Necrotic Beaks

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with rebra. This is a significant issue that needs to be reported to your Ag dept. IMMEDIATELY. It would not surprise me if they jump on this immediately with some testing and diagnostics. This is not your average illness that can be managed by the back yard flock owner. This is an issue which can have far reaching, significant economic impact on our food chain.

Also, wear gloves when handling these birds, change clothing and disinfect your foot wear when moving from these chicks to your other birds.

Please keep us posted regarding the outcome.

 

[ageranger361]

That pullet and the cockerel by the waterer look like mine did at that age. I got mine from a different source than you did, if you got those one's from Breese Farms.

The one that are 10 weeks old are from GreenFire Farms. The ones that are chicks are from Bresse Farms. The ones from Greenfire have had zero problems and only one is off color. I’ll be selecting from these two batches to form the base of my breeding stock.

 

[ageranger361]

Yeah I already disposed of the three live and one dead chick so there’s nothing to test unless it reappears. If that happens this morning I definitely will. I’m thinking I will take the pics to a vet either way for help getting in contact with the state.

 

[ageranger361]

Ok, after morning checks I found one RIR chick with the beginning of necrosis on its beak near the tip. Chick has been segregated and kept alive for examination purposes. The chicks have been on doxycycline for 24hrs. First dose was a double dose of 5 caplets of Powder dissolved into a 1 quart waterer.

Adult chickens (RIR, 5 hens and 1 roo) have been placed onto the same starting dosage. I am on the phone with a vet clinic now to get it identified and contact the State. I will post an update on the adolescent American Bresse birds.

 

[ageranger361]

After close inspection of the adult birds and remaining chicks there are no other signs of this infection or whatever it is. I contacted the MS Board of Animal Health regarding this and they instructed me to keep the remaining alive chick separated and alive if possible. Images sent over to the MSBOAH. Currently Awaiting further instructions.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think I would look for signs of rats. That type of damage looks too severe for an infection. I may be wrong, but pecking and/or rats would be possible.

 

[ageranger361]

Ok, so the BOAH just called and said that it was some type of bacterial infection that was likely brought in from the breeders farm, possibly an infection that occurred in the incubation process in the egg since they might have been vaccinated in the egg. They also stated that the bacteria could have been introduced to the flock somehow from wild birds. The resolution is to cull any symptomatic bird and dispose of carcass accordingly, to maintain doxycycline for complete cycle of 10 days to entire flock paying extra care to clean and disinfect the equipment between fillings, and to maintain a close watch on the other birds Health and progression.

The BOAH did not even want to bother testing the live chick to determine what the bacteria was. They seemed really unconcerned with it as a serious outbreak and just recommended keeping general cleanliness practices up along with the antibiotics.

 

[rebrascora]

Well I'm pleased you have a diagnosis but I'm surprised that the authorities are so blasé about it. It is not something I have seen before here on BYC although I did see that you had found a similar thread back in 2013 on the subject, but with no clear diagnosis on that incident.
You would think that they would follow up on the breeder if they believe that is the source of the issue, especially if they are selling chicks across the country. Are they NPIP certified?

 

[micstrachan]

Wow. This seems super serious to me. Flesh eating bacteria intruduced through the beak??? I would disinfect all feeders and waterers. Not much you can do about the ground. Zero chance of them getting into something corrosive? Sorry you are dealing with this.

 

[ageranger361]

Well I'm pleased you have a diagnosis but I'm surprised that the authorities are so blasé about it. It is not something I have seen before here on BYC although I did see that you had found a similar thread back in 2013 on the subject, but with no clear diagnosis on that incident.
You would think that they would follow up on the breeder if they believe that is the source of the issue, especially if they are selling chicks across the country. Are they NPIP certified?

I think they did follow up with the breeder, but I also called the breeder afterwards and updated them personally. They were super grateful that we contacted them and he offered to give us more of a discount on next order if we lost any further chicks since it seems to have originated in their stock, but there’s rarely a definite source on these type of things. It honestly could have been something they picked up from wild birds in my run. I just don’t know. I’m just happy to have it diagnosed and have a treatment plan in place. Hopefully this thread will serve the community to help make them aware of this type of bacterial infection, whatever it is. It seems to have responded to The doxycycline treatment. If anyone else notices this type of infection occurring, the first thing they should do is clean all their equipment and place their birds onto doxycycline in their waterer. I will keep updating on the progress over the next few days.