[chickadee11]

Hi, my white Sussex has become ill over the last day or two. First I noticed she had really runny poo that literally stank! then picked her up and realised she's really thin.  i have got her eating a bit and her poo is now not as runny, although still not quite normal. She's been coughing/sneezing, has discharge from her beak. She is very quiet too.

We have 6 chickens about 28 weeks old. Have been getting 5 eggs a day but last 3 days only 4 so I guess she's stopped laying (we have one chicken who gets very bullied and we don't think she lays at all).

I put garlic in the water and they promptly removed it and she joined in the frenzy to try to get hold of it, so she's not completely out of it.

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what it could be.  Is it worth a trip to the vet? I'm not keen to go to the vet unless I have to because they once told me they don't really know much about chickens.

[bravemurphy]

sounds like mycoplasma first thing is to take her away from the rest quarantine her.

[chickadee11]

Is it treatable? Do I need antibiotics for her? I'll search the forum

[chickadee11]

Just checked the website of where I got them from ( had them about 6 weeks) and they're supposed to be vaccinated against that. Any other suggestions?

[ANHBUC]

Although most breeders advertise truthfully others I am afraid do not.  It is best to quarantine you poorly hen for a while so you can see how much she is eating, drinking and pooing.  She is less likely to get bullied if the other realise she is unwell.

It might be better if you find another vet locally who is poultry friendly, there are lists for them on both HERE and HERE.  Some will give advice over the phone and ask you to bring her in if they feel it is necessary. 

I hope she gets better soon.   

[chickadee11]

Just got back from a poultry vet who is about 25 miles away.  He thought she had mareks, still says she could have it even though she's been vaccinated.  He's given her antibiotics and she's to have more on Wednesday and Friday.  He said she has a respiratory infection and to keep an eye on the others.  Her weight loss worries him but he said she could have been ill for longer than I thought. 

He tested her poo for worms and confirmed She has got worms, although not very bad, but he said it could have contributed to her weight loss.  I started worming them yesterday and he told me to continue with the treatment.  Of course I've taken your advice and separated her. 

I am really sad about her as she's only young and just started laying before this.  Fingers crossed she makes it, he said if she's still here at the end of the week she will probably make it!

[ANHBUC]

Hopefully with the worming and the antibiotics she will recover.  You will need to worm all your birds together otherwise you are likely to end up with cross infection.  Keep us up to date on her progress.   

[chickadee11]

Will do. They're all on flubenvet as of yesterday.

I put a teaspoon of natural yogurt on the medicated food because the sick chicken (Gladys) wasn't eating and she's now eaten most of it.  I'm thinking as she clearly loves yogurt perhaps I'll do that every couple of hours.  Do you think that will be ok? I so desperately want her to eat for strength and to get the worming medication in her.

Sorry to keep messaging, it is fantastic to know someone is there who knows what's what about chickens.

[ANHBUC]

It is probably the moist food she likes so try adding boiled water to some layers pellets and let it cool.  They usually love it in the winter, that way she will get food and drink in one.   

[chickadee11]

Ok, will do that. 

Some bad news, we now have two sick chickens!  Another one is coughing tonight so I've isolated it too.  Good job we kept the old run from our other chicken, and it splits in two. 

[ANHBUC]

I would really question if they have actually been vaccinated.  A member recently had birds from a breeder that claimed they were vaccinated when they were not.  If I find the topic I will post a link. 

[ANHBUC]

Found it HERE   

[chickadee11]

That's terrible! Makes me wonder about mine. The supplier advertises that they're vaccinated, and seemed very nice and helpful. They breed bantams but buy their big chickens in and sell them on,  so maybe their supplier hasn't vaccinated them.

The vet said my chicken could have mareks even if it was vaccinated. Is there no way to tell if she's vaccinated or not?

[ANHBUC]

Whoever bred them should keep records of the vaccination batch numbers, dates etc.  If they have nothing to hide they should be willing to produce these.

[chickadee11]

Just back from second vets visit.  He is now sure my chicken has coccidiosis and will start treatment after next antibiotic injection on Friday.  I queried that it's supposed to have been vaccinated, he said yesterday he did an autopsy on a bird from same supplier and it had died from coccidiosis, so birds have not been vaccinated.  Supplier has offered two replacement chickens.  I'm not happy.  These chickens are currently still alive and hopefully will be ok.  I've asked for vet bills to be paid and petrol to be paid for vet trips.  I don't think they will agree.  Does anyone have any suggestions? Replacing two sick chickens, to my mind, is not good enough because it means these chickens will have to be slaughtered and if I wanted that I'd not have bothered with the vet in the first place, I'd have let them die!!!