Fret not
Diva, the would-be diner on gold fish has not returned
I have tried to stay away from covering the ponds in wire etc as it detracts from the look. The vegetation around them is thickening and they are pretty well secluded now. In 5 years I have only had issues with fish eating birds twice; this recent occasion with, thanks to Cilla, no losses.
The pump draws water from the bottom pond up to the top which then waterfalls back into the bottom pond, through the middle pond.
The only other time I have had an issue with a bird was when the hose between the bottom and top pond sprung a leak and was pumping out onto the ground, draining the bottom pond down to the top of the submersed pump. Sadly, this made the gold fish in shallow water easy pickings and I lost one to a stork. However, this was also back when the vegetation was not so thick.
TG wow, for once I am struggling to find the words, I keep typing stuff like heartbreaking, devastating etc and then go back over and try again.
What I am wanting to convey is that you are so much in my thoughts right now and I cannot begin to imagine how you are feeling, decisions you think you need to make etc.
Whenever I have something ailing my gals, I hit the panic button and Joel sits me down, gets me to take a deep breath and works through it with me; while I am not saying you are hitting the panic button, can I be the unemotional one for a moment and break this down a bit?
Currently you have two birds with a possible respiratory illness which you have separated; lets think positively that you have caught it early and no-one else shows symptoms.
You do not believe it is Mareks or Avian flu .. good stuff.
I have read many threads where birds with respiratory illness have recovered with antibiotic treatment.
Granted, depending on what ails them, they may remain carriers but depending on what the actual virus is, they may not.
Again, depending on the cause, culling the entire flock and starting over may not actually be an option. With some diseases, the surrounding area is not suitable for chickens for, sometimes, years.
For this reason, if you are able to control it, I believe your worse care scenario may be a ‘closed’ flock, not complete loss of your flock.
Can I suggest a plan of action?
- Deep breath
- As you have, separate the girls and look at the antibiotic option.
- See if we can find out what we are dealing with (I say “we” because we are in this with you, albeit only in support mode but still with you)
- Do not make any decisions until we know the above.
- Frequent visits to the Bridge Club for hugs and support
