Sick hens/ panting and liquid poop

[LisaC87]

Hello,
I have 2 sick hens that aren't seeming to get better. Hen #1 is a 10 month old barred plymouth rock and hen #2 is a 10 month old wellsummer. Hen #1 had diarrhea for about a week and a half and hasn't been acting like her usual self. Hen #2 just started acting off the past couple of days and then started noticing her going into the coop early. Both hens aren't eating or drinking much. They have access to layer pellets/crumbles, fermented feed, grit, and oyster shells. They have clean water daily which I alternate between apple cider vinegar, vitamins and plain. I'm noticing that every time they poop you can hear the squirt and it smells. A friend told me to treat the whole flock with Corid. I did it for 5 days and saw no improvement with hen #1 and once on the corid that's when I noticed hen #2 starting to act off. Now I have them both separated inside my sunroom (unheated). They are both sitting and once they move around a bit they start panting. I though hen #2 was going to pass yesterday because her breathing was so bad out of no where and she just couldn't get up and walk. I took a shot and gave her a homeopathic treatment ( gelsemium sempervirens 30c) and it seemed to have worked. She stopped breathing heavy and calmed her. That's when I brought her in to keep an eye on her. If anyone has any insight to what it could be that would be great! I'm a new chicken keeper and have lost 5 hens over these past 10 months and don't want to lose anymore. Thanks in advance.

 

[azygous]

Stop giving the gelsemium sempervirens. It's very toxic and poisonous. If you have activated charcoal, give it in amounts that are at least equal to the amount of the gelsemium sempervirens or more, and it might be able to absorb the toxic compounds.

Homeopathic remedies always must be researched to determine if they are toxic to poultry before giving them to chickens. We've had some very sad incidents of favorite chickens being killed in this manner.

How were you treating with the Corid? Please tell us the ratios of water to Corid and which form did you use? And did you do the follow up round a week after the last round?

Giving us your location can help us help you. There are some endemic risks in some geographic locations. It also can tell us how easy or difficult it will be for you to get other medications.

This could be an environmental toxin or bacteria. Do the chickens have access to a compost pile? If so, what kind of things are deposited there? Rotting foods? Is it wet and smelly?

 

[LisaC87]

Stop giving the gelsemium sempervirens. It's very toxic and poisonous. If you have activated charcoal, give it in amounts that are at least equal to the amount of the gelsemium sempervirens or more, and it might be able to absorb the toxic compounds.

Homeopathic remedies always must be researched to determine if they are toxic to poultry before giving them to chickens. We've had some very sad incidents of favorite chickens being killed in this manner.

How were you treating with the Corid? Please tell us the ratios of water to Corid and which form did you use? And did you do the follow up round a week after the last round?

Giving us your location can help us help you. There are some endemic risks in some geographic locations. It also can tell us how easy or difficult it will be for you to get other medications.

This could be an environmental toxin or bacteria. Do the chickens have access to a compost pile? If so, what kind of things are deposited there? Rotting foods? Is it wet and smelly?

Corid - I was giving 1tsp in 1 gallon of water
I was texting with a friend who has chickens and when I noticed no improvement after 5 days of treatment, and 2 more sick hens, she told me to stop the corid. That was yesterday.
I live in New Jersey.
The chickens have access to my backyard which has no grass or weeds. Their run is dirt and sometimes gets wet from rain coming in the side, but it is covered by a tarp until we can build a proper roof. I was wondering if the dirt floor in the run is an issue because of the constant pooping. I was planning to put sand in there as soon as I'm able to. Also forgot to add that hen #1 crop didn't empty overnight and was firm but once she drank water it softened up.

 

[azygous]

If it was liquid Corid 9.6% solution the mixing proportions are two teaspoons per gallon mixed fresh daily for five days.

Since it didn't resolve the issue, perhaps worms are the culprit. Heavy loads can make chickens pretty sick. A dirt substrate in the run can accumulate a heavy concentration of worm eggs in the damp soil. Chickens scratch and pick up grit from the soil but also end up consuming the worms eggs, setting up a constant cycle of exposure. You would do best to institute a regular worming schedule.

Caution, treat the chickens with electrolytes to prevent shock as you worm them the first time as a heavy load can overwhelm the chicken's system as they are absorbed in the intestines after worming kills them. Fenbendazole is a gentle wormer that is helpful to avoid shock from a heavy worm load.

 

[LisaC87]

If it was liquid Corid 9.6% solution the mixing proportions are two teaspoons per gallon mixed fresh daily for five days.

Since it didn't resolve the issue, perhaps worms are the culprit. Heavy loads can make chickens pretty sick. A dirt substrate in the run can accumulate a heavy concentration of worm eggs in the damp soil. Chickens scratch and pick up grit from the soil but also end up consuming the worms eggs, setting up a constant cycle of exposure. You would do best to institute a regular worming schedule.

Caution, treat the chickens with electrolytes to prevent shock as you worm them the first time as a heavy load can overwhelm the chicken's system as they are absorbed in the intestines after worming kills them. Fenbendazole is a gentle wormer that is helpful to avoid shock from a heavy worm load.

Thank you. Last time I dewormed them was December 15, 2022 and I used safeguard paste. What about an antibiotic? I truly prefer natural methods to treat them but also understand that once they're showing signs of illness, it's probably too late for a natural treatment.

 

[azygous]

You may use an antibiotic in conjunction with worming or following worming. Sometimes you need to if there are signs of bacterial infection (enteritis). Symptoms of enteritis are bleeding into the stools and excessive intestinal lining sheds. What antibiotics do you have on hand?

 

[LisaC87]

You may use an antibiotic in conjunction with worming or following worming. Sometimes you need to if there are signs of bacterial infection (enteritis). Symptoms of enteritis are bleeding into the stools and excessive intestinal lining sheds. What antibiotics do you have on hand?

I haven't seen any blood in the stool. It's mostly clear and watery looking. I have LA 200 and I have Amtyl. It’s not hot in the sunroom that they’re in but hen 1 keeps her beak open and panting. Hen 2 only does that after moving around or pooping. Is that a sign of infection, worms or anything else?

**update** hen #2 passed early this evening