I am so distressed. Two of my Buff Orps that were hatched 8-20 have died today. I just don't understand it. I don't know if it was the trip from the hatchery ( I am the one who didn't get them for nearly 4 days from Cackle Hatchery) I have done everything by the book. Everything. With the exception of a minor ( or what I thought was minor thing) I had not seen any of them displaying any symptoms of illness. One of the wyandottes is much smaller than the others and I had to clean her vent from it pasting up pretty good. Other than that there has been nothing. I went to check on the girls and saw that one of the Orps was on her side and flat. It looked to me that the other's may have smothered her or that after she died they just continued to nuzzle up to her. I don't know. Then as I was looking at her I noticed that another was very still. I went to touch her because I could see that she was breathing but she didn't move. I picked her up and she did make some peeping noises but didn't open her eyes and hardly moved. I got some warm sugar water ready and by the time I tried to use the eye dropper she peeped and convulsed then passed on.
I now have 23 girls left. 10 are wyandottes, 5 are Araucanas , 1 is a Cinnamon Queen and the rest Buff Orps.
I have been steadily watching them for a while now and have seen that another 2 Orps have been opening their mouths very wide and stretching their necks out. They are not still doing it but I am wondering if I should separate the Orps from the rest. I have never done this before and i am at a loss.
One thing that concerns me though is that my town and surrounding towns have had mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile Virus. I don't even know what that does to a bird. I have the girls in my office and about 2 days ago noticed I had a few mosquitoes in here. ( odd being that I have screened windows ) I wonder if this has anything to do with my girls dying? My Mom said I should dispose of the dead girls in a way that will not affect the ground or other life. We were going to burry them in a wooden box being that we have never lost any before. I'm heartbroken. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks everyone.
I want to add that they were supposedly vaccinated for Merak's (sp) at the hatchery. There has been no blood in their stool and the stool all seems to bee firm with the little white top. All of their eyes seem fine ( ofcourse they are so small I wouldn't be able to see much) And lastly I have started them on Sulmet just incase.
Also, since first posting this, I have now noticed other birds opening their moths very wide and stretching the neck out. It's just so strange.
I now have 23 girls left. 10 are wyandottes, 5 are Araucanas , 1 is a Cinnamon Queen and the rest Buff Orps.
I have been steadily watching them for a while now and have seen that another 2 Orps have been opening their mouths very wide and stretching their necks out. They are not still doing it but I am wondering if I should separate the Orps from the rest. I have never done this before and i am at a loss.
One thing that concerns me though is that my town and surrounding towns have had mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile Virus. I don't even know what that does to a bird. I have the girls in my office and about 2 days ago noticed I had a few mosquitoes in here. ( odd being that I have screened windows ) I wonder if this has anything to do with my girls dying? My Mom said I should dispose of the dead girls in a way that will not affect the ground or other life. We were going to burry them in a wooden box being that we have never lost any before. I'm heartbroken. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks everyone.
I want to add that they were supposedly vaccinated for Merak's (sp) at the hatchery. There has been no blood in their stool and the stool all seems to bee firm with the little white top. All of their eyes seem fine ( ofcourse they are so small I wouldn't be able to see much) And lastly I have started them on Sulmet just incase.
Also, since first posting this, I have now noticed other birds opening their moths very wide and stretching the neck out. It's just so strange.
Last edited:
