Broiler with breathing problems?

[daisybelle]

I have 25 broilers that are almost 6 weeks old. I had one die last week, I believe from "flip" syndrome. Found it on its back in the morning. Now I have one that is not moving/eating or drinking. It opens its mouth and breathes hard. Its eyes are closed and feathers ruffled. Both of these chicks were always much smaller than the others, kind of like runts. I was planning on culling the sick looking one tonight, but not sure if it will be safe to eat? It doesn't have watery eyes, fluid or snot around its face. Has anyone seen this before? Is it safe to eat? All the other birds seem healthy.

 

[jdw]

we just finished 25 broilers and when we received them as chicks we were sent three extra i suspect because we had three runts .there were three that were visibly smaller and remained always smaller.at four and a half weeks we lost the final runt.they all died the way yours did. they all had a hard time breathing and then i would return to find one dead.it was kind of strange they didnt develop the way the others did.

 

[Dogfish]

Time to cull it. Let me guess, the comb isn't bright red, more of a purplish red. Cull it now, clean it, let it rest a day or two, and have dinner.

 

[WVDan44]

feel it's craw. If the craw is hard as a lump of clay, it may have impacted craw. I had one same way at 5 wks old. I went ahead and processed it. Vet could perform surgery if not too late, but is it worth it?...maybe for a show chicken or a beloved pet, but not a meat bird perhaps.

 

[jessicayarno]

I wouldn't eat it.. I had to cull one the other day with CHF (same symptoms as yours).. I cut it open and it was filled with fluid..YUCK

.. If I know an animal is sick I am not going to eat it, that is disgusting and unhealthy to me JMO.. I fed mine to my dogs..

 

[daisybelle]

Thanks for all your replies. We did cull it last night. It was completely blue and suffering. I didn't think we should eat it either, so it went to my neighbors wild cat for dinner. At least it didn't go to waste!

 

[diggerthechickenman]

i agree i don't think i would eat it either

 

[MeatKing]

Quote:
Ours go to the processer, that has a governement Food inspection dude there.. The fluid thing just happened to one of our birds..And they failed it, for consumtion. This is number 2 out of over 200 living that went and didn't pass.. (We have had loses before going..)