5th chick dying in my hands right now - help!

[Kelsie2290]

Poor girl, hope the vets are able to figure out what the other problem is. Glad the birds with pox at least seem to be better.

 

[familypendragon]

I am reading up on infra-orbital swelling (it isn't in the combs or waddles of any of them that I can see) on the Cornell Atlas of Avian diseases http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/ and I am becoming very suspicious of MG. This sounds like exactly what she has going on...

Clinical Signs

MG has a long and variable incubation period, typically ranging from 6-21 days. The clinical signs are highly variable and depend on the host species, age, virulence of the strain, the presence of concurrent infections, as well as any environmental or physiological stress (e.g onset of egg production).
In chickens, the disease may produce no clinical signs or it may produce nasal discharge, coughing, and rales. Conjunctivitis, periorbital edema, and eyelid edema may also occur. Other more general signs may include inappetence, weight loss, and a drop in egg production. The highest morbidity and mortality usually occurs in the presence of concurrent infections and environmental stress.

I sent that to the vet to see what he thinks.

 

[familypendragon]

Two more dead chicks today - a Black Isbar and a Black Breda They were about 3 weeks old and have been standing hunched over struggling to breathe for about a week. I figured it was probably just a matter of time - but held out hope they'd get through it. No such luck. I think we are up to 18 dead now but I've lost track

 

[Heidisgran]

Two more dead chicks today - a Black Isbar and a Black Breda

They were about 3 weeks old and have been standing hunched over struggling to breathe for about a week. I figured it was probably just a matter of time - but held out hope they'd get through it. No such luck. I think we are up to 18 dead now but I've lost track

 

[Lillahimed]

Did you notice any pattern to the deaths, such as a certain age more effected and so on?

 

[familypendragon]

Did you notice any pattern to the deaths, such as a certain age more effected and so on?

Certain breeds - White leghorn mixes, Crested Cream Legbars, Isbars, Cochins and Bredas.

 

[Lillahimed]

hmmm strange. I wonder what causes this

I have heard that the Isbars are pretty susceptible to disease.

 

[familypendragon]

And I have lost a lot more chicks under a month than I have older birds... ugh.

 

[kuulgrl]

Hugs

 

[Lillahimed]

Have you heard anything else on the necropsy results?