sick chicks

[katief]

Hi I am after some advice - i got 5 chicks week old chicks and got a thermometer in the box with sawdust, right temperature, fed on medicated chick crumb, i had them a week. in this last week one by one they are becoming sick. each look perfectly healthy then without warning lie down and when they try to get up they have no balance then within an hour die. I have two left is there anything i can do to say the last two chicks from this happening to them?

 

[Beth G.]

Sounds like they could have contracted mareks. Do you know if the person you purchased them from vaccinates?
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[katief]

I am not sure been trying to get hold of the breeder to ask - is there anything i can do to stop the last two catching it? I know in future i will be asking if they have been vaccinated

 

[Beth G.]

I think the best thing to do is research mareks online. I've found the following to be useful when diagnosing poultry:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Once Mareks is contracted unfortunately there is not much we can do for them

Only time will tell and most likely they will develope neurological issues.

So sorry

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[katief]

Thanks - it says 12 weeks they are only 3 weeks so all i can do is pray.

 

[Duramaxgirl]

I would be concerned that they might be eating the sawdust. Try putting paper towels down over the sawdust. I usually use paper towels over shavings for the first week 10 days. Also try using bigger shavings and always pine never cedar.

 

[katief]

Hi Thanks will try that - However they are three weeks now and dont appear to be eating the sawdust and the saw dust is large. however i will try anything to see if i can keep these last two alive

 

[katief]

thanks for all your help the last two fingers crossed seem ok today dive bombing each other to test their new wing feathers!