Consolidated Kansas

[FondofChicks]

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Not looking right now. Worried about the rest of my girls. The gold sex-link has not laid now since Saturday. (Could be due to anything but is a symptom if a layer develops mereks My other americana is a bit younger than the one I just lost and from the same breeder so waiting to see if she develops symptoms. IF they get sick I may just cull them, give it up for the winter and get some chicks in the spring.

Sharol: Thanks, It wasn't easy for me at all but had to be done.

 

[mikeksfarmer]

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I am very sorry for you loss. I know how special each one of my birds are. Are you certan this was Mereks disease? The value here is you have stimulated conversation that all chicken husbanders need to consider. Yesterday a friend and I discussed the value of medicated feed. Any one here use medicated feed?

 

[OzawkieBantams]

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I am very sorry for you loss. I know how special each one of my birds are. Are you certan this was Mereks disease? The value here is you have stimulated conversation that all chicken husbanders need to consider. Yesterday a friend and I discussed the value of medicated feed. Any one here use medicated feed?

Yes sorry for your loss. Mike I got busy with the new ducklings I forgot too ask that question.
So what purpose does the medicated feed serve? Is it only treat worms, coughs, colds, runny nose?

 

[Katy]

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I am very sorry for you loss. I know how special each one of my birds are. Are you certan this was Mereks disease? The value here is you have stimulated conversation that all chicken husbanders need to consider. Yesterday a friend and I discussed the value of medicated feed. Any one here use medicated feed?

The only medicated feed I have seen contains Amprol/amprolium which is a preventative to help control coccidiosis not any bacterial or viral diseases. I start all my chicks out on medicated starter, but after that I don't provide any meds. If a chicken appears ill it is culled. Since a lot of chicken diseases are viral, antibiotics do nothing for them except the secondary symptoms but leaves them carriers to continue to infect other birds with no immunity to that disease.

 

[ChooksChick]

First, I'm sooooooo sorry about your loss- it's very difficult when we care so much!

The paralysis is likely Marek's or perhaps a debilitating malabsorption issue that can be strictly due to a deficiency. I encourage you to send your bird to K-State so you can stop worrying. They do it for a $7 disposal fee and generally don't even bill that. A gross necropsy is all you need in order to know if it was Mareck's.

The form is here and you just fill out the owner/breeder part, then Fill in the animal part with Chicken, Gallus, (breed sex age), then mark Whole Body, then Necropsy Only, and then fill out the info on what happened, how it progressed, and that you need to know if your other birds are at risk.

Write and highlight that you want to be contacted prior to necropsy completion, and they'll call you so you can tell them to go further with tests if they can't determine a cause. Make certain you put a number where you'll be easily reached right there, as well as at the top.

They are very nice and helpful.


Medicated feed is used at Beak House Hens only in the way of chick starter with Amprolium- but it should be noted that that is only valuable if the chicks are exposed to soil.

Amprolium is a Thiamine blocker and interrupts the reproduction process of Coccidia. If the chick is in an environment where it isn't exposed to any dirt or natural materials like logs (I put a log or two in the brooder for them to pick at and hop on) they won't have exposure to the Coccidia and thus no need for the meds. There is benefit to giving them a hunk of sod in the brooder, etc.- that exposure WITH the Amprolium treated feed will give them the immunity or resistance to the Coccidia that they need over just a bit of time. It's not medication in that it treats the chicken, rather the medication in it is interrupting the parasite's ability to overwhelm the chick's intestinal system, thereby giving the chick's body a chance to learn to defend itself. A chick kept inside without Amprolium-treated feed and kept in a clean dry litter will have some resistance if kept off of soil until 12-18 weeks, too, by virtue of size and being a more robust animal. It's easier to use the feed.


Regarding the antibiotic-laced feed one can get, I don't use it. I don't allow birds to get ill with pathogenic illness and remain in my flock. In theory. It's never happened. I've had injuries and whatnot, but I send birds off to K-State to eliminate any doubt as to cause, and I practice very strict biosecurity. I'm full-on paranoid.

 

[FondofChicks]

I am sure it was Mereks. I'm no vet but have done a LOT of reading on it since my bird became ill. There are varieties of Mereks with symptoms of tumors, lesions, blindness and paralysis. Paralysis seems to be the most common. Mine started with a limp and wing drop on Sunday. By that evening she had balance issues where she would fall over while standing at the feeder, but she could get up with a little struggle. By Monday evening paralysis was in both legs. Wing drop was not noticeable but then she really did not move either wing except a little when she tried to walk. It was a VERY drunken walk of about a foot in length and she would fall over and roll onto her back. She could not right herself. For two days, twice a day, I would hold her up by her feeder and waterer so she could eat/drink. I had her in 2'x2' box. She pretty much didn't move, just sat in her poop which would paste up and had to be removed. She could kick her legs but had no real control. If she would move them she would slide over on to her side. She had no control over anything below her neck. I gave her until Wednesday evening in hopes the paralysis was transient. But in transient cases the chicken often dies from tumors.
I did not cut her open to look for tumors. Nor did I take her to a vet as I have blown my wife's idea of a chicken budget and did not want to push it with a vet bill for a dead bird. And I need to buy a few things as I still intend to start building a nicer coop, more winter worthy and a little bigger. Going to put the new on on large casters I bought on Craigslist with 10 inch tires. Building a pen too under my deck so my coop and run will be practically invisible to my neighbors except when I let them run the yard.
I don't know much about medicated feed except I did feed it to my chickens when I first got them as it was the only grower feed at the store. I think it is just sort of a preventative to avoid some minor illnesses.

 

[FondofChicks]

Chookschick: Thanks for the information but I already buried the bird. Will do that if the rest of my girls become ill. Your message posted while I was typing mine.

 

[Ivywoods]

Fondofchicks--so sorry about your chicken. I always hate to loose any of them, but it seems inevitable.

Chookschick- Where the heck is Larry, KS? I looked at maps and online. No such place. Then I figured it out.

I just put 25 black copper marans eggs in the incubator yesterday. I'll be happy if any of them hatch. I'm not sure my rooster is getting the job done, plus a few other variables.

 

[Katy]

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Larry=Lawrence

Took me awhile to get it too!!

Good luck with your hatch. I used to hatch year round, but didn't last year and it was kind of nice for a change.

 

[Naughty]

Sorry to hear about losing your chick - it is very sad to lose a bird that is also a pet.