chickens dieing

[snywalker]

I need some advice. This year we are having problems with chickens dieing when we move them to the backyard.

The first time it happened, it was chickens that I had bought who were about 5 months old. We had them in the front yard for a month to make sure they were healthy. Then when we moved them to a new coop, that was near our old coop (to let everyone get to know each other), and they started dieing. I couldn't pay the $160 to have a necropsy done.

Now we moved our "chicks" to the back yard. And the same thing is happening. They are 6 months old and have been here the whole time. We moved their coop from the front yard to the back yard. We did not put them near where the others were. The area that I put them in has never had poultry (well at least the last 11 years, I don't know about before that). Other than free ranging.

We have had poultry here for 6 years. We did not get any new birds last year, but we did have a few unexplained deaths during the winter. But they were older hens, so I don't know if it started then.

They start to act drowsy, and then die by the next day (usually within a few hours).

I don't know what to do. All I can think is maybe a wild bird brought a disease. But then I wouldn't know how to fix the yard. We live in Michigan if that is important.

 

[theuglychick]

Have you had any act drowsy and survive?

 

[snywalker]

Have you had any act drowsy and survive?

I think 2 have, maybe 3. One acted drowsy yesterday and this morning, but had perked up tonight (don't know about survival yet)

And we had one survive out of 7 in August. He never got really drowsy, just more like sad or depressed. He was that way for a few days, then just seemed fine.

Our main rooster also acted drowsy for one day since then. But he only acted different for a few hours.

 

[theuglychick]

Going by the age and symptoms my guess would be mareks disease. It usually strikes at 5-6 months. Most die after onset of symptoms. Some seem to recover then die suddenly later, but a few do survive.

 

[snywalker]

Going by the age and symptoms my guess would be mareks disease. It usually strikes at 5-6 months. Most die after onset of symptoms. Some seem to recover then die suddenly later, but a few do survive.

How do they get it? And is it something they always carry, or will always be in our land? What can I do? If I moved, could I take my birds when this is all over?

 

[snywalker]

I looked it up. And it looks like it is terrible news if they do have it. I am very upset right now. I will probably just have to pay to find out for sure. Then I will cry.

 

[theuglychick]

I looked it up. And it looks like it is terrible news if they do have it. I am very upset right now. I will probably just have to pay to find out for sure. Then I will cry.

It's not all bad news. It's nothing you could have prevented, even with a "vaccine." Trust me! I'm speaking from experience after losing over a quarter of my small flock to mareks and mycoplasma gallisepticum from wild birds. You have some birds that are surviving and that is good news. You can use those to breed from because those are more resistant and will likely have babies that are more resistant. Many breeders on here breed for resistance, which means they let nature take its course with the ones that are susceptible and keep and breed from the ones that survive or never show symptoms. Best of luck with it.

 

[snywalker]

It's not all bad news. It's nothing you could have prevented, even with a "vaccine." Trust me! I'm speaking from experience after losing over a quarter of my small flock to mareks and mycoplasma gallisepticum from wild birds. You have some birds that are surviving and that is good news. You can use those to breed from because those are more resistant and will likely have babies that are more resistant. Many breeders on here breed for resistance, which means they let nature take its course with the ones that are susceptible and keep and breed from the ones that survive or never show symptoms. Best of luck with it.

I know. But I can't sell birds then. And the roosters seem to be what is surviving. This weekend I lost a lavender Ameraucana pullet.

My kids are really sad. And I feel like we are now just waiting to see who doesn't die.