Dying chickens

[pookeyjo]

HELP! Last spring/summer I bought baby chicks from a local farm store and I have lost EVERY single one of them including the couple that I bought from a local farm in which she said she had no issues at all with any of her chickens. Right when they started to lay they would start limping, then they couldn't walk. I would separate them baby them a long, but in the end it didn't matter. I had over 30 chickens gone in 1 years' time. Right away we thought Marek's disease so I started calling vets and ended up visiting with the Vet at ISU. So was so kind and showed me how to fill out the correct paperwork to get a necropsy, but they all got sick and would die more sudden than the first ones so I never made it to ISU, which BTW was not expensive at about $50 with free euthanization if needed. Now some of my younger, non-pullets, are starting to die. I bought new pullets vaccinated this time, and so far at 4 months old I have already lost 2 to the same things. We changed our feed after we read their were feed issues and now we have ours ground at a local feed store hoping this helps as our egg production drastically dropped in July. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[TJAnonymous]

Have you actually had a necropsy done? What did it say?

Can you provide details on your coop & run setup?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Right when they started to lay they would start limping, then they couldn't walk

Sounds like Marek's.. could also be leukoid lymphosis or a few other things.

I bought new pullets vaccinated this time, and so far at 4 months old I have already lost 2 to the same things

Vaccinated chicks must be quarantined for at least two weeks.. true quarantine is SO hard to achieve at an average home.. Marek's travels pretty far.

The vaccine must also be given porperly at the right time.. and does NOT prevent the disease but only HIDES the symtptoms.

Either you strain is VERY very virulant or you also have something else going on..

Sorry for you loss.

 

[pookeyjo]

Have you actually had a necropsy done? What did it say?

Can you provide details on your coop & run setup?

I have not made it for a necropsy yet. I have had the same area for about 3 years now and last year was the first time I experienced issues. This is our 9th year with chickens so not new to this, but what is happening is new. Our building is an old grainery that we completely gutted with plenty of outside area. The water and feed are inside and we clean the waterers about every 3rd or 4th day (never an issue in the past).

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

HELP! Last spring/summer I bought baby chicks from a local farm store and I have lost EVERY single one of them including the couple that I bought from a local farm in which she said she had no issues at all with any of her chickens. Right when they started to lay they would start limping, then they couldn't walk. I would separate them baby them a long, but in the end it didn't matter. I had over 30 chickens gone in 1 years' time. Right away we thought Marek's disease so I started calling vets and ended up visiting with the Vet at ISU. So was so kind and showed me how to fill out the correct paperwork to get a necropsy, but they all got sick and would die more sudden than the first ones so I never made it to ISU, which BTW was not expensive at about $50 with free euthanization if needed. Now some of my younger, non-pullets, are starting to die. I bought new pullets vaccinated this time, and so far at 4 months old I have already lost 2 to the same things. We changed our feed after we read their were feed issues and now we have ours ground at a local feed store hoping this helps as our egg production drastically dropped in July. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

The limp being a common thread indicates neurological issues caused mold toxins.


If they forage freely, there could be something that they get into that is moldy. Moldy food contains toxins that do not go away with cooking. They leave residue in soil and can build up in food pans. There are a number of herbs that can clear the toxins. I used Papaya extract, Milk Thistle, Sea Buckthorn, Licorice Root, and NAC. It save 2 out of 3. Of the two it saved, one still limps. The neurological damage may be permanent. But either way, it took 2 months for the first one to stop limping. It may just be a matter of time.

 

[BastyPutt]

and does NOT prevent the disease but only HIDES the symtptoms.

Didn't know this but I absolutely believe it. Not to mention, the prevalence of Mareks and the uptick in backyard flocks is probably leading to severely mutated strains that the vaccine doesn't take into account.

 

[BastyPutt]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/

Very good article (I mean super good) that sounds like what you are going through

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Sounds like Marek's.. could also be leukoid lymphosis or a few other things.

Vaccinated chicks must be quarantined for at least two weeks.. true quarantine is SO hard to achieve at an average home.. Marek's travels pretty far.

The vaccine must also be given porperly at the right time.. and does NOT prevent the disease but only HIDES the symtptoms.

Either you strain is VERY very virulant or you also have something else going on..

Sorry for you loss.

I seriously have to research this. I was already blindsided finding out the coccidiosis vaccine isn't a vaccine, but a preventative treatment good for about 6 months.

Why tell us it's a vaccine if it doesn't prevent the illness. I'm getting pretty upset by my chooks just dropping dead with no symptoms. Especially after I spent time and money cleaning, spraying, dipping, and administering individual oral doses to 40 chickens for a week.

 

[mmatlock]

The limp being a common thread indicates neurological issues caused mold toxins.


If they forage freely, there could be something that they get into that is moldy. Moldy food contains toxins that do not go away with cooking. They leave residue in soil and can build up in food pans. There are a number of herbs that can clear the toxins. I used Papaya extract, Milk Thistle, Sea Buckthorn, Licorice Root, and NAC. It save 2 out of 3. Of the two it saved, one still limps. The neurological damage may be permanent. But either way, it took 2 months for the first one to stop limping. It may just be a matter of time.

Hi! I am trying to problem solve some limping chickens, and i am curious about mold. I can't find any evidence of mold in the coop, feed or run. Could you share more about the treatments you use?

 

[Mason Farm and Ranch]

Hi! I am trying to problem solve some limping chickens, and i am curious about mold. I can't find any evidence of mold in the coop, feed or run. Could you share more about the treatments you use?

Is your flock vaccinated for Marek's?