Loosing Pullets

[fishbum]

Hi everyone. I keep unfortunately having the same problem over and over. It first started in the spring to one of the 6, 6week old RIR pullets we brought home. She would just stop and lay down and start opening and closing her beak like she was having a hard time breathing and then get up and run around like normal. This persisted for a few days until a limp set in that immobilized her and had to be eventually culled. Everything had been fine up until 3 weeks ago. 2, 20week old pullets. ( Sussex and a RIR)and 2, 4week old pullets ( (Cuckoo, BLRW)all developed the same symptoms except 1 RIR that's holding on with a limp and sour crop. I have to be suspicious of the yard as we seem to be over sanitary in comparison to most keepers. Maybe blue comb as its only pullets getting sick and up until we starting raising chickens we had a flock of wild turkeys that passed through the yard every morning. Just a wits end

 

[Wisher1000]

Research Marek's and see if that fits. Good luck.

 

[fishbum]

All birds were vaccinated. Thanks

 

[fishbum]

The only thing I can find to fit is either new castle or blue comb. I had recently read an article stating that blu comb out breaks that had been researched showed that infective birds also had levels of new castle present. There has never been any poultry on this property until this spring.

 

[Wisher1000]

Have they been wormed? I had a similar mystery two summers ago, and I wormed the whole flock and stopped losing birds. It may just been a coincidence and would have stopped without worming them, but it won't hurt.

 

[fishbum]

I have not wormed them. Do worms cause sour crop and paralysis in one leg? These 2 things seem to be the constant.

 

[Wisher1000]

I don't know, but worming them won't hurt. Use a broad spectrum wormer like Valbazan.

 

[fishbum]

Thanks