All my babies are dying!

[teaton]

I recently bought 20 chicks from a seller who all ended up being sick. It started as soon as i got them home.
The older chicks I bought started sneezing weezing and gasping for air, they also had runny, crusty noses and they rank!
Almost all the older ones have died, but 2.
I had babies that were in the incubator when i showed up and i brought them home in a seperate cage, they seemed fine at first but then they started dying too, they have no symptoms though, they just get really lethargic and die.
Im loosing this flock by atleast 3 a day. I have had them on duramyicin and vet rx since i first noticed symptoms, but its not helping at all.
I called the state vet and department of Ag who agreed to do a free necropsy on 4 of them, but i have to wait 1 week for results, by then they will all be dead anyway! Im feeling hopeless here and that just may be the case but has anyone seen this before? Can anyone tell me what it is and if theres anything i can do? Because at this point im just watching these babies die

Heres a pic of one of them thats pretty bad off, notice the red eyes, yellow crusty nose and that shes gasping for air.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I am SO sorry for your troubles... This is devastating.

The first thing I would do is run Corid (to treat Coccidiosis) through their water just in case.

As for the antibiotic, it depends on what they have... TerraVet is good for respiratory/mycoplasma infections.

100% get a necropsy.

Are these the only birds you have? If not, have any others shown symptoms?

Have you contacted the seller to let them know they might have a respiratory infection in their flock?

MrsB

 

[MrsBrooke]

Upon re-reading your post, swollen and crusty eyes paired with a rank odor can be Coryza.

That can be treated with Sulmet or Gallimycin.

Very sorry for your troubles.

MrsB

 

[teaton]

I am SO sorry for your troubles... This is devastating.

The first thing I would do is run Corid (to treat Coccidiosis) through their water just in case.

As for the antibiotic, it depends on what they have... TerraVet is good for respiratory/mycoplasma infections.

100% get a necropsy.

Are these the only birds you have? If not, have any others shown symptoms?

Have you contacted the seller to let them know they might have a respiratory infection in their flock?

MrsB

The seller knew she sold me sick birds sadly. The conditions of which she kept her birds in was just horrid anyway, I should of knew then! It was like a chicken mill or something, i even seen a few dead birds laying around in filf! You couldnt walk through the barn without slipping and sliding in poop, there were birds in cages, birds in dark rooms, birds everywere by the hundreds! I repeat i really should have knew better, but the chicks were all inside away from the others and i drove 2 hours just to get them,so i took them. Over the phone and on the internet she makes you feel like your really coming to a nice farm for some quality chicks, but that is not the case! She threw the babies in cages faster than i could really inpect them and the ones i did see looked good. It wasnt until i got them home i noticed.
I do have a flock, I have 15 full grown production reds, and even though I never put them together or near the coop or run the state vet said depending on what comes back i may have to euthanize all the birds on my premisis

What a hard lesson for me! But to answer your question no i have not called said seller because i am working with the department to shut her down and even if i do end up loosing all my birds atleast she wont be able to do this to anyone eles!
I will google corza, Thanks!

 

[MrsBrooke]

Wow. Based on what you're telling me, that is a haven for infections and infestations. Those poor, poor birds. I am very disturbed to hear this. I hope she is shut down.

I have been to several high-capacity, hatch-at-home type farms, and I've never witnessed anything like what you're telling me about. All the people I've ever purchased birds from consider them their prized possessions and care for them ceaselessly. She is totally irresponsible and needs to have her birds seized.

I am hoping for a positive diagnosis (or as positive as it can be) for your birds... If it comes back with mycoplasma, please know you do not HAVE to cull your birds, but it would become a "closed flock." They will be carriers of the illness for life and can infect other birds even without showing symptoms, but the symptoms can be managed with certain medication. You could bring birds in, but you couldn't sell birds ever, ever, ever.

In the end, we all have to make the best decision for our situation. Some people cull some people close their flocks, and some people wait for the existing flock to all pass before getting new birds and starting over after a waiting period.

I am *very* sorry for what you have been through. I pray justice is done.

MrsB

 

[MrsBrooke]

PS - At the very least, I would demand a refund.

I would also go on wherever it is that she advertises and write about my experience. Other people NEED to know.

MrsB

 

[teaton]

As soon as this is all said and done i plan on it! She has advertised here as well, like i said i do not want to tip said seller off, but as soon as i know theyve been to her property im outing her on here and on craigslist as well as anywere eles i can find her! It is just discusting that some people coild even do this to not only other people but helpless animals!

 

[MrsBrooke]

I'd send an undercover friend over there. >_>

"I'm just starting out... What you have here is awesome. Can I take some pictures of your set-up and steal some ideas from you??" *BIG SMILE*

Then make that person burn their clothing.

MrsB

 

[teaton]

That would be great if i knew someone who would!

Back to the chickens though, i noticed a baby chick that looked like it was next tonight, she wasnt doing good at all, and when i picked her up she seemed to have a fat bottom, i checked to make sure she wasnt impacted or pasty, and wasnt. Any ideas?

 

[MrsBrooke]

A fat bottom?

What feed are they on? Could it be eating shavings? If you are feeding food besides chick feed, do they have grit?

Can you post a photo of your chick?

MrsB