My babies are dropping weeks apart with the same symptoms, Help me identify the disease!!

[mandymcg05]

Ok... I'll check their run again in the morning before the sun is all the way up... If it is mold in the run. How can I fix it? And FAST!

None of them have had neck symptoms. Just the feet/walking issues.

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

Are your ducks pooping in the waterer, because ducks drink what they poo in, and if your chickens are drinking from the same one then maybe separate the ducks?
If not, maybe try asking around or calling a vet.
It might help to get a necropsy done on one of them.

 

[mandymcg05]

Are your ducks pooping in the waterer, because ducks drink what they poo in, and if your chickens are drinking from the same one then maybe separate the ducks?
If not, maybe try asking around or calling a vet.
It might help to get a necropsy done on one of them.

I have the small kiddie pool for the ducks, I have a 5 gal bucket waterer and a hanging 5 gal bucket waterer. They can drink from any of it... I just figured they wouldn't drink from the duck pool because they have the option of fresh water!!

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

I have the small kiddie pool for the ducks, I have a 5 gal bucket waterer and a hanging 5 gal bucket waterer. They can drink from any of it... I just figured they wouldn't drink from the duck pool because they have the option of fresh water!!

Ok!
Its iffy though, you should really get a necropsy done if possible.
Thats the best option

 

[mandymcg05]

I didn't see any fuzzy white stuff in the run this morning. We had another rain last night. Victim 2 (Maverick) is still bad off. he won't stand at all and freaks out when I carry him. I can tell he has a strong will, but his legs just won't work. Victim 3 (Jethro) was fine walking around this morning for breakfast. No stumbling that I noticed. I have decided to give UofK a call today for a necropsy set up for Mav if he does pass... Otherwise. I just don't know what to do until then. He just lays in the same spot, or flops and uses his wings to move to another spot. I can't stand to watch him suffer. He still pecks at the scratch on the floor and he's still drinking that I can see. Man, this sucks.... My hands feel tied and I feel like I'm just watching my flock die off.

 

[Sonya9]

Mareks is a herpes virus and is often triggered by stress (adolescent social stress is the most common trigger, or injury/predator attack that freaks them out etc...). If it is Mareks many of us have had success with antiherpes meds (i.e. Valtrex, a cheap generic drug but you need a script from your vet, it is sold at regular pharmacies).
The antiherpes meds cannot just "fix" the damage but it prevents new cells from being infected so it is best used as a preventative or at the first sign of symptoms. Course there are also many different strains of Mareks therefore it also depends on how "hot" this virus is.
If these chicks are under any flock stress do whatever you can to minimize it asap.

 

[mandymcg05]

Mareks is a herpes virus and is often triggered by stress (adolescent social stress is the most common trigger, or injury/predator attack that freaks them out etc...). If it is Mareks many of us have had success with antiherpes meds (i.e. Valtrex, a cheap generic drug but you need a script from your vet, it is sold at regular pharmacies).
The antiherpes meds cannot just "fix" the damage but it prevents new cells from being infected so it is best used as a preventative or at the first sign of symptoms. Course there are also many different strains of Mareks therefore it also depends on how "hot" this virus is.
If these chicks are under any flock stress do whatever you can to minimize it asap.

There is no stress that I can imagine. My hens are laying everyday. There's been no added chicks to the flock. No attacks. No fighting either. Should I wait for one to pass for the necropsy that way I know for sure what and how mad it is? Or should I try and get the preventative/management meds from my vet? I'm not sure he'll give meds without knowing its Merek's for sure...

 

[Sonya9]

There is no stress that I can imagine. My hens are laying everyday. There's been no added chicks to the flock. No attacks. No fighting either. Should I wait for one to pass for the necropsy that way I know for sure what and how mad it is? Or should I try and get the preventative/management meds from my vet? I'm not sure he'll give meds without knowing its Merek's for sure...

Depends on your vet. It could take a while to get necropsy results back (and IMO you should specify what types of tests you want run). It also depends on how fast this is hitting, I have Mareks in the flock but the strain comes on slower, and I dose a bird with meds if they are traumatized or if they showed signs. I have never dosed multiple birds with it.

 

[NatJ]

I do throw out some oyster shells in the run for my laying hens. But that won't cause this would it??

Nope, the oyster shell is not the cause.

 

[mandymcg05]

Depends on your vet. It could take a while to get necropsy results back (and IMO you should specify what types of tests you want run). It also depends on how fast this is hitting, I have Mareks in the flock but the strain comes on slower, and I dose a bird with meds if they are traumatized or if they showed signs. I have never dosed multiple birds with it.

Do you know what I should ask for? I have had 3 birds go down or show symptoms in the past 3 weeks.