Swollen feet, cold, and then they die

[TheBajan]

I have young Black Copper Marans. I started with a total of 20 all hatched this summer. One is from Omega Hills, 5 are from Greenfire Farms and the remaining 14 came from a breeder on eBay. The group from eBay hatched 8/5/20. When they were 9 weeks old I lost one of the pullets. A few days later, I lost another pullet. Since then, I've lost four more pullets. I've wracked my brain trying to figure out what the issue is and I just don't know. It's only pullets and they are all very similar in build and coloring leading me to believe that they are all siblings. They are all on the smaller side but fully feathered. Under developed combs compared to other pullets the same age. The last two that died had swollen feet the day before they died. The ones before that gave no warning at all. I've kept a heat lamp in the coop even though they are fully feathered because a while back I had gone out and found one nearly dead and shivering cold. I brought her in, warmed her up and after a few days she was fine. So I just kept a heat lamp out for them just in case. Sadly, whatever is going on with them has taken her too. She was my sweet favorite. I have another one this morning with swollen feet and having trouble standing. Her comb is not underdeveloped like the others were. I've brought her inside. I'm just devastated. Every morning I open the coop I'm scared to look inside and it's like a gut punch to find another one. Does any of this sound familiar? Is there anything I can do to help them? It's just the pullets and only from my Marans. I have other breeds (cooped separately) who are doing fine.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I had a case like this a few years ago with a bat ch of chicks. We think they stuck themselves on a splinter or something and got gangrene. That was the only explan9we could think of

 

[Hei 20]

I have young Black Copper Marans. I started with a total of 20 all hatched this summer. One is from Omega Hills, 5 are from Greenfire Farms and the remaining 14 came from a breeder on eBay. The group from eBay hatched 8/5/20. When they were 9 weeks old I lost one of the pullets. A few days later, I lost another pullet. Since then, I've lost four more pullets. I've wracked my brain trying to figure out what the issue is and I just don't know. It's only pullets and they are all very similar in build and coloring leading me to believe that they are all siblings. They are all on the smaller side but fully feathered. Under developed combs compared to other pullets the same age. The last two that died had swollen feet the day before they died. The ones before that gave no warning at all. I've kept a heat lamp in the coop even though they are fully feathered because a while back I had gone out and found one nearly dead and shivering cold. I brought her in, warmed her up and after a few days she was fine. So I just kept a heat lamp out for them just in case. Sadly, whatever is going on with them has taken her too. She was my sweet favorite. I have another one this morning with swollen feet and having trouble standing. Her comb is not underdeveloped like the others were. I've brought her inside. I'm just devastated. Every morning I open the coop I'm scared to look inside and it's like a gut punch to find another one. Does any of this sound familiar? Is there anything I can do to help them? It's just the pullets and only from my Marans. I have other breeds (cooped separately) who are doing fine. View attachment 2394031View attachment 2394032

I'm sorry for your losses.

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for your losses.
What do droppings look like? Have you had any respiratory symptoms in any of them?
Them being cold is very likely from being ill with whatever it is, sick birds can get very hypothermic, so keep her and any others that may be ill in a warm place. I can't really see the swelling in her feet, but she does look very ill. If you are having runny, mucousy, or any bloody droppings then I would treat for coccidiosis as that's common in chicks and young birds. Treating with Corid is very safe.
If you lose this one then I would highly recommend that you save her body, refrigerate don't freeze, and send her for necropsy so you can positively identify what you are dealing with. Sometimes that's the only way to know for sure. Then you will know if it's viral, bacterial, etc.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

This is sad, and scary, too. You should get a necropsy if you lose another.

 

[coach723]

Here are some resources for necropsy, by state:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...state-lab-website-info.1236884/#post-20263127

 

[Eggcessive]

Very sorry for your losses. I would also recommend a necropsy if you lose another. That is the best way to find out exactly what they died from. Could there have been some frostbite in the feet to cause the swelling in the feet? Bacterial or viral arthritis, or gout could also cause swelling.

Getting chicks from multiple sources, there could have been a disease that was brought in from one of the three places. Did they have any dirarrhea? What were you feeding them? Were they vaccinated for Mareks disease or coccidiosis?

 

[TheBajan]

I'm very sorry for your losses.
What do droppings look like? Have you had any respiratory symptoms in any of them?
Them being cold is very likely from being ill with whatever it is, sick birds can get very hypothermic, so keep her and any others that may be ill in a warm place. I can't really see the swelling in her feet, but she does look very ill. If you are having runny, mucousy, or any bloody droppings then I would treat for coccidiosis as that's common in chicks and young birds. Treating with Corid is very safe.
If you lose this one then I would highly recommend that you save her body, refrigerate don't freeze, and send her for necropsy so you can positively identify what you are dealing with. Sometimes that's the only way to know for sure. Then you will know if it's viral, bacterial, etc.

No to all the symptoms you mentioned. Stools are normal. Thanks for the suggestion about the necropsy. I will do that. I'm also reaching out to the seller to ask her if she's seen this before. We've treated for Coccidia twice before and haven't seen any signs of it since then. It wasn't even this flock that had it but we treated everyone regardless.