Flock raiser

[lincolnsilkies]

i have a question i recently switched to purina flock raiser i was using a store brand because i cant find anything else around here not to many choices n e ways Lorretta my silver laced wyndotte started loosing weight she wasnt acting like herself at all she kinda waisted away and passed on tuesday now my Blk silkie is kinda not acting herself she's isnt as active as usual she is usually running around and now she is slower moving around my question is could it be the food? her crop is empty i treated them with seven i'm going to worm them Valbazen i havent noticed any worms whats so ever but i would rather be safe than sorry. any help would be great thank you.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I feed FR almost exclusively and my birds do great on it. If it was a fast change over that may have something to do with it though...

You won't see worms in the stool unless they have a HUGE parasite load. Good luck!!

 

[debid]

Unless the feed was molded or otherwise contaminated, I don't see how it could cause the problem you're describing. And if it were contaminated, I'd think that all of the birds would have symptoms. The rapid change causing a problem relies on it being so radically different from what they were eating before that they don't recognize it as food. If it's in the feeder they've always eaten from, I'd think they would accept it. And one bird doing fine after the switch but then declining? That doesn't sound like the feed either. No, I think a contagious illness is much more likely.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
Agreed. If they don't feel good, they often don't have the energy to eat or drink. That would explain the empty crop.

I suggest you contact your county extension agent, in the phone book under county government, and find out what it takes in your state to get a chicken necropsy (autopsy) In some states it is not real expensive, but that depends on the state. Then if you lose another one, you can take it in properly preserved and they can tell you what killed it. Then you will know what you are up against.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. It is not easy as too many of us know from experience.