Its a rough time...

[Lunafarmchickens]

A couple months ago I had a lovely flock of 25 hens and roos. Now I only have 19, and only 10 good laying hens. We got a rooster in July from a different flock... I think it was a big mistake. I think he brought in merecks disease! He died in September, but I didn't know why. Then a couple weeks after that one of my hens died, her body was stiff and her neck was cocked back. Then, one of my silkies died, but I think she had sour crop. Then two of my chicks from August died. And now one of my roosters is limping badly. Do you think this is merecks disease? That's what I've been thinking. If so, will it spread to the whole flock and kill them all? I'm quite stressed right now becuase I don't know what to do about this... I really dont want anymore of them to die! If you have any idea of what it might be, please let me know ASAP. thanks for reading.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I had that disease in a flock of chickens and it killed them all except for two that had been vaccinated. I haven't used that coop or run for chickens in a long time. I've heard that it takes seven years for the disease to leave. Misty was one of the diseased hens and she was dragging one of her feet around until she died. I've also heard that turkeys help the chickens not to get it, but I've had turkeys in this coop and it killed them, too. My Guinea Hen never caught it, at lest he never showed any sighs. He wasn't doing well when his best friend died then he got moved in with new chickens that didn't like him, and he had a broken wing. He his from the new flock and died so Guinea hens don't help either. I suggest you build a new coop, new run and start over with new chickens.