I need opinions

[tamelroy]

I have posted before about possible posion. My girls that have died one star-gazed, all of them can't walk, (not one leg in front of the other) Maybe one leg goes or both, like that can't feel them one is still alive and gasping and limping.

Treatments so far, duramycin-10, sulmet, elctrolytes, vitamans, b complex, st. johns wart. Nothing is working

I have thought Mareks, posion, boutulism (sp?) Vit b.

I am looking into having them tested, but I want to see what you guys think.

I had a bird die today, we opened her up there is no tumors in her body (mareks) don't know if they always show.
no maggots inside of her (boutulism some one said there would be maggots) The only weird thing was the liver was pretty big.

Why I thought boutulism was because this was the first year it started to stink so we turned the ground with something like de, the chicken guy at the tractor supply told me this was the best. I can't remember the name it was way back. So I thought maybe something they ate some gross dirt or something.

Posion, my neighbor hates them, but now there is no way she can get them now and I had a bird die today. the coop is blocked from her about 2 weeks ago.

Now I am thinking today the water, this is the first year I think I am getting calcium deposits, my faucets are getting clogged with stuff like a white grit. Now I know a hen needs it when she starts to lay. But what would happen if they had calcium before they lay?
What is weird none of my layers had this, not one roo either and believe me I have a ton of roos at the moment.

So all thoughts are welcomed, I have looked things up and I can't find one disease that fits this.

And thank you now I appreciate any help!

Tracy

Just want to add, no worms either

 

[Cosmopolis Chick]

hi Tracy, so sorry, I feel what you're going through. I hope you can get
some advice on the board to help save the rest of your flock. I know I had
nightmares after we lost two at once I was so upset.

Can you put their feed in a sealed container, put it away - maybe in the garage,
scrub the feed dish, and just buy a new bag and feed them out of that? It is
just a long shot that the feed may be either accidentally or deliberately contaminated.

I would go back to the tractor supply place and TRY to figure out which
container you bought. Some employees do not admit when they don't know what to
recommend and will just offer any random old thing!

 

[theFox]

Botulism doesn't cause maggots to be inside of a hen.

The toxin produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria can lead to paralysis that is equal on both sides of the body and other symptoms.

Any spoiled food stuff can be the source of the bacteria as well as the toxin.

It is the toxin that causes the problem, the bacteria is easily destroyed but the toxin requires prolonged exposure to high temperatures to destroy it.

That is the reason you have to pressure can low acid foods.

 

[MuranoFarms]

If you think its the water switch them to distilled water for awhile and see if that helps.

Wish I could help more.

 

[tamelroy]

Quote:
The feed is in a container in the coop, and I go through a bag a week, so I don't think it is that. At one point I did cuz hubby decided to keep it outside in a bin. I thought maybe it went bad and we didn't smell it cuz of being outside but it has been back inside now for 2 1/2 weeks or so.

I dunno I just feel so lost, I am going to look into having the birds tested, I just hope the sick one they can do cuz if they ask me to freeze one my mom will have a fit! (she lives with us!)

thanks!

 

[theFox]

Quote:
I'd get a bird tested, if it was the kidneys that were enlarged I'd be concerned about excess calcium.

What are you feeding your girls and your roos?

 

[tamelroy]

Quote:
I'd get a bird tested, if it was the kidneys that were enlarged I'd be concerned about excess calcium.

What are you feeding your girls and your roos?

They are on layer now, they are starting to lay so that is why I switched. At one point I went back to medicated when this happened but it didn't make a difference.

Do you know if they ask you to freeze them? lol I think that is why I haven't called the state for testing yet. My mom is weird with that, she knows there is something wrong with the bird she doesn't want it around other food. I can't blame her cuz who knows. Hubby and I try to tell her we wouldn't catch anything but she is quite stubborn! lol

 

[theFox]

Quote:
I'd get a bird tested, if it was the kidneys that were enlarged I'd be concerned about excess calcium.

What are you feeding your girls and your roos?

They are on layer now, they are starting to lay so that is why I switched. At one point I went back to medicated when this happened but it didn't make a difference.

Do you know if they ask you to freeze them? lol I think that is why I haven't called the state for testing yet. My mom is weird with that, she knows there is something wrong with the bird she doesn't want it around other food. I can't blame her cuz who knows. Hubby and I try to tell her we wouldn't catch anything but she is quite stubborn! lol

I haven't a clue about that.

I have heard of having to refrigerate them, however, you don't need to put them in a refrigerator to do that an inexpensive foam picnic chest, some bags of ice, and some corrugated cardboard can make a dandy fridge. Ice on the bottom, several layers of corrugated cardboard (acts as an insulator to prevent the ice from freezing the bottom of the carcass) then the carcass in a plastic bag, then the top.

I'd think actually freezing the carcass would result in damage to various organs that could mimic problems and lead to incorrect diagnoses, but I'm no expert.

ETA: I wouldn't worry about the water as far as calcium is concerned if your girls are laying. Are you having the same problems with your roos?

 

[tamelroy]

Most are not laying, and not one roo died, weird isn't it! I have about 15 roos, I can't decide who to keep and which one to get rid of and every one is healthy as a horse!

Thanks for that info how to chill the body! I thought I would have to stick them in the freezer or something.

 

[tamelroy]

Quote:
for maggots not inside look here: http://www.worldpoultry.net/diseases/botulism-d93.html Plus this a copy from it.


Postmortem lesions
Few to no gross lesions are seen. Maggots can be seen in the upper digestive tract.