Odd Illness - 2 birds dead

[elevan]

Symptoms:
Ruffled up feathers (look like a ball)
No appetite / will not drink
Sit / Stand will not move
Unsteady when forced to move
White diarrhea
Temp swings
Death for one bird already (update: now 2 birds are dead)

Anyone ever dealt with Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro)? It appears that it is what I'm dealing with in my flock. I lost one hen 2 days ago and another has taken up symptoms this morning.

From what I can find supportive therapy is all that I can offer. It's viral.

from: http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/disviral.htm#ibd Birds have ruffled feathers, a slight tremor at onset of the disease, strained defecation, loss of appetite and are dehydrated. Affected birds have a tendency to sit and when forced to move, have an unsteady gait. Vent picking is common and a whitish diarrhea frequently develops. A sudden rise in body temperature is followed by a drop to subnormal temperature, prostration and death. Birds surviving the initial infection will recover rapidly within two weeks.​

 

[redtailgal]

Em, I hate that you have another bird down.

I have dealt with this before, though not with my own flock. It is a nasty disease, very contagious, and very deadly. It will also live in the dirt and coop for awhile. There was a brooder house near here that ended up with this disease, 20,000 young chics died, and had to be burned, along with the one ton of feed they had had contact with. The chicken house was cleaned with formaldehyde and left empty for three months before any more birds were allowed to be placed in it.

The vet that I work with recommends treatment of electrolytes and sugar in the water, and confinment, so that diseased poop is not scattered any more than it has to be.

But, all that said, dont panic! I dont think this is what is going on with your flock. IBD normaly attacks younger birds.........and you have younger birds in your flock, babies that were raised by the bird that already died. I think that IBD would have taken Fuffer's babies befor it took here. You can get a definate diagnosis of IBD, by doing a portmortem exam and checking the bursa of the bird.......if they are very swollen with some hemoraging, you have IBD.

I have been wrong before, and I may be wrong this time. I would really really like to be right this time.

(I am not on here much, I' will try to keep up with this thread, but PM me on BYH if I miss something important)

 

[elevan]

Thanks RTG. I hope you're right too.


I just got off the phone with my vet and luckily they've just brought a new vet on staff who just finished vet school and majored in poultry science and has a wide variety of poultry himself. I'm expecting a call back from him soon.

They also want me to take a bird to the state for necropsy if I lose another one.

 

[elevan]

Vet wants me to treat the entire flock with oxytet for 14 days as a precaution and supportive technique. I'll also run a fecal for cocci just to rule it out. If I lose another bird it'll go to the state lab for necropsy.

 

[elevan]

Hilda just died