Multiple deaths; unknown cause; what's best course of action?

[Eggcessive]

Permethrin dust in a sock for application may be preferred to treat the chicken, but the spray is okay in warm weather. How does her crop feel this morning? Has it emptied overnight? Sour crop can smell pretty bad. I would also look inside the beak for any yellow material or canker. Can you tell if the bad odor is coming from the beak, vent, or other?

 

[tehbry]

You say that she smells. Are you sure you are seeing lice and not maggots?

Yes, 100% not maggots. I think the smell was death, poop. She was losing so much body mass, so quickly, I don't think she was well 'inside'.

The chicken passed. I have her on refrigeration and plan to take her to a state lab tomorrow. Thankfully, we have one that's only an hour away.

Hoping the information helps, but we are anxious to consider how to protect the remaining 20 chickens.

 

[tehbry]

Permethrin dust in a sock for application may be preferred to treat the chicken, but the spray is okay in warm weather. How does her crop feel this morning? Has it emptied overnight? Sour crop can smell pretty bad. I would also look inside the beak for any yellow material or canker. Can you tell if the bad odor is coming from the beak, vent, or other?

Thank you for the idea of the dust/sock. We have some spray for other livestock that does contain permethrin. We may treat the entire flock just to be sure, and plan for a coop deep clean.

I did check her mouth, but not super thoroughly. It looked normal. I believe the smell was from the back side. I think it was just feces and 'death', if that makes sense. Her vent was normal looking.

She's passed and we'll do a necropsy. She was one of our older and friendly birds. She'll be missed. She was a sweet hen.

 

[tehbry]

Final update on this issue:

Bird passed, necropsy performed. Cancer. Lot of cysts and growths found in their intestinal tract. Some evidence of egg peritonitis issues, but DR didn't think this was the cause of death. Indicated it is common to see with a bird with cancer. No worms. Lice was present, but not enough to cause any problems/death.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Final update on this issue:

Bird passed, necropsy performed. Cancer. Lot of cysts and growths found in their intestinal tract. Some evidence of egg peritonitis issues, but DR didn't think this was the cause of death. Indicated it is common to see with a bird with cancer. No worms. Lice was present, but not enough to cause any problems/death.

Did they test for Marek's disease? Cancer and throwing up liquid mucus are very typical symptoms of Marek's disease. Especially you have so many chickens die in a short period of time.

 

[tehbry]

Did they test for Marek's disease? Cancer and throwing up liquid mucus are very typical symptoms of Marek's disease. Especially you have so many chickens die in a short period of time.

They did not test for Marek's, I believe. The bird (and all our birds) are vaccinated. They did test of AI, but test isn't back yet.

 

[TillyPeeps]

They did not test for Marek's, I believe. The bird (and all our birds) are vaccinated. They did test of AI, but test isn't back yet.

I have many vaccinated pullets/hens died from Marek's. But Marek's usually don't kill them so quickly. AI is a possible cause. I highly suspect that I had LPAI last year and had dramatical drop of egg laying with most of my hens acting sick. It also triggered Marek's in my 2y old vaccinated hen. She walked slowly every since and developed the typical Ocular Marek’s eyes. I had to tube feed her for a half year, but she survived and is able to feed herself and even back to laying now. Both pupils in her eyes become tiny and will not enlarge in response to light anymore, but she is not blind.

 

[tehbry]

I have many vaccinated pullets/hens died from Marek's. But Marek's usually don't kill them so quickly. AI is a possible cause. I highly suspect that I had LPAI last year and had dramatical drop of egg laying with most of my hens acting sick. It also triggered Marek's in my 2y old vaccinated hen. She walked slowly every since and developed the typical Ocular Marek’s eyes. I had to tube feed her for a half year, but she survived and is able to feed herself and even back to laying now. Both pupils in her eyes become tiny and will not enlarge in response to light anymore, but she is not blind.

Likely final update I have - AI and other blood stuff was all negative on the necropsy. Cause was deemed to be cancer.