Advice anyone...please HELP!!!!

[tornduff]

I have a coop that is 6' by 12'. In the coop I have their roosting limbs, nesting boxes and a water bowl. I do have hay covering the ground, which is dirt. In the run is dirt also. I really didn't know about the DLM until now. The main reason why I'm just reading about it is because I started with 5 hens and 1 rooster and I have lost 2 chickens in 5 months and I think my black production "Glenda" has that Mareks, which my other two that died had it too. I know that this disease is untreatable and its airborne, however out of the first two I lost couple months apart why now is Glenda catching it? My breeder told me it may be the way I'm cleaning my coop. I'm not sure if I agree because I try not to move any hay or anything that has dust that can be breathed in by my chickens. If Glenda dies than I will be down to Delaware, Chenoa and Chimi (my rooster)...2 hens out of five in less than 6 months. This is so frustrating! I love my chickens so dearly and would love to get more but if this continues to happen than I don't want to go through this pain every couple months. I've been crying my eyes out...it hurts the worst the most because they are such innocent creatures. They would probably still be alive if I just left them with the breeder. Advice anyone please help!!!!!!!!!

 

[chicmom]

Hello and I'm so sorry you're having problems. What kind of symptoms have your chickens displayed? I am not familiar with the DLM term you've mentioned.

 

[tornduff]

Stands alone, doesn't seem to want to eat, wings relaxing, when I pick her up she seems like she has lost weight.
I had breakfast this morning with a friend that her family has raised chickens their whole life. I asked her to ask her father and I he helped me figure it out. About 1 month of me getting all my chickens my mother-in-law gave be this bail of hay that didn't look healthy. She said her horses didn't like it. It looked almost black, definitely was not green. At the time I had no clue that it would be bad for my chickens. Anyways, my friends father said it is the hay I have in their coop and run that is causing all my chickens to die. When they scratch at it it loosens up any bad dust and mold spores which they inhale and inevitably gets them sick. So to sum it up...I'm the one killing off my own chickens and didn't even know it.
So today I cleaned out every little piece if hay including in their nesting boxes. I do plan on putting pine shavings in their nesting boxes but I'm not sure if I want to put it in the rest of the coop and run.

 

[bucky52]

I have hay in my run and the hens nest.and my girls are very healthy.but now i may move it all out to be on the safe side.i don't want to take any chances with them.

 

[tornduff]

I cleaned out all the hold hay spraying it down with water in the process to help prevent any dust and tossed it all out. Then I cleaned out all the nesting boxes and washed those out real good and sprayed everything down in their coop to wash down all the dust. I went and got some fresh large pine shavings and put some down on the floor in their coop, nesting boxes and in the part of their run that is covered so it won't get wet. I also mixed some barn lime and stall dry and sprinkled that down every where coop and run to help keep everything fresh and dust free. I sure hope everything I have invested will help my problem.

 

[hispoptart]

sad you lost some chickens but sure glad you figured out the problem.

 

[tornduff]

I will never use hay again. I hope pine shavings don't hold dust and mold like hay does

 

[AlienChick]

Also, it would be a good idea to sprinkle some brewers yeast in their food for some extra vitamin B.
Or you can just add some vitamin B to their water.

 

[tornduff]

Alright...I don't know what's going on. One day I think its Meraks another day I read and it could be Cocci? Her are her symptoms. She is not eating as much, still eats some, stands away from the others, has diarrhea that is clearish to a white color, has lost weight, her wings don't look relaxed today. I am so lost any advice ?