Mystery - Greenfire Farms Cream Legbars Dying

[divahens]

Hi all,

I have a flock of Cream Legbars purchased from Greenfire Farms, born around April 1. They seemed fine until about 4 weeks ago, when they started dying, usually 1 or 2 per week out of a flock of 8. I am down to the last 2.

The symptoms begin with a loss of balance and control of one leg it seems. Soon, the chicken can't walk, and stops eating. It seems that 1-2 weeks after the first presentation of symptoms, the chicken is dead.

I have other varieties of chicken, including two hens from another GF breed, and others that are both older and younger. Only the CLs seem to be getting sick like this.

Here is a video showing what the onset of symptoms looks like. Does anyone have any ideas about what this is?

 

[CountryFlock]

Were they vaccinated against Mareks?

 

[divahens]

Were they vaccinated against Mareks?

Yes

 

[welasharon]

Mareks was my guess also. I lost some of my tolbunt polish from Greenfire to Mareks a few years back. Mine began to be unstable. Then they would fall to the side and not be able to get up. Eventually they became unable to move. The legs would splay one to the front and one to the back. I do not know if they were vaccinated or not. I knew nothing of Mareks then. My cream legbars that I've gotten within the last couple of years have been fine as have the ones a friend got from there as well. I'm sorry.

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be good to get a necropsy by your state poultry lab if you lose another. Refrigerate but do not freeze the body, and place it into 2 garbage bags. Here is a list of state poultry vets, and Cornell in NY is listed:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[PNWchkns]

Hi all,

I have a flock of Cream Legbars purchased from Greenfire Farms, born around April 1. They seemed fine until about 4 weeks ago, when they started dying, usually 1 or 2 per week out of a flock of 8. I am down to the last 2.

The symptoms begin with a loss of balance and control of one leg it seems. Soon, the chicken can't walk, and stops eating. It seems that 1-2 weeks after the first presentation of symptoms, the chicken is dead.

I have other varieties of chicken, including two hens from another GF breed, and others that are both older and younger. Only the CLs seem to be getting sick like this.

Here is a video showing what the onset of symptoms looks like. Does anyone have any ideas about what this is?

Did you ever find out what this was?

 

[MaevesFLock]

Hi all,

I have a flock of Cream Legbars purchased from Greenfire Farms, born around April 1. They seemed fine until about 4 weeks ago, when they started dying, usually 1 or 2 per week out of a flock of 8. I am down to the last 2.

The symptoms begin with a loss of balance and control of one leg it seems. Soon, the chicken can't walk, and stops eating. It seems that 1-2 weeks after the first presentation of symptoms, the chicken is dead.

I have other varieties of chicken, including two hens from another GF breed, and others that are both older and younger. Only the CLs seem to be getting sick like this.

Here is a video showing what the onset of symptoms looks like. Does anyone have any ideas about what this is?

I had the same problem with some Silver Marans I ordered from them - necropsy confirmed it is Avian Leukosis. Untreatable, only way to eradicate is to destroy your flock. Symptoms were the birds would become lame or very sleepy, have pale combs, appear weak, then drop dead. They never recover fully if infection becomes symptomatic, and if infected prior to 12 weeks they will shed virus through feces and yolk and albumin lifelong. Virus is transmittable to young via yolk by mother as well as horizontally by feces and some say mating. If anyone else has had this issue and wants to join me in making a formal complaint to NPIP please message me.

Also I would highly recommend getting a necropsy performed by your state agriculture office or a local university ag extension - the state of TN performed the necropsy and Mareks testing and bacterial cultures all for free - just a 25$ disposal fee. You need to take the chicken in immediately after death or store in a fridge until you can get it there - the tissue structures to diagnose the worst diseases break down within hours of death - so taking it in same day is best.

 

[Kashcraft]

Anymore updates?