Accepting what might be and pushing forward.....need advice on multiple concerns.

[Chopper923]

Have you dewormed this one as well?

Yes, with Safeguard.

 

[Chopper923]

I forgot to mention recently that we had 2 other deaths with birds that were not with this flock. One hen was most likely our mistake (aspirated on medicine ), and the other was our approx 19-week-old rooster who had no visible ailments. Found him dead on the coop floor.

 

[Chopper923]

I talked to multiple people at the diagnostic testing lab this morning, and they were very helpful! As soon as my husbamd gets home, he will pick up our bird to be shipped overnight for a necropsy. I kept thinking maybe our other little brown one would pass...she's still walking around real quiet, picking at food, but i haven't really seen her ingest anything. I just gave them some small chopped up veggies that i froze in ice cubes. She doesn't show a whole lot of interest. I've debated asking my hubby to make a decision about culling her (wow, i really don't like that word!) and maybe the paralyzed one since we can send up to 5 in - thinking the more info we give them, the more inclusive answers might be found. Don't know that i can do it, but if it's in the best interest of the rest of my chickens....

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I dont like the word cull either, especially when it involves a terminally ill bird. In that case, i think the correct word should be Euthanize; the same word we use for our terminally ill pets. You can send up to 5 carcasses and have necropsies performed for up to 5 for the same price?!

 

[Chopper923]

Yes, up to 5 for that one price, which with shipping, testing, disposal, etc, will be about $150. I saw the word "cull" many times on here, so after I read your comment, @Allsfairinloveandbugs , I thought I should look up the word. Yep, euthanize is a much better word! And, no, I didnt ask my husband to euthanize the other two. Just couldn't do it. I pray the one bird's results gives us the answers we need to make the right decisions going forward.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

That was an extremely difficult decision either way, as far as only sending the deceased pullet, or including 1 or both of the other symptomatic pullets too. Knowing the best path in the midst of a bad situation is sometimes nearly impossible, and you are making the best decisions you can as you go. That is the best any of us can do.

 

[TropicalChickies]

I forgot to mention recently that we had 2 other deaths with birds that were not with this flock. One hen was most likely our mistake (aspirated on medicine ), and the other was our approx 19-week-old rooster who had no visible ailments. Found him dead on the coop floor.

I'm so sorry. This is not a normal chicken keeping experience at all. It certainly sounds like a pathogen is present. Please keep us updated on the results of the necropsy.

 

[Chopper923]

Well, I found my little paralyzed one had passed away sometime in the night. I'm glad that she isn't suffering anymore. Not that I thought she was before, but she certainly wasn't living life as a normal healthy chicken.

 

[Chopper923]

We received some preliminary reports this morning.

Positive for:
Turkey Hemorragic Enteritis Virus
Avian Mycoplasma synoviae
Avian Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Negative for:
Infectious Bursal Disease Virus
Avian Pneumovirus
Infectious Bronchitis Virus
Avian Mycoplasma meleagradis

Any comments on this would be appreciated. I am reading a lot, but of course the scientific data is over my head. I will look over the resources provided on this site. I will be calling the lab shortly to ask a few questions...I do not see that they've tested for Marek's, but maybe that takes longer? (I was told it will take abput 3 weeks for final results.)

 

[Chopper923]

Copy of one of the reports