Done :(

[aldanfac]

Hi guys… I have lost all hope and am bawling while I write this… my chickens have been dying one by one since I have got them… I am now suspecting mareks but I don’t know enough about it, i honestly am hoping anyone can help me figure this out. Some have shown symptoms of declining, others not at all and some hours before. It’s all the same they are lethargic and just overall don’t look ok. Today, I have a chicken who is most likely going to pass tonight, he can’t walk at all which makes me think mareks. He was (to my knowledge) COMPLETELY healthy this entire time.. I go out and check them daily 2x a day too so this came on QUICKLY. My girl big red passed this past week unexpected too her death was complete shock though, she was super super healthy and laying very well.. she had no symptoms at all.. all the others who have passed have had similar stories only 3 of them I knew the death was coming tho.. I know this has to be a disease or some crazy coincidence that they are eating something bad then dying but I’m more positive it’s some disease.. I have treated them over the past 4 months for EVERYTHING you can look up on these websites, Facebook groups, etc. I even did a complete check for water belly or impaction of some sort and there’s just NOTHING! My dad offered to get a necropsy done to figure it out and I’m going to go that route but this is killing me. Regardless I think I am going to sell/give away my surviving chickens to someone more capable then me.. I feel so bad and my heart just keeps breaking so much, I have too much empathy for animals so this is just honestly way harder on my mental health then I ever expected. Advice, tips, anything will help right now… especially if you have tips to help my dying chicken more comfortable I can’t even look at him without crying so hard.. I feel like I’ve failed them and they’re being tortured

 

[aldanfac]

Just to add— my dad had chickens when we were younger and things like this NEVER HAPPENED all the deaths were easily explained and understood. He think it’s because these chickens don’t get to free range… I know a lot of people don’t free range their chickens so I know this can’t be it but this is what my dad thinks… he also said the heat which made me mad because we aren’t even in that hot of weather (Maryland, USA). It’s got some days but nothing like TX or AZ..

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

Hi guys… I have lost all hope and am bawling while I write this… my chickens have been dying one by one since I have got them… I am now suspecting mareks but I don’t know enough about it, i honestly am hoping anyone can help me figure this out. Some have shown symptoms of declining, others not at all and some hours before. It’s all the same they are lethargic and just overall don’t look ok. Today, I have a chicken who is most likely going to pass tonight, he can’t walk at all which makes me think mareks. He was (to my knowledge) COMPLETELY healthy this entire time.. I go out and check them daily 2x a day too so this came on QUICKLY. My girl big red passed this past week unexpected too her death was complete shock though, she was super super healthy and laying very well.. she had no symptoms at all.. all the others who have passed have had similar stories only 3 of them I knew the death was coming tho.. I know this has to be a disease or some crazy coincidence that they are eating something bad then dying but I’m more positive it’s some disease.. I have treated them over the past 4 months for EVERYTHING you can look up on these websites, Facebook groups, etc. I even did a complete check for water belly or impaction of some sort and there’s just NOTHING! My dad offered to get a necropsy done to figure it out and I’m going to go that route but this is killing me. Regardless I think I am going to sell/give away my surviving chickens to someone more capable then me.. I feel so bad and my heart just keeps breaking so much, I have too much empathy for animals so this is just honestly way harder on my mental health then I ever expected. Advice, tips, anything will help right now… especially if you have tips to help my dying chicken more comfortable I can’t even look at him without crying so hard.. I feel like I’ve failed them and they’re being tortured

I definitely wouldn’t sell or give away your remaining chickens because if it is something like mareks, it would be devastating to pass that onto someone else and their flock. A necropsy is absolutely the best way to go about finding out what is wrong! Any chance you have metal things they’re eating or poisonous plants? So sorry for your losses and hopefully you can find out what is happening soon!

Just to add— my dad had chickens when we were younger and things like this NEVER HAPPENED all the deaths were easily explained and understood. He think it’s because these chickens don’t get to free range… I know a lot of people don’t free range their chickens so I know this can’t be it but this is what my dad thinks… he also said the heat which made me mad because we aren’t even in that hot of weather (Maryland, USA). It’s got some days but nothing like TX or AZ..

Unless your chickens are in crowded conditions, not free ranging would cause death like this. Do they have a minimum of 10-15 sq ft per bird in their run? My chickens don’t free range due to predators in my area and they’re perfectly healthy, however they have 70 sq ft each, chickens are perfectly fine with less space than mine, but should have no less than 10-15 sq ft each in their outdoor run.

 

[KelseyBoxer]

Take your Dads offer for necropsy. You can't treat/cure your flock without knowing what you are up against. This is so heartbreaking, I will keep you and your flock in my prayers.

 

[Kiki]

Get a necropsy done at your state lab so you can get a real answer. Look below in my signature and click on the link that says state labs to find your state lab.

 

[Mrs J]

https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vdl/colorado-avian-health-program/mareks-disease/
Here is something that might help you decide wether this is Mareks. Their are a lot of other illnesses that can mimic Mareks.

 

[HeritageFan]

Contact your local extensions office for a necropsy.
Avain influenza is also in your area.
But you can’t know what to do, until you know what is wrong...
I am so sorry for your losses.
(Hug emoji.... I don’t remember how to get it lol)

I didn’t do a deep dive. But there are people who can likely help you at the bottom of this page
https://extension.umd.edu/programs/...program-areas/animal-science/maryland-poultry

 

[User105877]

As hard as it is to watch them die, I would not give or sell because you do not want that to spread to somebody else's flock. How old are these chickens? If you can move them out of their current coop for a couple days I would do that and give a good thorough cleaning.

 

[aldanfac]

I definitely wouldn’t sell or give away your remaining chickens because if it is something like mareks, it would be devastating to pass that onto someone else and their flock. A necropsy is absolutely the best way to go about finding out what is wrong! Any chance you have metal things they’re eating or poisonous plants? So sorry for your losses and hopefully you can find out what is happening soon!


Unless your chickens are in crowded conditions, not free ranging would cause death like this. Do they have a minimum of 10-15 sq ft per bird in their run? My chickens don’t free range due to predators in my area and they’re perfectly healthy, however they have 70 sq ft each, chickens are perfectly fine with less space than mine, but should have no less than 10-15 sq ft each in their outdoor run.

Hi yes I did a thorough check for anything they could be eating, there is a holly tree near them which is toxic but they NEVER mess with it, no metal in there to my knowledge but building the coop and run I’m sure there could’ve been a staple dropped somewhere but no chance they’ve all eaten staples lol.. they have over 400 sq ft actually more probably I just can’t do the proper math right now lol but no less then 400. I do have one chicken in a smaller pen that’s probably only 70sq ft but she never has problems and she’s only there because she doesn’t get along with ANYONE! I’m at a loss with what is going on— my one chicken that I thought would pass hasent and his comb has gone purple.. thoughts?

 

[aldanfac]

As hard as it is to watch them die, I would not give or sell because you do not want that to spread to somebody else's flock. How old are these chickens? If you can move them out of their current coop for a couple days I would do that and give a good thorough cleaning.

They are different ages but the youngest are only 3 months about to be 4 and the oldest hen is 3 years+ unsure about her real age because I got her older. It’s hard to move them since I don’t have a good area for them to stay for a good amount of time but I have cleaned the coop deep cleaned 2x now, I also did an elector psp treatment deep clean a couple weeks back