- Dec 17, 2012
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Predator deaths sometimes just can't be foreseen or prevented, same with disease. Don't corrolate the two as you being a bad chicken owner. If you are new to owning chickens like I am, than you will be learning by trial and error. I've owned 10 chickens over the past year, and have lost three. It's been very, very tough, on me and my partner, especially when you lose your favorite hens. When I was on the verge of losing a fourth, I was very close to selling or giving them all away- for fear that I was a terrible chicken owner. Saving that chicken renewed me somewhat, and I'm going to be hyper vigilant about what I know now.
All that said I am very sorry for your loss(es). I wish you the best.
Chickens sometimes just don't make the best 'pets', in the sense that they are very mortal. Their small systems can be lost to a disease in a matter of days, where your cat or dog could take longer giving you the time to treat them. Chickens hide their ailments by nature- as healthy hens will avoid and pick on a visibly sick hen, contrasted with a dog or cat who will make it obvious. Getting to know your girl's individual personalities and behaviors is one way to catch symptoms early, but when you have a large flock that may not be manageable. Some people treat with antibiotics and de-wormers on the regular, because without that they sustain regular losses. I try to keep them holistically healthy as possible, and be very vigilant about changes in their behavior and address from there.
I don't have a lot of experience with Marek's. Send your bird in for an autopsy. If any of your flock begins exhibiting symptoms, immediatley treat for something other than cocci. Maybe issueing a straightforwrad broad spectrum respiratory antibiotic wouldn't hurt anyways, as if the stress of an illness caused the onset of a respiratory diesease, that could still infect your flock even if the original killer did not.
Autopsy reports sometimes are not definitive, but can narrow your search down. I.e- my autospy did not find cocci, but found heart and brain legions brought on by the stress of a vitamin E deficiency. Vitamin E is mostly available in their chicken feed, and is depleted in hot weather conditions as they use the vitamin to regulate temperature. The combination of my hen not eating as a result of the cocci, and the heat waves, killed her quickly. This breed was from Colorado, and I reside in New Mexico where it's 10-20 degrees hotter during the summer on average, my other breeds I bought from a local hatchery, and handle the heat better. Who knew that chicken owning could lead to such detective work?
Don't give up!
All that said I am very sorry for your loss(es). I wish you the best.
Chickens sometimes just don't make the best 'pets', in the sense that they are very mortal. Their small systems can be lost to a disease in a matter of days, where your cat or dog could take longer giving you the time to treat them. Chickens hide their ailments by nature- as healthy hens will avoid and pick on a visibly sick hen, contrasted with a dog or cat who will make it obvious. Getting to know your girl's individual personalities and behaviors is one way to catch symptoms early, but when you have a large flock that may not be manageable. Some people treat with antibiotics and de-wormers on the regular, because without that they sustain regular losses. I try to keep them holistically healthy as possible, and be very vigilant about changes in their behavior and address from there.
I don't have a lot of experience with Marek's. Send your bird in for an autopsy. If any of your flock begins exhibiting symptoms, immediatley treat for something other than cocci. Maybe issueing a straightforwrad broad spectrum respiratory antibiotic wouldn't hurt anyways, as if the stress of an illness caused the onset of a respiratory diesease, that could still infect your flock even if the original killer did not.
Autopsy reports sometimes are not definitive, but can narrow your search down. I.e- my autospy did not find cocci, but found heart and brain legions brought on by the stress of a vitamin E deficiency. Vitamin E is mostly available in their chicken feed, and is depleted in hot weather conditions as they use the vitamin to regulate temperature. The combination of my hen not eating as a result of the cocci, and the heat waves, killed her quickly. This breed was from Colorado, and I reside in New Mexico where it's 10-20 degrees hotter during the summer on average, my other breeds I bought from a local hatchery, and handle the heat better. Who knew that chicken owning could lead to such detective work?
Don't give up!
