Dying chickens

[Finnie]

So that settles it. It was the wood chips. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that, Terry. I guess now we just be grateful that the six you have left are healthy and safe. I wish keeping chickens was all fun and happiness, without the sad parts. But the good parts outweigh the bad well enough to make it worth doing.

 

[TerryH]

So that settles it. It was the wood chips. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that, Terry. I guess now we just be grateful that the six you have left are healthy and safe. I wish keeping chickens was all fun and happiness, without the sad parts. But the good parts outweigh the bad well enough to make it worth doing.

Thanks Finnie. We have not had much fun the last week or so. I am so thankful that we have 6 left with us. However, the remaining 6 are not free and clear yet. The poop samples that tested positive were from them not the 2 that died. Hopefully they have a small enough dose that they will be ok but Dr. Clark told me that there could be symptoms that might no show up for months. They seem perfectly fine so I am hopeful and optimistic.

 

[aart]

Continuing to update.

From Dr. Clark today...


"Just got the info on fecal cultures from your birds, isolated from tissues and isolates from litter
No salmonella isolated. Aspergillus, rhizopus, mold and yeasts isolated."

All directly related to the wood chips per Dr. Clark. No other factors or issues involved.

However, the remaining 6 are not free and clear yet. The poop samples that tested positive were from them not the 2 that died. Hopefully they have a small enough dose that they will be ok but Dr. Clark told me that there could be symptoms that might no show up for months. They seem perfectly fine so I am hopeful and optimistic.

I wonder if the numbers/counts of these organisms on the feces are different from a flock that lives on wood chips and/or deep mixed litter and/or free rangers?

....and I assume that 'fecal cultures' means they grew only fecal samples (not including any tissue or litter) in a heated culture dish lined with growth medium.

 

[TerryH]

I wonder if the numbers/counts of these organisms on the feces are different from a flock that lives on wood chips and/or deep mixed litter and/or free rangers?

....and I assume that 'fecal cultures' means they grew only fecal samples (not including any tissue or litter) in a heated culture dish lined with growth medium.

No clue on the comparison of other birds. Also not sure of what all the culturing process entails. I know they did culture the fecal matter and wood chip samples that were collected last Friday along with tissue from the necropsies. All were positive.

 

[jennyf]

Thank you so much for sharing this information. So sorry you had to go through this with your birds, and wishing you the best with your others continuing to stay healthy. In retrospect, do you think it was that the chopped leaves were mixed in that contributed to the fungal growth? I have pretty much a bare run at the moment, hoping to move toward deep litter buildup and had been considering buying a few bags of hardwood much from the big box store. Probably won't now either way, but theoretically should that stuff be safe? Sure has seemed damp to me when I've bought it before. Again, thoughts and prayers to you.

 

[TerryH]

Thank you so much for sharing this information. So sorry you had to go through this with your birds, and wishing you the best with your others continuing to stay healthy. In retrospect, do you think it was that the chopped leaves were mixed in that contributed to the fungal growth? I have pretty much a bare run at the moment, hoping to move toward deep litter buildup and had been considering buying a few bags of hardwood much from the big box store. Probably won't now either way, but theoretically should that stuff be safe? Sure has seemed damp to me when I've bought it before. Again, thoughts and prayers to you.

Thank you, Jenny. I believe that the contributing factors in our situation were the freshness of the chips which meant they were carrying a ton of moisture and the presence of lots of green leaves coupled with a very rainy and hot couple of weeks after they were delivered. I feel like the bagged chips would be safe to start with. I would probably open the bags and spread them out to dry before use.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@TerryH ,
I just wanted to tell you that it really touched my heart when you expressed how hard you worked and how much you wanted it to be perfect for your MRS.! As a wife with a husband that would do the same (after many years of maturing), I am honored to meet you kind Sir. I know there are a lot on this forum who also value their spouses, but in a world with so much strife... You are BLESSED! Thank you for demonstrating your care and support to us (or me). It is encouraging!

In His Love,
~Alyssa

 

[kgb6days]

@TerryH ,
I just wanted to tell you that it really touched my heart when you expressed how hard you worked and how much you wanted it to be perfect for your MRS.! As a wife with a husband that would do the same (after many years of maturing), I am honored to meet you kind Sir. I know there are a lot on this forum who also value their spouses, but in a world with so much strife... You are BLESSED! Thank you for demonstrating your care and support to us (or me). It is encouraging!

In His Love,
~Alyssa

Same here. I am blessed to have a husband who worked hard to make my coop and run perfect also so I know how fortunate your wife is. We all treasure husbands like you
Kristy

 

[TerryH]

@TerryH
,
I just wanted to tell you that it really touched my heart when you expressed how hard you worked and how much you wanted it to be perfect for your MRS.! As a wife with a husband that would do the same (after many years of maturing), I am honored to meet you kind Sir. I know there are a lot on this forum who also value their spouses, but in a world with so much strife... You are BLESSED! Thank you for demonstrating your care and support to us (or me). It is encouraging!

In His Love,
~Alyssa

Thank you Alyssa. Cheryl is the most incredible person I have ever known. She has been my best friend for the past 32 years. She virtually never asks for anything for herself. Hopefully we are past the craziness so we can just enjoy the chickens. Thanks again.

 

[TerryH]

Same here.  I am blessed to have a husband who worked hard to make my coop and run perfect also so I know how fortunate your wife is.  We all treasure husbands like you
Kristy

Thank you Kristy. Cheryl and I have been blessed to do a lot of marriage counselling and we have led 7 different groups through marriage studies. Things were not always like they are now for us. There was a time that our marriage was not good. I actually held the divorce papers in my hand in 1991 but couldn't go through with it. I am sooo blessed to have her.