PurpleCArTires
Crowing
I apologize for the long story, but I'd like you to have the whole story.....
So I have had some bad luck lately. I've had 3 cockerals pass away with similar symptoms. I have lost one about once a month for the past 3 months (first was in July, then august, then today). So here is what is happening... Day one, they are totally fine, the next day, they are sorta puffed up and standing alone (this is when i notice them). Day 3, they are still sorta slow and alone, so i go to scoop them up and they don't run (which they normally would). I notice they are a little wobbly on their feet and put them in chicken hospital with some vitamins and special foods (eggs, and stuff). They look normal (eating, drinking, talking, normal comb, etc) other than seeming really weak/wobbly and very thin. The next stage has varied a bit, but usually within a week they stop moving and just lay around. The day before death the comb goes purple, they refuse to eat or drink, and the next day they are dead.
I decided to do an autopsy on the one who died today. Well i found some interesting things.
First off, not an ounce of meat on his poor little body (that's his outer thigh) :
He was obviously starving, although his crop was completely full (see crop and that is his CHEST!):
His heart was completely covered in this yellow flakey stuff:
Next his lungs had a little of the yellow flaky stuff:
Finally, he had these HUGE blood clots near his spine:
I checked his body for injuries and didn't find any bruises or broken bones.
His Liver looked good. The only thing that looked really large was the gall bladder?? (the green thing in this pic)
I am fearing Marek's Disease!!! I have never had such awful luck with Chickens Health. Everyone else seems totally healthy, i checked everyone for mites and nothing. These guys seemed totally healthy too... until they weren't
All 3 of these cockerals were from the same Daddy (an EE), different Moms. The first one was 4 months old, the last 2 were 5 months old.
Had anyone seen anything like this, or have any ideas what might have happened?
PS.... if it happens again, i do plan on sending them in for necropsy.
So I have had some bad luck lately. I've had 3 cockerals pass away with similar symptoms. I have lost one about once a month for the past 3 months (first was in July, then august, then today). So here is what is happening... Day one, they are totally fine, the next day, they are sorta puffed up and standing alone (this is when i notice them). Day 3, they are still sorta slow and alone, so i go to scoop them up and they don't run (which they normally would). I notice they are a little wobbly on their feet and put them in chicken hospital with some vitamins and special foods (eggs, and stuff). They look normal (eating, drinking, talking, normal comb, etc) other than seeming really weak/wobbly and very thin. The next stage has varied a bit, but usually within a week they stop moving and just lay around. The day before death the comb goes purple, they refuse to eat or drink, and the next day they are dead.
I decided to do an autopsy on the one who died today. Well i found some interesting things.
First off, not an ounce of meat on his poor little body (that's his outer thigh) :
He was obviously starving, although his crop was completely full (see crop and that is his CHEST!):
His heart was completely covered in this yellow flakey stuff:
Next his lungs had a little of the yellow flaky stuff:
Finally, he had these HUGE blood clots near his spine:
I checked his body for injuries and didn't find any bruises or broken bones.
His Liver looked good. The only thing that looked really large was the gall bladder?? (the green thing in this pic)
I am fearing Marek's Disease!!! I have never had such awful luck with Chickens Health. Everyone else seems totally healthy, i checked everyone for mites and nothing. These guys seemed totally healthy too... until they weren't
All 3 of these cockerals were from the same Daddy (an EE), different Moms. The first one was 4 months old, the last 2 were 5 months old.
Had anyone seen anything like this, or have any ideas what might have happened?
PS.... if it happens again, i do plan on sending them in for necropsy.
Last edited:
