More sick birds. *Necropsy Report!* (Now with IC, swollen eye...)

[Andora]

That's some scary stuff. I hope it's not that! The area isn't soft and you can't see through to any muscle...it's more a huge hard black thing on top of the skin with some oozy blood to one side. Also, doesn't gangrene smell bad? She doesn't smell at all. I wonder how long that spot has been there. We hold her all the time! Her feathers are really fluffy, so I guess it stayed hidden until I had a reason to part them and take a look.

Anyway, I am very glad I found the necropsy info so I can find out for sure. I hope the results don't take too long. Though I secretly also hope she doesn't die and makes a miraculous recovery, and she can see the state vet for that spot.

 

[dlhunicorn]

just a thought> is there anyway rats could be getting in your coop and perhaps biting the birds and (unforseen by you like as with this bird) the birds are dying from those bites (infected) ?

 

[Chicabee19]

That's awful! I hope you find out what's causing both problems.

Could it be a spider bite?

 

[Andora]

Hmm...I highly doubt it would be rats because I live in a suburb. My coop is pretty predator proof. But we do have spiders, lots of them. I've seen several black widow spiders this year around my yard and in my garage. It could also be an older peck wound from the farm I got the bird from, couldn't it? I've only had it a few months, and judging by the state of these birds I don't think they were in optimal conditions before I got them. I just didn't know better at first.

I so wish I'd never gotten chickens from this guy, since now my entire flock is infected with the killer snot illness. He claims his birds aren't sick, but he must be lying. I am going to call him with the results of the necropsy and see what he has to say for himself after that.

I just went outside because I heard a strange noise, and my coonhound had managed to climb off of the porch and was outside confronting my birds! Big Momma, the top bird, was standing in front of the open coop door flying up in the air and clawing my dog's eyes over and over, and he was yelping. The rest of the birds were lined up inside the coop watching. LOL The sick one with that black spot is out there walking around like it's not sick anymore!?! But the sick Ameraucana is hunched over, puffed up, and has her eyes closed.

She's refusing to eat and drink.

 

[dlhunicorn]

separate the visibly ill birds from the rest immediately!
If I were to make a guess, I would suspect some sort of immunosupressive illness like IBDV (Infectious Bursal Disease Virus) or such... please read this article too:
http://www.wattnet.com/Archives/Docs/400pd20.pdf?CFID=25710&CFTOKEN=74030876
...it explains how an underlying immunosuppressive disease can cause this andhow very important biosecurity is when you are going in between the "sick" birds and the (apparent) healthy ones. (one solution is to have a separate pair of clogs you take on and off before entering the area where the ill birds are housed.)
I would also get AviaCharge 2000 (see the section in the above article)... if the birds came from a suspect environment they can use the supplement anyway... AviaCharge 2000 uses chelated vitamins and micronutrients and is a complete supplement with all in the correct ratios to each other and can be purchased on line from McMurrys or Strombergs.
You can also add some wheatgerm oil through their feed. Can't hurt and might very well make all the difference.

 

[vfem]

http://www.usaha.org/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

Here's a list of state vets and contacts in case.

I'm sorry to hear this, I hope its isolated.... just seperate your birds while you wait.

 

[kinnip]

It looks like some kind of keratinization. Have you looked in the mouth and throat for sores?

 

[redhen]

Quote:
thats a big scary word....whats it mean?..thanks,(sorry to interrupt..i am just curious about it), Wendy

 

[Andora]

I'm curious too! I didn't think to check in the mouth...it's going to be hard to get it open to check, any tips?

I'll read that article once my toddler goes to sleep in a few hours, my comprehension skills are seriously reduced with her poking my nostrils and feeding me bits of crunched up chips...

 

[dlhunicorn]

It is where keratin (what nails and birds beaks are made of ) is deposited in the skin giving it a horny appearance... this does not look like that to me...it looks dead... not keratinous.