Lab testing?

[Notebook]

Ive heard of people sending their dead chickens in for testing when they want to rule out disease. How do you go about this? Ive lost a ton of chicks from a breeder and I want to be sure. One just died this morning, Ive raised them the same as any other chicks Ive had. Checking bums for paste every day, treated for cocci, fresh food and water on both sides of the cage, heat source on one side of the cage. Im just discouraged and worried that something else is going on here..

 

[Mandaleeee]

From another post:

http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/statevets.aspx

I left a message to the one closest to us to figure out how to get a hen to them, since I've lost 3 in the past 1-2months and I'm not sure of the cause.

 

[casportpony]

Do a google search for the name of your State and veterinary diagnostic lab.
Example: California veterinary diagnostic lab

How to Send a Bird for a Necropsy​

They need the whole bird, refrigerated, not frozen. If you live in CA, there are four labs that do necropsies on poultry (chickens, turkeys, waterfowl) for free. I know that they do out of state necropsies, but I think they charge for those. You could call them and ask what they charge for out of state "backyard poultry". The lab I use is the one in Tulare, CA. If you are in CA, call them and ask for their FedEx account number, it will save a bunch on shipping charges.

This is the lab I use:
CAHFS
18830 Road 112
Tulare, CA 93274-9042
(559) 688-7543
(559) 686-4231 (FAX)
[email protected]


The other labs are listed here:
http://www.cahfs.ucdavis.edu/services/lab_locations.cfm

If it's Friday, unless you want to overnight for Saturday delivery, I would suggest shipping on Monday for Tuesday delivery. What you need to do, if you haven't already done so, is put your bird in your refrigerator, NOT the freezer! Then you need to find a box, line it with styrofoam (I use the 4'x8'x1" stuff from Home Depot. You can also get smaller pieces at an art store like Michael's, but is way more expensive. Click here to see foam options. You'll also need at least one ice pack. Here are some pictures that I took of the last bird that I sent:

Box lined with foam on four sides and bottom. Seams of foam taped sealed.


Box, sides, bottom and and top.


Frozen ice pack in ziplock baggie.


Brown paper on top of ice pack.


Hen in ziplock baggie on top of brown paper.


Brown paper on top of hen.


Ice pack on top of brown paper.


Lid on top of brown paper.
​

Inside the box you should also include a submission form in a ziplock baggie. Do not tell anyone at FedEx that you're shipping a dead animal... that seems to really worry them. Just make sure that nothing will leak.

Hope this helps!

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Ive heard of people sending their dead chickens in for testing when they want to rule out disease. How do you go about this? Ive lost a ton of chicks from a breeder and I want to be sure. One just died this morning, Ive raised them the same as any other chicks Ive had. Checking bums for paste every day, treated for cocci, fresh food and water on both sides of the cage, heat source on one side of the cage. Im just discouraged and worried that something else is going on here..

If you used 1/2 a teaspoon of Corid powder per gallon, you didn't use enough. The dose is no less than 3/4 teaspoon per gallon.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

http://www.corid.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/CORID Slim Jim-All.pdf

Corid 20% powder:
http://www.corid.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/me_powder-60170.pdf


Corid 9.6% liquid:
http://www.corid.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/me_solution-60170.pdf


Amprol 20% powder:
http://www.asp-inc.com/products/documents/prodinfo/a/amp128.pdf

Amprol 9.6% liquid:
http://www.asp-inc.com/products/documents/prodinfo/a/amp96.pdf

-Kathy