At a loss...enteritis, I think

I started loosing kits last week. This morning the 5th one died, and I finally autopsied it; the liver was clear, but the intestines were full of dark mushy paste, and the colon had only a few tiny, hard pellets instead of the long row of smooth round droppings normally present. This kit wasn't dead when I found it, but it was cold, would scream if it was touched(even by its mother), and was doing the seizure thing the OP described. These babies are 6 weeks old and fed grass hay, clover, grass, dandelions, apple branches, willow branches, oats, wheat and peas. The oats, wheat and peas they get only in the evening and the fresh things in the mornings. Hay is available all the time. I've been finding the dead ones only in the morning.
I'm thinking, after doing some research...some kind of enteritis. But....I'm at a loss of how to treat! I think, for now, I'll hold off on the clover for the does with litters....since there may be fungus growing on it since the cooler damper weather has set in. I just run out of options to feed this time of year, that doesn't have spots of various types growing on it! I may start to reintroduce pellets...and just use fresh foods as supplements, instead of their entire diet.

Thoughts?
Thanks.

I agree it sounds like some sort of enteritis due to pathogenic bacteria or fungal toxins from the diet

If you stop having losses on pellets then fresh greens diet is the likely cause

If you keep having losses then it is more likely some virulent bacteria has entered the herd

I agree it sounds like some sort of enteritis due to pathogenic bacteria or fungal toxins from the diet

If you stop having losses on pellets then fresh greens diet is the likely cause

If you keep having losses then it is more likely some virulent bacteria has entered the herd

Bikegurl you have been feeding your herd fresh forage for over a year now, right? Aside from potential fungal toxins, I don't think that greens would be the problem.

Intestinal coccidiosis is a possibility, if they have suddenly been exposed to a new strain. Maybe via cottontails, or a new herd addition?

Dood brought up a good point too. Rather common bacteria, like e-coil or salmonella from poultry, could potentially wipe out kits.

Thanks. We do have chickens. Usually my husband cares for them, but recently I have been doing a few things with the chickens. I did know there was a risk of illness from them...but sometimes I have to learn the hard way...
I only fed them hay yesterday, so I'm hoping there will be no more deaths this morning. We have to get pellets, and start introducing them....some of my breeders have never seen a pellet before. They have been on fresh food for over a year, so it wouldn't be the fresh foods themselves causing the problem.

Is there a way to determine if it is intestinal cocci or E coli? If it was E coli(or some such bacteria), would it be contagious? <br /><br /> -- Fri Nov 18, 2016 1:12 pm -- <br /><br /> I lost another two this morning. We went two days with no losses, and now two in one. The days with no losses I only fed hay and peas. Last night I fed wheat in addition to everything else. The wheat is rather contaminated with corn and also has some grain moths. Needless to say, I won't be feeding any more wheat!

My question is....could corn be doing this? Or is it more likely to be another contaminant such as molds?

answered you on the other thread.