Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Fancychooklady]

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Thanks guys, I know that testing is expensive. We take our parrots to Deborah Monks at Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service and I'm fairly sure she would do this testing for us if we asked. I would say that she only made that noise for maybe half an hour yesterday. But the fact that she made it all indicates possible illness is that right?
Not necessarily , she might have had something caught in her throat , without hearing it and knowing the exact circumstances we are just warning you of the possible dangers to your flock. Keep her quarantines with her buddies , watch her poops and for any signs of facial swelling or mucous . Unfortunately the only way to test for many avian diseases is a necropsy.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Sorry , I tried 3 times to post that and then it showed up.inside your quote. This site is really frustrating sometimes.

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Sorry , I tried 3 times to post that and then it showed up.inside your quote. This site is really frustrating sometimes.

That happens to me all the time. I appreciate your persistence hehe. They are both looking well and happy today, but staying separate obviously for a long while yet. Happily eating the grower pellets I have put out for them, and drinking plenty, so that is a positive. I did pick her up today and have a listen to make sure. My family have been good so far with the biosecurity. My youngest hasn't even been near them so far as she is usually on chick duty.

 

[MyHaven]

I quarantine for a minimum of 6 weeks, on the rare occasion that I bring birds into my flock. The sad thing is that there are hundreds of stories on this site about people loosing their entire flock as a result of one little weakness, not being vigilant. I know of people that sell birds even though they have had disease run through their flock and then plead ignorance. The safest way to add to your flock is by hatching them yourself.
It's a hard lesson to learn and I can only imagine how devastated you are about culling your birds, but keep warning people of the possible consequences of disease and you might just prevent it happening to others.

Thanks, I've been trying not to vent even when it was offered. When I read "she'd checked them" I heard warning bells. I too know of people who sell chickens when they know they carry disease. And I don't want to accuse anyone of doing that, but people do need to be warned of the possibility as you say.

What I am annoyed with myself for breaking my own rule of adding by hatch only. I have never added a bird before - ever. I just wanted a few different types and colours in a hurry.

It cut me up when I went to grab the little guys to cull and they ran to me to pick them up for a cuddle. My friend who helped, offered to do it all and let me stay away, but it is my fault and I owed it to them to be with them to the end. Someone else handling them would stress them more.

I'm not beating myself up - just taking responsibility.

 

[MyHaven]

Thanks guys, I know that testing is expensive. We take our parrots to Deborah Monks at Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service and I'm fairly sure she would do this testing for us if we asked. I would say that she only made that noise for maybe half an hour yesterday. But the fact that she made it all indicates possible illness is that right?

Deb is good, she did mine. Necropsy and two pathology panels will cost you about $600. I only had to do one panel because the two infections showed positive in the first.

None of my new birds showed any symptoms until after members of my flock got sick and that was after they were integrated.

 

[Ashburnham]

I quarantine for a minimum of 6 weeks, on the rare occasion that I bring birds into my flock. The sad thing is that there are hundreds of stories on this site about people loosing their entire flock as a result of one little weakness, not being vigilant. I know of people that sell birds even though they have had disease run through their flock and then plead ignorance. The safest way to add to your flock is by hatching them yourself.
It's a hard lesson to learn and I can only imagine how devastated you are about culling your birds, but keep warning people of the possible consequences of disease and you might just prevent it happening to others.

I only bring new stock onto my property as eggs. It is just too risky otherwise.

 

[appps]

Okay thoughts on what to do next please.

Colonel is so emancipated I can't believe she is still alive each morning. She is a faverolles but makes our runt silkie seem heavy in comparison.
Her crop is full each morning but is not hard at all, it's quite massagable. She is only doing squirts of liquid not pooping.

Winry seems well weight wise and her crop is empty in the morning but doesn't seem to be eating much other than dirt so I put her in with colonel in isolation. In the two days I've had her in there there hasn't been a single poop in their cage so I guess that means she is also only doing the squirmy poops same as colonel but we have just caught her earlier before loss of condition.

I am feeding them both cooked and then strained oats (so not gluggy like porridge) because that was the only thing after months got Carl on the road to recovery and oats help good gut bacteria breed and multiply. Poly aid plus and a chicken probiotic I found at the pet store all mixed with some of their regular feed that has been moistened first. Oh and a tablespoon of canola oil to mix with it to help keep it from going hard in the crop. I'm adding spark liquid for sick birds to their water.

Today winry is eating really well but colonel has regressed to puffed up and just drinking. I will take winry out shortly to give her a chance at the food by herself. Actually think I might try syringing straight poly aid plus.

Suggestions to get colonels crop moving? Crop bra? Nilstat cream in food in case it's gone fungal? Dying can be one thing slows the crop down so that could be the simple explanation for colonel?

Oh and to top it off noticed this morning that Al didn't really touch the food I put out for Carl and her, she has a bit of a peck then just went back to bed. Please not another one!

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Okay thoughts on what to do next please.

Colonel is so emancipated I can't believe she is still alive each morning. She is a faverolles but makes our runt silkie seem heavy in comparison.
Her crop is full each morning but is not hard at all, it's quite massagable. She is only doing squirts of liquid not pooping.

Winry seems well weight wise and her crop is empty in the morning but doesn't seem to be eating much other than dirt so I put her in with colonel in isolation. In the two days I've had her in there there hasn't been a single poop in their cage so I guess that means she is also only doing the squirmy poops same as colonel but we have just caught her earlier before loss of condition.

I am feeding them both cooked and then strained oats (so not gluggy like porridge) because that was the only thing after months got Carl on the road to recovery and oats help good gut bacteria breed and multiply. Poly aid plus and a chicken probiotic I found at the pet store all mixed with some of their regular feed that has been moistened first. Oh and a tablespoon of canola oil to mix with it to help keep it from going hard in the crop. I'm adding spark liquid for sick birds to their water.

Today winry is eating really well but colonel has regressed to puffed up and just drinking. I will take winry out shortly to give her a chance at the food by herself. Actually think I might try syringing straight poly aid plus.

Suggestions to get colonels crop moving? Crop bra? Nilstat cream in food in case it's gone fungal? Dying can be one thing slows the crop down so that could be the simple explanation for colonel?

Oh and to top it off noticed this morning that Al didn't really touch the food I put out for Carl and her, she has a bit of a peck then just went back to bed. Please not another one!

I don't have a suggestion but I am sorry! I hope it works out x

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Is it just me or has the change in season bought lots of chicken issues with it? It is with great sadness that I read about the illness and losses some of you are experiencing

I have been lucky in that both LuLu and Dusty were introduced to the flock but Dusty was 3 years ago and LuLu just over 2 years ago; since then, the only additions have been from hatches here.

Not that I am thinking of expanding at all, after all I have read, I really do think that via hatching eggs is going to be the method I use, no more introducing birds.

Having said that, if a hatch goes well, there will be chicks that I would need to rehome because I could not keep them all and some most likely would be roosters which I definitely can not keep. That is when the ‘what if’s’ start .. what if my flock are carriers of something that I do not know about? Am I passing that on to someone else? Even if I do not let any prospective new owners of the chicks near the flock, what if they do still manage to bring something nasty with them? I would feel bad not letting someone see the flock and that they are healthy and have good, clean accommodation. I know if I was picking up chicks I would want to see how they have been kept. If you pick up chicks at the front of a property, you would have no idea of what is out the back, there could be obviously sick birds or not so ideal conditions.

It is definitely a dilemma and hopefully one I will not have to consider for quite some time.

MyHaven it is with tears in my eyes that I type this, reading about your little guys was so very sad

I want to thank you for sharing your experience which has been an education for me and I am sure others.

appps I wish I had some great advice for you regarding Colonel, Winry and Carl but their issue is well out of my league. I do, however, have everything crossed that you can work out what is going on and resolve it

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Thanks, I've been trying not to vent even when it was offered. When I read "she'd checked them" I heard warning bells. I too know of people who sell chickens when they know they carry disease. And I don't want to accuse anyone of doing that, but people do need to be warned of the possibility as you say.

What I am annoyed with myself for breaking my own rule of adding by hatch only. I have never added a bird before - ever. I just wanted a few different types and colours in a hurry.

It cut me up when I went to grab the little guys to cull and they ran to me to pick them up for a cuddle. My friend who helped, offered to do it all and let me stay away, but it is my fault and I owed it to them to be with them to the end. Someone else handling them would stress them more.

I'm not beating myself up - just taking responsibility.

That would be naivety on my part, I am new to all things chickens. I have read a lot but obviously not enough! These pullets were from a place called City Chicks in Anstead. I am glad I read about quarantine though at least I have the option to not introduce then if it comes to be that one of them is unwell.

Appreciate all the advice. I'm not a breeder, just a "backyarder" and a new one so all the knowledge here is amazing and lovely of you all to share it freely.