help please

[GRHoward]

ok this all started last fall when the neighbors dogs killed all but 2 of my Rhode Island Reds,dogs are dealt with now.I grew up on a farm and have been around chickens all my life but guess i have been lucky and never seen a diease out break untill I just got my new chicks the 6 of Feb.they came from a hatchery that I have bought chickens and ducks from and never had any problems before.upon getting my chicks opened box 1 dead ok no big deal that happens,but the rest were never right,started them with medicated chick starter keep them indoors in a brooder kept tem right on the money,they started feathering what seemed to me to be in hyper drive,then I noticed some of them walked like they were drunk, but ate and watered well,but some gained weight some didnt, now about half of the 17 just stay hunckered down with ruffled feathers not wanting to eat or drink and when they do move they run cause they cant walk very well.well I called the hatchery and they are sending me some more they are doing me right but after some research I kinda thought maybe it was mercks but hatchery said no way it only effect 3 to 4 month old chickens but after reading alot on the net it seems that it does hit chicks, trying to figure this out so I can call them back and have the new ones vacinated,does this sound like cocid. however you spell it plz help trying to get my flock started back.I havent had any of them just outright die,but I have had to put 4 down because I cant stand seeing them suffer when I know they arent going to survive.nursery says they think they had a ruff time during shipping but Im not buying that now,at first I did but I know a sick chick when I see one, I just need to know what kinda diease this is...

 

[seminolewind]

The chicks dying of Marek's is highly unlikely. My guess since one arrived dead and the others are allsick looking, is that they got cold. I'm always hearing stories of dead chicks or chicks that die after shipping , never looking right. In the winter. Your chances are better with more chicks, but no guarantee.

Marek's virus would not have the time to multiply and grow that quick. Coccidiosis in the brooder? I highly doubt that as well since they haven't been outside. Could they have eaten something moldy?

If really in doubt, you could send a dead chick to a state lab. If you call them, they can give you instructions on how to do it.

I would always vaccinate for Marek's. It can save chicken lives in the future.

 

[GRHoward]

That sounds pretty well on because it was very cold the day i got them...

 

[twilite]

I had a similar situation. Chicks arrived not looking well. They were hunched over like yours. I tried everything....antibiotics, meds for coccidiosis, electrolytes etc etc One by one they died over the next few months. They were always very light weight. I tried to nurse them to health the best anyone could. I was left with 2-3 out of 27 that made it ok. One had what I thought was mareks, splayed legs couldn't walk but eventually he came out of it. I kept him separated for fear he might infect the others with mareks disease. The breeder replaced them all but it was kind of heartbreaking. Every fews days another died. Never found out what the disease was. I keep the new batch far from the sick ones and they turned out great.

 

[seminolewind]

Yea, the whole thing is heart breaking. I don't know why your chicks would not look good, but some die a few months later? How old when they started to die, and did you get them from a hatchery?