Found my OEGB roo dead this morning.

[Hannahnic14]

My BB red old english game bantam roo was dead this morning. The only thing that looks odd is around his vent. It's green/bruised looking. There have been no cases of avian influenza in my state/area. All my other birds are fine. My 2 nieces came over Saturday and played with them. It is possible they squeezed him too hard etc as children do. Any thoughts? We are cutting him open now to see if there is anything amiss. He wasn't underweight, no mites, worms, or lice that I could find. They have been in a covered run for 2 months.

**Warning, poo pic**

His liver doesn't look normal. They have been on 30% protein gamebird feed for awhile. I have recently switched then to flock raiser. 22% protein.

No tumors, growths, or anything odd looking besides his liver.

 

[Mrs J]

@Wyorp Rock @azygous
I can’t help but I will be really interested to see what you find so I will be following.

 

[azygous]

The liver appears to be abnormal, enlarged with precancerous lesions or possible fatty liver. What could cause it is an avian virus such as lymphoid leucosis.

 

[Hannahnic14]

The liver appears to be abnormal, enlarged with precancerous lesions or possible fatty liver. What could cause it is an avian virus such as lymphoid leucosis.

What does that mean for the rest of my flock??? I haven't added any new birds since the fall. He was about 5-6 months old. From my research, he could have had it from his mom and it takes this long to mature correct?

 

[azygous]

That's correct. But we are only guessing. A laboratory necropsy is necessary for diagnosis.

I have this virus in my flock. Typically, a chick hatching from an LL flock won't live more than a year, and most die in the egg before hatch. I only have two that survived beyond that and are still living at six years. Most deaths from LL occur when a chick hatches from a hen that carries the disease. Other chicks brought in from another source and brooded by a hen with LL can get a heavy exposure of the virus from the hen as she covers them for several weeks. These chicks almost all die well before one year, as well.

On the brighter side, most adult chickens are able to develop resistance to the virus and live normal life spans.

 

[Hannahnic14]

That's correct. But we are only guessing. A laboratory necropsy is necessary for diagnosis.

I have this virus in my flock. Typically, a chick hatching from an LL flock won't live more than a year, and most die in the egg before hatch. I only have two that survived beyond that and are still living at six years. Most deaths from LL occur when a chick hatches from a hen that carries the disease. Other chicks brought in from another source and brooded by a hen with LL can get a heavy exposure of the virus from the hen as she covers them for several weeks. These chicks almost all die well before one year, as well.

On the brighter side, most adult chickens are able to develop resistance to the virus and live normal life spans.

Ok, good to know. So IF that's what it is, it's not an immediate death sentence to the rest of my flock? I have a 5 month old hen and a 1 year old trio of seramas in the same coop.

 

[azygous]

No. This does not mean all your chickens are doomed.

 

[azygous]

LL is a super common virus. Most vets and animal lab techs will tell you that most flocks carry it and most chickens are resistant.

 

[Hannahnic14]

LL is a super common virus. Most vets and animal lab techs will tell you that most flocks carry it and most chickens are resistant.

That great to know! Thank you! Sorry, I'm paranoid my flock is going to get some incurable disease that will wipe them out and make me not able to have chickens on my property ever again. (Yes, I am a very anxious person)

 

[azygous]

An LL flock is a normal flock except for breeding since embryo mortality is so high. We just buy our baby chicks.

Once you get new chicks, keep them out from under any adult hen so her viral load isn't transferred to the chicks. What they are exposed to on the floor of coops and runs is enough to help them develop resistance.

No chicken may be rehomed from the flock as you do not want to spread LL to other flocks. And you do not want to spread the virus by wearing the same shoes you wear in your run and coop to the feed store. This is how LL gets into other flocks. The virus lives several days on floors and can "walk" home on shoes.

The rules are simple. Get used to them and you will find no compelling reason to get anxious over it.