Hello everyone, it has been a while since I last posted anything.
In the last 2 days, I have had 2 of my brown laying hens develop a mucousy, bloody discharge from their bottoms.
The first bird (first signs of this yesterday),is now looking tired, not eating, not laying, unwell;
The second bird (first signs of this today), is bright, eating small amounts, not laying.
I have isolated both girls form my other 2 hens. Their yard has been muddy lately due to +++rainfall, and I am so very worried that a serious disease has just touched down in my quaint flock of 4 brown layers. These gals are 6 months old, have been tremendous layers through the winter months, and a joy in general. Please help if you can.
I have a Merck's Veterinary manual that I have been scouring for answers, to no avail. Unfortunaltely there are no local poultry Vets in my town and region. I bought my girls from a large producer that sells day-old chicks with vaccinations to backyard flocks.
Cheers, Rebecca
Help! is disease starting in my small flock?
No exotic pet vets, either? They'll do chickens.
WEll, I'm not sure what to say, except it sounds like you are doing the right thing. Your local feed store might have some ideas, or at least some broad-spectrum antibiotics that you can give them, if you think they have an infection.
Keep us posted!
Thanks very much, I will try to find an exotic pet vet then. I am wondering after some reading if I am facing coccidiosis?
Let me know if you have any other ideas, My heart is breaking that I might have let them down somehow by not having a better drained yard for them. I don't know. Thanks.
You can get treatment for coccidiosis from the feed store. It's ampro... something... cillin. If your girls come through this okay, they should be more resistant to the coccidiosis, unless I've received bad info.
We have a brush pile/woodpile in the chicken yard so they can get up out of the muck if they want. They spend a lot of time there when it's muddy, preening and fluffing.
Sounds like Cocci , very commen on wet ground. My pens are all mud too. Get some medicated chick started or Solmet which can be added to your waterer. Give them the medicated feed or water for 10 days and everyone should be ok. If you google chicken deseases you should be able to get exact directions for medicating your flock. Do it soon . Cocci can kill your chickens in a few days. I am not sure but I think you will have to throw the eggs out for 10 days after you stop the medication.
Good luck
Good News Guys! Yes, you are right on the money, My new Vet (and poultry consultant (big smiles)), has also deduced cocci to be the cause with a touch of gastroentritis. I have been treating them with Amprol ;) , Gallimycin (Erythromycin for gallinaceous birds), and Stress-Aid (Gatorade for Chickies). Both of my sick girls are looking brighter over the last 2 days, I am planning on washing their messy little bottoms this W/E even though they are still having some diarrhea for now.
Thanks for your replies and good wishes, I have been giving these meds and electrolytes to my other 2 hens that shared the same yard, and I am having a 1/2 truckload of sand brought in for drainage. I love the wood pile idea
( also a great distraction and yummy bug/worm source for the girls). I can't thank you guys enough.
Ciao for now, Becky :)
That's great news: glad they're going to be okay.
If there's somewhere you can keep a few bales of straw or bagged leaves from the fall, those are also helpful in dealing with muddy yards. Plus, shovel that stuff out a month later, throw it in the compost (or garden), and you've got gold.