Dying birds

[Farmer Johnny]

Anybody see visceral gout? Is there a cure? Can I still eat my eggs? I've had three girls die in the last two weeks.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Maybe if you post on the ER forum you may get the best feedback - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/threads/add/forumId/10

Good luck
CT

 

[drumstick diva]

Please warn readers that you are posting very graphic photos. Some folks are very sensitive to seeing them. Have you shown those photos to a vet?

 

[Farmer Johnny]

I have. Our prognosis was the same. We're just baffled how it could have happened. Sorry the images are so graphic. I care a lot about my birds and I've lost 4 in two weeks.

It must have been the oyster shell. I tossed three, maybe four hand's full out, twice this past week and they ate it all. It was oyster shell I gathered off the beach and crushed myself. Could phosphorus come from feeding them too much scratch? I seriously spoil and pamper my birds. I might feed them scratch 2 - 4 times daily, spread out in the garden. They are in an extremely clean environment. I heat the hen house with an inferred light and there is a halogen that warms the outside coop. They always have food and clean water (It froze once, but I knocked it out). There is no feces on their perches, nor in their outside coop. I keep a lot of wood chips on the ground outside and straw on the inside to absorb that, and I change it out once a week.

I'm just stumped and that is where I feel bad.

 

[Farmer Johnny]

I have. We had the same prognosis and we're both baffled on how it could have happened....

It must have been the oyster shell I gave them. I tossed three, maybe four hand's full out twice this past week and they ate it all. It was oyster shell I gathered off the beach and crushed myself. Could Phosphorus come from feeding them too much scratch? I seriously spoil and pamper my birds. I might feed them scratch 2 - 4 times daily, spread out in the garden. They are in an extremely clean environment. I heat the hen house with an inferred light and there is a halogen that warms the outside coop. They always have food and clean water (It froze once, but I knocked it out). There is no feces on their perches, nor in their outside coop. I keep a lot of wood chips on the ground outside and straw on the inside to absorb that, and I change it out once a week.

I'm just stumped and that is where I feel bad.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas and

! Great to have you aboard. Sorry you have lost some your birds. Hopefully the folks in the ER sections can give you some ideas. Best of luck to you.

 

[N F C]

Sorry your having a problem, hopefully someone over on the emergencies forum can help you out.

Good luck!