Hey all, I’ve recently had a number of birds coke up sick due to suspected ingesting of botulism.
This is suspected due to a recent pullet, who was predominantly ingesting the fallen apples, came up sick with one droopy wing that after a day or two led to another. Before this pullet came up sick, I had two others from that group (the mini sub-flock within the main flock that goes by the Apple/pear trees most of the day) come up sick with similar signs for the second one; one droppy wing leading to another, unwilling/unable to lift their head, lethargic, lack of appetite/thirst. The only difference is that the third chicken to pass seemed to be less lethargic than the second one, who had gone lame on his one leg and then switched between what one was lame with lethargy. All of the chickens who have shown these signs have had to be culled due to how bad they get.
That all being said, I have another pullet who has come up lame on one leg.
She’s the fourth one to show similar signs to them all but is able to pick her head up and has the most appetite to eat in a whole day or two after doing an Epsom salt soak. This pullet has had a poppy vent area recently that is very foul smelling, but before the other night she was able to get onto the perch and was acting perfectly normal just a poopy butt. She’s very fluffy and I didn’t get the smell until later after it had piled up on her rear feathers (she’s extremely fluffy).
She was hatched 04MAY, making her just over 6 months old. She has not lain an egg yet as she is a true Ameraucana breed.
What worries me for this pullet is how different she’s acting? The others who went lame didn’t have their leg like this and also did not have a green/blue abdomen (I’ll provide photos). As of yesterday the same wing on the side of the lame leg has started to droop a little but she can still move it if needed.
Could she have an egg stuck and be needing to lay it? Or should I still be worried about Botulism toxicity in her as she is from that same mini sub-flock?
Thank you in advance, I do hope she can make it but if she is also to be culled I understand.
This is suspected due to a recent pullet, who was predominantly ingesting the fallen apples, came up sick with one droopy wing that after a day or two led to another. Before this pullet came up sick, I had two others from that group (the mini sub-flock within the main flock that goes by the Apple/pear trees most of the day) come up sick with similar signs for the second one; one droppy wing leading to another, unwilling/unable to lift their head, lethargic, lack of appetite/thirst. The only difference is that the third chicken to pass seemed to be less lethargic than the second one, who had gone lame on his one leg and then switched between what one was lame with lethargy. All of the chickens who have shown these signs have had to be culled due to how bad they get.
That all being said, I have another pullet who has come up lame on one leg.
She’s the fourth one to show similar signs to them all but is able to pick her head up and has the most appetite to eat in a whole day or two after doing an Epsom salt soak. This pullet has had a poppy vent area recently that is very foul smelling, but before the other night she was able to get onto the perch and was acting perfectly normal just a poopy butt. She’s very fluffy and I didn’t get the smell until later after it had piled up on her rear feathers (she’s extremely fluffy).
She was hatched 04MAY, making her just over 6 months old. She has not lain an egg yet as she is a true Ameraucana breed.
What worries me for this pullet is how different she’s acting? The others who went lame didn’t have their leg like this and also did not have a green/blue abdomen (I’ll provide photos). As of yesterday the same wing on the side of the lame leg has started to droop a little but she can still move it if needed.
Could she have an egg stuck and be needing to lay it? Or should I still be worried about Botulism toxicity in her as she is from that same mini sub-flock?
Thank you in advance, I do hope she can make it but if she is also to be culled I understand.
