New pullet dies, trying to figure out what may have caused it

[smallflock3]

I wasn't going to post this but then the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. I bought 2 new polish pullets from a large poultry sale as I had planned to introduce them to my polish cockerel after a quarantine period and then some. The owner was not there and someone else sold them to me so I didn't get any background info on them, not even their age. I know I'm probably the stupid one for not taking heed to the negative thoughts I was having but bought them anyway. They looked somewhat rough as far as both had hardly any tail feathers left, so I know they had been in with roosters. They also looked young to me and by the second day, one had laid a small egg. By day 3 they both had started to gurgle so I gave them Tylan 50 for about 5 days and the gurgling stopped. One of the pullets (egg layer) seemed fine, the other I then found to be so under weight her keel bone stuck out, almost anorexic, so I began hand feeding her to make sure she got food (she had acted like she was eating but was not) and also giving her the Nutri drench. She then couldn't stand and sat on her hocks, she barely could keep her head up. I put her in a cage next to her sister but lined it with pieces of blankets and made her a nest, I also made her a feeding station closer to the ground as she did try to drink water on her own. I wanted to be able to monitor her poop, which when she did, was very soft and very smelly but the next day, when I went to give her a morning feed, found her dead. Now I'm upset that she was so ill and I couldn't help her, her sister is left alone but she seems fine, but wondering if I need to get blood tests done to see if they can find anything wrong with her. I know to be so cautious, as I don't want my other birds to get sick. Does this sound familiar to anyone? She didn't have the symptoms of Marek's disease and I looked at Mycoplasma synoviae infection in poultry, but her joints weren't swollen, but then maybe it had just started and because of her malnutrition, it took over. I only had her 2 weeks.

 

[casportpony]

Where do you live?

-Kathy

 

[smallflock3]

I live in Amelia VA

 

[flyladyrocks]

So sorry for your loss. At least she was well loved in her final days, but I know that is little comfort.

Is their a University in VA with a department that would take her to do tests? I live in IN and Purdue has a large Veterinary and Farming department, they work closely with the state to track plant and animal diseases and welcome you giving them both to test. In fact they probably would want to know that a pullet you just bought died so soon and be able to figure out why and possibly prevent a problem from spreading.

 

[casportpony]

Call these labs and ask about having a necropsy done, it might even be free.
Necropsy Labs

Harrisonburg Regional Animal Health Laboratory
261 Mount Clinton Pike
Harrisonburg, VA 22802 Phone Fax 540-434-3880

Frederick Animal Health Laboratory
1840 Rosemont Ave
Frederick, MD 21702 Phone 301-600-1548 Fax 301-600-6111

Maryland Department of Ag & Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory
Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory, 27722 Nanticoke Road
Salisbury, MD 21801 Phone 410-543-6610 Fax 410-543-6676

-Kathy

 

[smallflock3]

Thank you both for the good information, I am trying to see what I can find out through a Vet for the sister bird that's still living as far as what a blood test would possibly be able to find and also a necropsy for the one that passed.