

[chickyhazel]

We don't take our chickens to the vet as it is expensive and seems unnecessary. It is up to you though, if you want to take yours to the vet do that. I just think it is a waste of time and money. It costs more to get a chicken looked at by a vet than to buy a new chicken!

[Daphne]

Each to their own of course. But I wouldn't stand by whilst I had unexplained losses.

[Redwing]

People have different views on this subject of course

 

I dont think its a problem providing:

 

You can act swiftly and calmly to cull a very ill chook and can decide in a stressful situation that its the best course of action

 

You are not too attached to the chicken to do the deed or have someone nearby who can do it for you

 

You feel you know what the problem is and have the treatments to deal with it

 

I dont agree with what I see on various forums where someone is struggling on for weeks with a dying chicken or a sick flock, its not fair on the bird/s

 

In this particular case it may be worth one visit to a vet to see if a diagnosis can be reached and if it is a contagious problem it may save the flock

[joegg]

We had one die a year ago sounds quite similar she was in fantastic condition to my eye and all other chooks were fine. When i discussed it with the people at Wernlas they thought she was likely overfed, to much corn and suggested never giving them maize or carbs such as pasta. Just pellets and greens.

 

If you do take her to the vet good luck as the average vets level of ignorance regarding avians is astounding.

[d0dge77]

We don't take our chickens to the vet as it is expensive and seems unnecessary. It is up to you though, if you want to take yours to the vet do that. I just think it is a waste of time and money. It costs more to get a chicken looked at by a vet than to buy a new chicken!

 

I must say i find your quite upsetting.

 

Our laydees are pets and as such and the idea of simply letting them suffer and die and then cost effectively replacing them (all whilst laughing) is horrendous.

[The Dogmother]

From experience there is a line beyond which treatment at home isn't possible or perhaps advisable, and the advice of a vet needs to be sought.

 

That line is placed differently for each person, and the skill lies in knowing, and acknowledging what you can treat at home and what really needs to be taken to the vet - to delay treatment is negligent and disrespectful of these sentient creatures.

 

I have often been reading through various poultry forums and read of a chicken owner with a very sick hen being advised to take it to the vet, and yet still be sitting there two days later - that makes me cross and it happens far too often.

[chickiepiggies]

yes me too. my chickens are a part of the family they are my pets i would do everything i could to give them the best chance.

We don't take our chickens to the vet as it is expensive and seems unnecessary. It is up to you though, if you want to take yours to the vet do that. I just think it is a waste of time and money. It costs more to get a chicken looked at by a vet than to buy a new chicken!

 

I must say i find your quite upsetting.

 

Our laydees are pets and as such and the idea of simply letting them suffer and die and then cost effectively replacing them (all whilst laughing) is horrendous.