Major Mortality rate what could be wrong with my flock? HELP PLEASE

[BackToMyRoots]

I don't have any suggestions, but I want to offer my sympathy. You're going through more pain right now than most people do over many years.

 

[bossynbella]

A vet called me today, from the email I sent. His name was Randy something.. Anyway he was very nice and very helpful. He is contacting someone so that they will send out someone to test a bird. He said they will only test for END and Avian influenza but at least we will know then if it is the exotic newcastle or not. It really doesn't sound like AI to me but he said to be safe they will test for both. He also suggested I contact this Darrel guy from Iowa state. I was at my moms when I talked to Randy but when I got home I looked and that is the guy I talked to the first time who asked me to open the birds up myself. So I don't know if i will call him or not.
Randy also said that he doesn't think it is END because almost always in cases of END the humans who are around the birds will get bad conjuctivitius. He said when he was in vet school they had to wear goggles and one or two took them off to wipe the sweat from their eyes and wished they hadn't because they inbfected their eyes and it was bad apparently.
Anyway I just wanted to give you all an update. I will let you all know how it pans out.

Melissa

 

[honeydoll]

Oh Melissa, that is wonderful. Finally some relief and help for you. It is so encouraging the he does not think it is END. Good job, you never quit even with everything going on. You deserve a big hug. Great job, Melissa, and thanks for the update, I have been thinking of you and wondering what was going on, as I'm sure others have too. Hope everything else is ok, and your sister is in my prayers.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Thank you, Melissa, so much for posting and keeping us updated, even though you're dealing with such a busy schedule.

Hugs from here too!

I'm so glad they're coming out to test, and maybe, just maybe, you can get some opinions on other things to look into. SO happy you're getting help!

 

[Winsor Woods]

Congrats Melissa! I'm waiting on the edge of my seat! What day are they sending people over to you?

Dan

 

[bambi]

I am so happy to hear that someone is checking this out. Hoping and praying you will get some answers really soon. Thanks for keeping us posted.

 

[bossynbella]

This afternoon a nice lady from the USDA called she plans to come out tomorrow late morning or early afternoon and test a bird. I am not sure how long that will take to get the results. I am just so glad that someone is listening to me. I hope that it is something that might be able to be cured with Antibiotics. Or maybe can vaccinate the healthy chickens against. Well we should find out soon, at least what its not.
Thanks to everyone for their help I will update you all as soon as I know more.
Melissa

 

[nuts4chickens]

That's great news, Melissa! Thanks for updating us! Hang in there! So glad you are finally able to get some help!

 

[CityChicker]

Quote:
I am thrilled for you that someone is coming out there. I am not sure why you are having so many issues with these people. That statement that the vet made to you about conjunctivitis is complete and utter nonsense. If the vet would like scholarly studies to prove that it is nonsense, I would be happy to provide them. There have only been a few confirmed cases of conjunctivitis in humans caused by END in literally the last 60-70 years (less than ten confirmed, although several more strongly suspected) and almost all of them were in people known to be handling infected birds and who had the virus make direct contact with the eye(s) (a veterinarian, a vet student doing a necropsy, an outbreak in a processing plant in which some workers literally had bodily fluids splashed in the eyes, etc...). It is certainly not something that most people in contact with the birds come down with, nor is it necessarily severe conjunctivitis. If you are not butchering or necropsying the birds, I seriously doubt that you would have come down with conjunctivitis.

Anyway, it is kind of a minor point really, but just frustrates me when the people doing the advising do not necessarily know what they are talking about. How many other people would be convinced to not take situations like this seriously because they are given erroneous advice or have their concerns discounted? That is what causes these outbreaks to get out of control and cost the industry literally billions of dollars. I am so glad you are pursuing this further and I really hope it is something not as serious as END and more importantly, that you get answers and solutions to whatever is happening.

 

[honeydoll]

Quote:
Anyway, it is kind of a minor point really, but just frustrates me when the people doing the advising do not necessarily know what they are talking about. How many other people would be convinced to not take situations like this seriously because they are given erroneous advice or have their concerns discounted? That is what causes these outbreaks to get out of control and cost the industry literally billions of dollars. I am so glad you are pursuing this further and I really hope it is something not as serious as END and more importantly, that you get answers and solutions to whatever is happening.

Wow, you really gave some good info. I wouldn't have known that, until this thread I had never heard of END and would have believed what the vet said too. The sad thing is often professionals do give misleading info. but what would probably happen is the backyard flock owners would be made to look bad and not the state. Hopefully for everyone this is not END or anything else serious enough to effect others negatively.