I am new to owning chickens! A few weeks ago, we ordered a flock of day old chicks from Murray McMurray hatchery with 23 chicks 19 different breeds within that batch (3 Americanas and 2 blue red laced wyandottes. The rest are all singles, no duplicates). Anyway, before we got them I was researching gluten free diets bc my 4.5 year old son is severely allergic (causes vomiting) and I read how people have raised chicks on gf homemade non commercial feed. I bought 14 different seeds, grains, legumes, lentils, peas, etc ALL Organic, and ground it in a bullet type blender so that some of the beans, seeds etc were tiny fine specks, left sesame seeds and millet (I think that was the tiny round balls) and such unground up, lightly blended the oats and barley and sunflower seeds to tiny crumbles, etc. not a powder but not big choking chunks.
I also use our well water that has no chlorine and is filtered through a reverse osmosis system and I add the vitamin mineral chick starter electrolyte purchased from mmh in their water, which I change twice a day. A couple times I added probiotic to their water as well. Other than that they have a big brooder box, lamp area they can get close to or get away from, and after two weeks we added two low perches a few inches off the ground.
I love these chicks more than any pet I've ever owned. I think they are the coolest, most beautiful creatures and my heart is being shredded by what has happened...
A little over a week ago we had tropical storm rains flood our 1.3 acres and our driveways were left with puddles and dozens of earth worms. My sons found them and asked if they could feed the chicks the worms. I figured its something their mother would do, so I allowed it. They found so many (that after they fed the chicks around 15/20 id guess) I told them to put them in a bucket w soil from the yard bc I didn't want the chicks to over feed on them. The next morning the bucket smelled of putrefying, rotting fish. My son had already fed a worm or two before I realized many of the worms were already dead w several inches of water sitting above the soil level. We tossed the bucket but it was too late.
Now I have to back up a but for a moment. On the fourth day of owning chicks (way before we fed them worms) our Buff Orpington Goldilocks was found dead in the brooder first thing in the am. She was laying on her side near the food, eyes open, no wounds. We cried, made her a casket, had a funeral, it was very emotional.
On day 10, 11 and the one worm on morning 12 they were fed the worms sitting in the puddles of stagnant warm water in hot hot weather. On days 12-13 Shakira, our Columbian Wyandotte, acted disoriented, when all her sisters ran to food, she looked around confused. She seemed to have no appetite. On day 14 Shakira could not stand. Her legs were completely mush to her, like made of Jelly, though she could curl her toes, just no strength at all (They did not slide open like spraddle leg, they were crippled like) On day 15 I removed her from her sisters stepping on her or pecking her. I held her a lot and hand fed her. On day 16 I started giving her water via infant medicine dropper and added antibiotics to her water and all the others water thinking they got botulism from the putrid water, worms, dirt (some research says it can be ingested thru invertebrates in stagnant marshy waters in warm temperatures. But i cant find any cures or medicinal treatments other than antibiotics which may not even help. By the third day if paralysis, she was breathing so hard, laying on her side, her crop under throat was so engorged (maybe from me overwatering her??) and she began breathing hard from an open beak constantly trembling. The next day she slept almost all day, in my hands near my heart for many hours. I noticed her fuzz was growing thin, especially around her wings, which is another sign of botulism (feathers fall out from the nerve damage). That night I feared her suffering would only lead to a long painful, unnecessary dragged out death so my husband mercy killed her. I cried and cried and cried bc I felt this was all my fault.
The next evening, day 18 we let all of the chicks free range for maybe 20 mins in our yard (with all of us around to keep an eye on them. I hated that I had fed them toxic worms, hated that my mistake killed shakira and hated the idea of antibiotics destroying all of the good bacteria in their digestive tracks but hoped it might save the flock!
Today is day 19 and the chicks seem to sleep more than usual today. By afternoon, Bindi, our black Australorp is unable to stand! it is killing me to think she's going to suffer next and die , or have to be killed, and will my entire flick go down the same way? I know it's not Meriks bc they were all vaccinated against it. Could the botulism worms still be affecting them after all these days??
Is there anything else I can do to save these babies from such a terrible, terrible death?? They have neck and head control when their legs go out, but after time they just lay on their sides, breathing fast, trembling. It's so freaken sad! I'm just devastated over this and the workers at the feed store have never heard of this, asked if their food is moldy which it's not, and said my son probably injured the first one who became paralyzed. Now that its is happening to another one (which he's never touched) I know it's not him. Could it be the gluten free / soy free organic diet I'm giving them? I do sprinkle chick grit over their food too. Oh and I've added 1 teaspoon molasses to their water.
Pics to follow!
Any advise on if this is botulism or any treatment PLEASE share! Thank you!!
I also use our well water that has no chlorine and is filtered through a reverse osmosis system and I add the vitamin mineral chick starter electrolyte purchased from mmh in their water, which I change twice a day. A couple times I added probiotic to their water as well. Other than that they have a big brooder box, lamp area they can get close to or get away from, and after two weeks we added two low perches a few inches off the ground.
I love these chicks more than any pet I've ever owned. I think they are the coolest, most beautiful creatures and my heart is being shredded by what has happened...
A little over a week ago we had tropical storm rains flood our 1.3 acres and our driveways were left with puddles and dozens of earth worms. My sons found them and asked if they could feed the chicks the worms. I figured its something their mother would do, so I allowed it. They found so many (that after they fed the chicks around 15/20 id guess) I told them to put them in a bucket w soil from the yard bc I didn't want the chicks to over feed on them. The next morning the bucket smelled of putrefying, rotting fish. My son had already fed a worm or two before I realized many of the worms were already dead w several inches of water sitting above the soil level. We tossed the bucket but it was too late.
Now I have to back up a but for a moment. On the fourth day of owning chicks (way before we fed them worms) our Buff Orpington Goldilocks was found dead in the brooder first thing in the am. She was laying on her side near the food, eyes open, no wounds. We cried, made her a casket, had a funeral, it was very emotional.
On day 10, 11 and the one worm on morning 12 they were fed the worms sitting in the puddles of stagnant warm water in hot hot weather. On days 12-13 Shakira, our Columbian Wyandotte, acted disoriented, when all her sisters ran to food, she looked around confused. She seemed to have no appetite. On day 14 Shakira could not stand. Her legs were completely mush to her, like made of Jelly, though she could curl her toes, just no strength at all (They did not slide open like spraddle leg, they were crippled like) On day 15 I removed her from her sisters stepping on her or pecking her. I held her a lot and hand fed her. On day 16 I started giving her water via infant medicine dropper and added antibiotics to her water and all the others water thinking they got botulism from the putrid water, worms, dirt (some research says it can be ingested thru invertebrates in stagnant marshy waters in warm temperatures. But i cant find any cures or medicinal treatments other than antibiotics which may not even help. By the third day if paralysis, she was breathing so hard, laying on her side, her crop under throat was so engorged (maybe from me overwatering her??) and she began breathing hard from an open beak constantly trembling. The next day she slept almost all day, in my hands near my heart for many hours. I noticed her fuzz was growing thin, especially around her wings, which is another sign of botulism (feathers fall out from the nerve damage). That night I feared her suffering would only lead to a long painful, unnecessary dragged out death so my husband mercy killed her. I cried and cried and cried bc I felt this was all my fault.
The next evening, day 18 we let all of the chicks free range for maybe 20 mins in our yard (with all of us around to keep an eye on them. I hated that I had fed them toxic worms, hated that my mistake killed shakira and hated the idea of antibiotics destroying all of the good bacteria in their digestive tracks but hoped it might save the flock!
Today is day 19 and the chicks seem to sleep more than usual today. By afternoon, Bindi, our black Australorp is unable to stand! it is killing me to think she's going to suffer next and die , or have to be killed, and will my entire flick go down the same way? I know it's not Meriks bc they were all vaccinated against it. Could the botulism worms still be affecting them after all these days??
Is there anything else I can do to save these babies from such a terrible, terrible death?? They have neck and head control when their legs go out, but after time they just lay on their sides, breathing fast, trembling. It's so freaken sad! I'm just devastated over this and the workers at the feed store have never heard of this, asked if their food is moldy which it's not, and said my son probably injured the first one who became paralyzed. Now that its is happening to another one (which he's never touched) I know it's not him. Could it be the gluten free / soy free organic diet I'm giving them? I do sprinkle chick grit over their food too. Oh and I've added 1 teaspoon molasses to their water.
Pics to follow!
Any advise on if this is botulism or any treatment PLEASE share! Thank you!!
