We have an Icelandic chick!! Just one all the way out. Another is fully zipped!!
Not sure about the other 4 as I was trying to peek by myself and I needed one hand to keep mama from tearing me up. Apparently hatching the eggs has turned her into psycho chicken. lol
Pics as soon as I can. The one that is all out has dark coloring.
Last week in the pen next to Broody Mama, I found one of my Mille Fleur Cochins dead. No signs of why. Chalked it up to one of those weird things.
When I went down a few minutes ago, I found another MFC in that pen with 'snot bubbles' and he is having trouble breathing...tipping his head back to gulp air.
So what do I do? At 1st I thought I would just move mama and chicks up to a different pen that doesnt share a wall with the 'sick' pen. Then I realized that mama could already be infected and just not showing signs. So, should I take the chicks as they hatch and put them in a brooder so that they dont get whatever the MFC's have?
I am running to the feedstore shortly to get some terramycin (spelling) to treat everyone in the barn but I hate to have to give the chicks something so young.
As for the sickness, I have no experience with this, so I don't know what you should do. Is the mom and chicks partitioned off from the rest of the flock? Or is she using the same feeder/waterer. I'd probably go on the safe side and treat everyone, chicks and all. My feed store dips all the chicks beaks in antibiotic, so it can't really hurt, right?
They dont share a feeder or waterer but the pens are made with hardware cloth so if its airborne then they are exposed. ugh!
I dont know how they got sick. I havent introduced any other birds besides Jokul and Buri and they are fine and so are all of the birds that they range with.
Will put some terramycin in everyones water today and add yogurt to the shopping list...egads!
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Wow that is terrible news about your cochins. I think you might want to post on the illness and injury forum and ask for advice there. I would probably remove the chicks and put them in a brooder and keep them far away from any sick birds. Have you considered having the deceased or sick bird necropsied? That way you would know exactly what is going on. There is also a test that can be done to identify if a bird has any of the contagious respiratory illnesses that create a carrier state. You can find out about it at http://zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm. If you have an avian vet they can send a blood sample to Zoologix and in a few days you know what you are dealing with. Other than that, I am unsure what you should do. My thoughts are with you.
On a lighter note, congratulations to your broody Mama.