Advice please?

[KIWI CHICK]

I recently sold some Brown Shaver pullets around about 20 weeks old to a friend of a friend of a friend. He has come back to me to say he wants some more as he has had deaths, but I don't want to sell him any more of my girls until he figures out what killed the last ones.

He had two existing hens, then got two from me, one at a time. I did try and resist selling them one at a time because of potential bullying. I think the deaths were the one I sold last week :-( and possibly one of his other ones. I have asked him to check their area for anything poisonous (rat bait/ plants etc) but I am stumped for any other ideas....and I need help please if anybody has any more ideas?

He denies that he has red mite in the house (it is the end of summer over here), nor does he think it was a dog attack or other predator. He says they looked a "little less energetic' for a couple of days and then he found them dead in the house.

They were vaccinated against Mareks disease, and seemed strong and healthy when they left here. I haven't had any deaths here (except for one very elderly lady aged at least 6 years old)

He feeds them layer's pellets each day, they have fresh water every day and he says he cleans out the house regularly.

He wants to come and get two more pullets to replace the ones who died, but not until we know what killed the previous ones!

 

[The Farm]

Let me get this right. He wants you to replace some of his that died?

 

[FluffyPuff]

He keeps them in his house? Or in a coop? I'm confused. If he keeps them In his house they probably ate some chemicals. If he keeps them in a coop.... And he is claiming that all that is true.... Then I recommend finding an excuse not to sell him more of your precious creatures. Something here seems fishy. perhaps he does not give them the care they need.

 

[KIWI CHICK]

I think he does, yes, but he will be paying for them! I know that they were good, strong, healthy pullets when they left here. I also know that the 'sisters' of the ones I sold him are running around my paddock as healthy as anything and laying well. I need to figure out what is causing them to die before he gets any more, I just am not prepared to sell him some more and then get another call saying they have died too!

I think it has to be poisoning of some kind. Whether they are drinking out of a water container that is contaminated, maybe he built the house out of timber treated for something, rat bait, toxic plants etc. It just has to be something that is at his place and not at mine!

 

[ten chicks]

It could be a coccidiosis outbreak/overload. Cocci is a parasitic infection of the intestinal tract,and can kill very fast. Some symptoms are:runny/watery poop(may or may not contain blood,depends on which strain it is)fluffed feathers,lethargic,not eating/drinking. Coccidiosis is spread by droppings which get into feed/water via droppings(spreads from bird to bird this way once exposed)is also spread by bringing new birds into flock(or new birds contracting overload from existing birds)hands/clothes/shoes/feed utensils/wild birds. Birds are only immune to the strains they have had prior exposure to.

If symptoms match purchase Corid(amprolium) or might be called Amprol(amprolium)depends where you live. Dose for Corid 9.6% liquid is 2 tsp per gallon of water,dose for Corid 20% powder is 1-1.5 tsp per gallon of water. Treat ALL birds for 5-7 days,make sure medicated water is their only source of drinking water. Do not give vitamins during treatment as they interfere with the ability of coccidiostat to work,give vitamins after treatment is complete.

 

[KIWI CHICK]

Oops, sorry FluffyPuff. When I said house, I meant the henhouse!

Actually it may be coccoidosis as the pullets are on layer's pellets now rather than medicated chicky crumble. That would probably make sense if he has put the coop/henhouse where a previous flock had been. I will ask him if they had bloody faeces.

 

[FluffyPuff]

Oh ok that makes so much more sense then keeping them in his house!

 

[ten chicks]

Oops, sorry FluffyPuff. When I said house, I meant the henhouse!

Actually it may be coccoidosis as the pullets are on layer's pellets now rather than medicated chicky crumble. That would probably make sense if he has put the coop/henhouse where a previous flock had been. I will ask him if they had bloody faeces.

Not all strains of coccidiosis has blood in poop,there are approx 11 strains and only 2 have blood in poop.

The new birds and his existing birds probably have been exposed to different strains,put the two together(as in new birds added to flock)and you now have different strains spreading from bird to bird via droppings.

 

[FluffyPuff]

What your seeing in their poop might not be blood at all. My chickens and many others have had a little redness in their poop but in fact this is not even close to blood, it's simply some bug, plant or something they ate. You might want to take a closer look at the droppings. If they were all getting infected then wouldn't there be bloody droppings in all of the them? I'm really not sure about your situation. You should tell him to separate his birds from the ones you sold him just incase.

 

[KIWI CHICK]

Thanks so much for your help. I have texted him with this and so will hear back from him shortly! Knew it had to be something environmental as all my girls are fine!