Help! Rapid weight loss in Serama

[MissBokBok]

Thanks for your reply. Her little curly feathers will be missed.

Unfortunately because of the weekend, it won't be possible to mail her before the body is too far gone. I could cut her open at home, but unless the cause of death is obvious I won't be able to figure it out. Any advice on that front would be great.

I usually do have a a quarantine period, but with the two EEs it was less than a week, which I know is too short. They were raised indoors in a small batch and did and do seem healthy, but I noticed the Serama wasting a few weeks after they arrived. It's possible they could be carrying something. They are 3 and 4 months old, now.

The cochin had an empty crop last night when I came home, and ate a bunch of tuna I gave her. Tonight it was empty again and she only filled her crop halfway with tuna. This worries me. I'm not sure if she is lonely without her buddy or succumbing to an illness.

The birds who died before were all from the same batch, many of whom turned out were sick when I bought them (you only learn through bad judgement, huh). I'm almost entirely sure their deaths are unrelated to this new one. The last one died a month ago after a looooong battle.

I will treat for coccidia starting tomorrow, but with the shape of the cochin's pupils my bets are on Marek's. They haven't all fallen over dead yet, so I'm hoping this is a milder form. Every flock goes through some form is what I gather from what I've read... Who knew chickens were so fragile.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry your Cochin is still ill.

I really can't advise on what to look for if you did open her up, but I did find some pictures for you. They are of common diseases including Marek's and it show some necropsy photos.

http://www.vdl.umn.edu/prod/groups/cvm/@pub/@cvm/@vdl/documents/asset/cvm_asset_350829.pdf

 

[MissBokBok]

Warning: Gross






















I cut open my Serama today. I've never necropsied anything before so this was all guesswork. There didn't seem to be any worms in her intestines. Part of the intestinal tract was very dark, but I think it was just the lower part with poop. Her gizzard seemed very hard, not sure if that's normal. I cut it open. Do you think the inside is a strange shade?

The most worrisome thing is that all throughout her were tiny yellow dots, like bits of butter. They didn't stick to anything. Is that fat? Some sort of disease? Maybe just food that got out of her intestines when I cut her open?

After looking at the Marek's page again it's quite possible the deaths are all related, since the disease can incubate for up to 25 weeks, and all of the birds wasted before they died. I have had no paralysis or other symptoms in my flock, however, just two birds with irregular pupils. The most recent additions seem perfectly healthy, and all of my birds have lots of muscle.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I do not know.
There are only two people that I know of who may be able to give you better insight on what you are looking at you could pm them both and have them take a look at your photos.
One is @casportpony and the other is @Eggcessive

 

[MissBokBok]

Thanks for the advice.

The cochin seems fine, but only time will tell. I have the flock on Corid just in case. I PMed Kathy.

 

[momchick4]

I know this is an old thread, but did you determine what was the cause of death?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Warning: Gross






















I cut open my Serama today. I've never necropsied anything before so this was all guesswork. There didn't seem to be any worms in her intestines. Part of the intestinal tract was very dark, but I think it was just the lower part with poop. Her gizzard seemed very hard, not sure if that's normal. I cut it open. Do you think the inside is a strange shade?

The most worrisome thing is that all throughout her were tiny yellow dots, like bits of butter. They didn't stick to anything. Is that fat? Some sort of disease? Maybe just food that got out of her intestines when I cut her open?

After looking at the Marek's page again it's quite possible the deaths are all related, since the disease can incubate for up to 25 weeks, and all of the birds wasted before they died. I have had no paralysis or other symptoms in my flock, however, just two birds with irregular pupils. The most recent additions seem perfectly healthy, and all of my birds have lots of muscle.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

I know this thread is old, and I too want to know if the OP knows what happened.

I was just going to say looking at the pictures- and I am totally NOT an expert by any means- but the yellow dots look like they could be infection- were they actually IN (embedded) within the flesh, or sitting on top like in a plasma form? If they were embedded within the flesh, i'd say it was an infection of some sort- but without takign a biopsy of the flesh and examining for a pathogen under a microscope I would say there is no way of truly identifying it, unless whatever it is is rare and easy to spot and identify because of its rarity. The gizzard looks fine and yes I think they are supposed to be quite hard? That's what I found with mine when trying to necropsy them. ( I think). Just chiming in my 2 cents worth.