My necropsy shows AE also

[chickncrazy]

I just spoke to the Avian Pathologist at NC State and he confirmed that the 5 chicks I brought to him had Avian Encephalomyelitis. He was very definite about his diagnosis, he said he was certain. The virus is passed from an infected hen to the egg.....then the chick gets it when it hatches and it spreads among other chicks through droppings. Hens may have the virus but they do not show symptoms.......but if they lay an egg that is then hatched, the chick will show the symptoms. Then, the infected chicks pass it to their brooder-mates through droppings. The chicks we have that are still alive have been exposed to AE and almost certainly have the virus, even if they are not showing symptoms. At this point (3 1/2 weeks old) if they are not showing symptoms, he said that they probably will not ever show symptoms. However.......they will not be good layers and, as I said before, if they lay an egg that is hatched, the chick will show the symptoms. (And consequently continue to spread the virus.)

AE is a reportable disease in North Carolina. He said he has already talked with the USDA and they may be calling me to get some information. He will be sending me an official report tomorrow, and then I will call Murray McMurray to ask for a total refund. I can't imagine that they will refuse.

I am planning to euthanize the few chicks I have left. I went in on an order with 4 other people and I haven't heard from them yet whether they are going to keep the remaining chicks or not. I'd be happy to discuss anymore if someone wants to PM or email me.

 

[LoneCowboy]

What kind of chicks did you order?

 

[MNKris]

Quote:
If I understood right, our vet said the infected survivors become immune and pass immunity on through good antibodies! Don't destroy healthy chicks is what I was told, repeatedly. He said those are the ones you want to keep as breeders as long as they weren't symptomatic.

Infected survivors that show symptoms will likely never be thrifty and do not make good breeders, but they don't continue to shed the virus.

 

[speckledhen]

I was just coming on to say that the Chicken Health Handbook says this:

TREATMENT-none; chicks may survive but should be culled since they will never be good layers or breeders; survivors of an adult outbreak are immune and are not carriers.​

 

[GwenFarms]

If you don't cull this will infect any future birds you have there. You have to sterilize everything that came in contact with the birds. If you turn them out this will be in your soil and any other birds you get can become infected. This will turn into a huge loss for MM, I'm surprised they haven't had a shut down to get rid of this.

 

[carousel]

I was just coming on to say that the Chicken Health Handbook says this:

TREATMENT-none; chicks may survive but should be culled since they will never be good layers or breeders; survivors of an adult outbreak are immune and are not carriers.

speckledhen
-- what if the chicks never showed symptoms?
I don't have a problem with culling a sick chick but I don't know I can when they seem 100% healthy.

drats.... I'm going to have to find someone to help me at 12.00 a bird for the vet to do it that would be very expensive! I'm discouraged and pretty sad. I have spent over 4 weeks with these kids.
--- I should preface that I'm still waiting from the tissue sample results but I expect to learn that it is AE.

thank you,
deep breath again,

GwenFarms
If you don't cull this will infect any future birds you have there. You have to sterilize everything that came in contact with the birds. If you turn them out this will be in your soil and any other birds you get can become infected. This will turn into a huge loss for MM, I'm surprised they haven't had a shut down to get rid of this.

Some of info above is just not accurate. Birds do not become "carriers" from everything I have read -- they either get better or die. But they don't keep shedding virus - I beg people to please site where you find your information.
CS​

 

[kstaven]

Check this link folks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=427440#p427440

 

[GwenFarms]

Quote:
Some of info above is just not accurate. Birds do not become "carriers" from everything I have read -- they either get better or die. But they don't keep shedding virus - I beg people to please site where you find your information.
CS

I was baseing this on what an area commerial chicken farmer told me. We were discussing the MM situation after I had read what was going on on here. Definetly seek the advice of your co-op, or vet. He could be confused about the virus, but I would check into it before mixing my flock.

 

[dlhunicorn]

I urge any who are having to deal with this problem contact their state vet for advice (perhaps print out this thread to show your confusion over what is to be done) and not your avian vet or such (the state vet can also tell you what the official line is and they will also need to know that this is a problem at McMurrays...send also the thread from the members where AE was confirmed >if AE has not been confirmed in your birds then I imagine in this case the state vet will want to do so and this should not bring any charges with it as far as I understand)...