Minnesota!

[athalia17]

This is one of my first hens I purchased back in April last year. We call her Sassy Pants. I've been noticing that her tail looks like it's going more vertical and she is looking thinner feathered on top. I'm not sure if she is an ameraucana or a buff, we ordered two of each and they all look alike to us. Egg color is all similar too. Now either she has a feather issue going on or she just has weird feathers. Any ideas? I zoomed in and you can see all these little shimmery feathers. They look like baby feathers almost but they are all over her top to her tail. They have been becoming more noticeable. Could she be molting? Is that what molting looks like? Never experienced it before so not sure what to expect. Thanks for input!

 

[scandiafowl]

Get it isolated.  Personally, if I am convinced it looks like Mareks, I get rid of them since there is really not much that can be done and you put the rest of the flock at risk.

Sorry to hear it but if you raise enough of them, this stuff happens.

She was pulled from the flock two days ago. Originally I thought she was the victim of a gregarious rooster but after doing the splits last night I'm certain.

She will be culled tonight. Now we are keeping a weary eye on the rest.

 

[athalia17]

I'm sorry scandia, that's tough! Will say a prayer for the others!!

 

[scandiafowl]

I'm sorry scandia, that's tough! Will say a prayer for the others!!

Thank you.
Am feeling pretty helpless right now.

 

[KlopKlop]

Thank you.
Am feeling pretty helpless right now.

That is a terrible feeling when you can't do anything to help. Sorry for the loss

 

[KlopKlop]

So here is the text message my lovely wife sent me at lunch when I was telling her about the two new egg customers I sold to today. We have been so fortunate in our egg selling endeavors!. Today is a good day

 

[scandiafowl]

@KlopKlop

Yup, she's a keeper! Who are you selling eggs to now?

 

[KlopKlop]

@KlopKlop

Yup, she's a keeper! Who are you selling eggs to now?

We sell at the farmers market in the spring/summer/fall plus at both our workplaces, church, a few local family members and friends

We sold just shy of 300 dozen eggs in the second half of 2015 and love love love the work. It's not everyday your hobby pays for itself and then a little more

 

[lalaland]

Thank you.
Am feeling pretty helpless right now.

Scandia,
Before you cull her, call the u of m path lab vet clinic. Find out what you need to do to get her body down there. I was able to just bring then chicken in alive and they culled. You will want them to test for Mareks, and the necropsy will cost about 75 bucks. You can ask them also to check for worms , etc while they are at it, it won't cost more. It is worth having them do the necropsy because even the splits can be something else.

How old is she?
She is one of the bunch from you just got?? If so, check with their previous and find out whether they were vacinated as chicks, and whether he had any deaths and what they looked like.

The bad news is that if it is mareks, you have it on your land, coop, etc. The good news is if it was one of the new hens, then it is not likely to be a really virulent strain because that would have wiped out most of that flock.

Although this feels awful, and you have my sympathy, it will be ok. hard, but you and most of your chickens will make it.

The chicks you are hatching need to be kept away from your coop and other chickens for as long as you can, shoot for 6 months.

If you get a confirmed mareks, this a good thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/894589/moving-forward-breeding-for-resistance-to-mareks-disease

hang in there

 

[lalaland]

Althalia, I'm wondering if that is just the normal downy feathers showing more after rooster use? I'm going to go home and check my buff's down feathers to see if they have that shimmer or not.....