Colorado

[suncatcher]

So sorry you are having to deal with Marecks. Is there anyway to build a small coop and run on a different part of your property to put your newly hatched in???? This way the chicks could be in their own area, and you can cull your current flock, if that is your desire, or just keep them separate. No fun for sure, I have heard stories of people having to cull hundreds of birds to wipe out disease in their flocks! Very sad........

Maybe ducks and geese are the way to go for the nine months, if you decide to cull everyone, and there is nothing wrong with hatchery chicks, they are great egg layers. You could always vaccinate your own chicks, another option.

 

[corancher]

Happy the girls are settled in. Sorry about the loss of your FiFi. It is hard to explain sometimes what causes them to die. Still always sad to lose them.

 

[COChix]

Hi everyone,

It's been incredibly busy (summertime in the ole B&B), but I've been trying to keep up with all of you.  I'm sorry for all the various losses.  My own FiFi, the Black Copper Marans I've had since she was a chicklet, died last Thursday in a really bizarre way.  She had no panting, agitation, or obvious lethargy, but her comb, wattles, and eye areas suddenly appeared very pale pink. At one point she looked at me as if she were telling me something important...

Now I have only one hen that I've had since she was a chick - Merrie - and she's been kind of looking around, as if seeking FiFi, who was her brooder mate.

On another note, I found a really interesting article today on my Flipboard or whatever it's called, regarding possible increased virulence of Mareks for unvaccinated birds.  I hope this link will work for those interested:

http://phenomena.nationalgeographic...deadlier-chicken-viruses/#.Vba45Ak-nKM.mailto

Meanwhile, my three "newbies," that I got way back at the beginning of June, are doing fine. @COChix and @corancher, they're all doing well. Nutmeg, the Welsummer from COChix has finally gotten back into laying, although she will not go in the big coop at night. She continues going into the smaller coop, where I had the newbies quarantined, to roost by herself; but she is healthy and seems to be very comfortable with my other birds.  She's actually sort of the queen hen, since Merrie and FiFi never claimed that honor, but has stopped pecking at my Schocki, which tells me they're all getting used to each other...

Anyway, here's my long, every 6 week post.  Hope you're all well and that your chicklets, hens, pullets, roos, and cockerels (not to mention your ducks, geese, guineas, turkeys, quail, etc.) are surviving the summer and being a source of delight and wonder for you all.

All Good to you,
Alebuela/Alexandra

Alexandra, sorry for your loss, we had a bird pass in a similar manner about 5 months ago, but she always looked a bit odd, as far as her shape of body. I can only guess she had some internal issues, no signs of injury or such. Same thing saw her one night looking a bit off but observed her putting herself away on the roosts with the flock. She also ate and rank that night ok, Found her dead on the floor in the am. Always hard.

Glad Nutmeg has settled in, kinda odd about her sleeping in the other coop. But whatever works for her right? Remember she was being picked by Saffron our other Welsummer. Not sure what that was about, never did figure that out. Any ideas for names changes for her?

 

[intangible04]

Sorry I cannot view those videos for whatever reason. How are things now and was the breathing issue the only symptom? What does there droppings look like? Have you found any bloody droppings, usually a sign of Cocci.

I have a book called "The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable," by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. Here is what the book says about Coci and symptoms...

Symptoms: Faltering gait, anemic comb, mucus at corners of eyes, general debility. The chicks produce blood-stained droppings and usually show reached backs.​

Treatment: Gice garlic, either one flaked clove, continue for 10 days. Garlic is also an important preventative of this disease and will check infections in pens...​

In case of severe exhaustion give drops of warmed honey, it is an immediate restorative.​

Are you getting your chicks from a breeder or where are you getting them from?

As for raw garlic, it is a great preventative for several diseases and worms. After feeding it to the flock make sure you boost their good gut bacteria with a probiotic yogurt or such. The most important thing to keeping healthy chickens is by keeping their intestinal track healthy and full of good bacteria. It is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of chicken keeping that many owners just skip. Check out the Natural Chicken Keeping thread for other great advice and preventives, one of my favorite threads.

Sorry I cannot view those videos for whatever reason.
Hmm not sure why...

How are things now and was the breathing issue the only symptom?
That next day she looked better, almost if nothing was wrong. The heavy breathing was the only thing I saw. I thought maybe heat but my thermometer showed 93 and they had plenty of room to get out of the heat if it was too much.

What does there droppings look like? Have you found any bloody droppings, usually a sign of Cocci.
I couldn't really find anything bloody but there was one that caught my eye. Unsure if it was cocci related or just growing up related.

I have a book called "The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable," by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. Here is what the book says about Coci and symptoms...

Symptoms: Faltering gait, anemic comb, mucus at corners of eyes, general debility. The chicks produce blood-stained droppings and usually show reached backs.​

The heavy breathing is the only prominent symptom I saw.

Are you getting your chicks from a breeder or where are you getting them from?
I got them from cackle hatchery.

@intangible04 just curious how your chicks are doing? Are you still having issues?

One other thought, I posted your videos in the Nautral Chicken Keeping Thread, someone was thinking that all the chicks look like they were suffering from being too hot. Do you have a heat lamp in the brooder?

Maybe you can come back and fill us in since you had asked for our help.

Have a great day!

Hi. Sorry to get back so late. See above for answers. Was out of town with spotty cell service for a while, thus why I wanted to post that so quick. My sister checked up on them while I was gone. They're all looking good, well except two that look like they each have a broken toe. I'll try and post some pics later tonight. I'm not sure what if anything can be done about it though. There's a little bit of sneezing too and their droppings are really airy, like they have a lot of tiny air bubbles in them. Not all of them and not all of the time. Otherwise they seem completely healthy.

I'll have to remember the garlic and yogurt remedies.

 

[samsr]

On the subject of strange happenings with chickens. I had my full sized cochin come down with something earlier this year. Symtoms were weak and slow heavy breathing. We isolated her and within a couple days she was back to her normal eating everything self.
My bantom cochin was not so lucky. She was broody and sitting on eggs. We came in one morning and she was dead. Then my only tiny white silky got something. She was half the size of her chick mates and growing very slowly. She got the limp and then paralisys and died a few days ago. I feel that she had something going on internally as she was so tiny. Even at four months. The rest of the 70 birds are doing great. Including the fast growing meaties. 36 of them.
I did have a bad bout of chicken mites that probably didnt help a bit. The mites have been taken care of. I havent seen one in a week or so. It is probably time to treat again for late hatchers.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Well I sold a total of 10 chickens this week. I was looking to sell 12 but think I will keep the other 2 PR.
A nice lady that had called the other day bought the Polish and 4 of the PR. I am very glad they are going to a nice home.
I trimmed the poofs and sent the scissors with her. I got them for only doing the chickens poofs so that is all good.

I am going to miss the silly poofy heads.
I know for sure a couple of the PR that went with are new layers. Now they will have some room to roam.

I know they will be happy cluckers.

Sad that so many of us have lost some chickens this year.

I do so enjoy this site and all you being so friendly and helpful. Thank you all for that.

 

[intangible04]

Here's a few pics of what the toes look like. To me it seems their broken or maybe even deformed. The two are walking around like no big deal though.

Chick 1 left middle toe

Chick 1 left middle toe

Chick 2 right left toe

Chick 2 right left toe

 

[21hens-incharge]

I don't think they are broken. I have 2 old hens that showed that when chicks. They are a mild case of curled toes. Mine get around good and scratch plenty. You may end up needing to keep an eye on the nails to make sure they are trimmed if needed. Mine have done well and I only had to trim once in 5 years.

 

[uzisuzuki]

I do so enjoy this site and all you being so friendly and helpful.  Thank you all for that.

Thank you for always being so helpful & kind, too.

 

[suncatcher]

Thought I would share this about Mareks....... http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous/

Been a strange year for chickens for sure

Glad you got everyone sold, and wonderful that they went to good homes!!!

Agree, those toes are not broken, just misshapen, it happens sometimes, is no big deal.