Not an Emergency...Marek's in the Flock

[Haunted55]

Just skim read, so not trying to make a point, just wanted to add that calcium is good unless it exceeds more than 3% and then there's something about the calcium to phosphorus ratio, too... just thinking out-loud and not trying to make a point, but maybe haunted will use her awesome research skills and come up with more info to better educate me on the subject, lol.

-Kathy

<snort> as if Kathy. I remember reading it somewhere and have no clue where now. There's also magnesium that plays a role in there as well. That's why I said a bit of the layer feed as I know 'it's in there'. I used to have a chart as a cheat sheet, no idea what happened to it but it sure would be handy to have posted near this computer, lol. Selenium is another but I really hesitate to mention that one. That's a good one if your ground is low in it, but if it isn't it's easy to cause an overdose.

 

[hogster160]

I am so sorry to hear about Tunes

 

[julie0477]

Oh geez. I'm at the vet now. This morning I went to check on junior and he was covered in MAGGOTS. I bathed him and found an injury that I did not see before for all his fluffiness. Its a laceration underneath near his vent on his belly. Its superficial but sign of a possible scuffle. The vet is sending in the blood and doing an x ray. Maybe just maybe all this is due to injury.

 

[hogster160]

Oh geez. I'm at the vet now. This morning I went to check on junior and he was covered in MAGGOTS. I bathed him and found an injury that I did not see before for all his fluffiness. Its a laceration underneath near his vent on his belly. Its superficial but sign of a possible scuffle. The vet is sending in the blood and doing an x ray. Maybe just maybe all this is due to injury.

oh my goodness! I wouldn't be surprised, it sounds like that may be his problem. Wow, maggots, yuuuuuk. That's one type of insect I just really don't like. Sending good wishes your way for your boy!

Deb

 

[SillyChicky]

With all the pages on this topic, I hope you decided to cull these poor birds :-(

There was an outbreak of this from a woman I bought chicks from (mine were all fine, other than the two that died I got from her). I mentioned it after finding out many other people she sold chicks to going through the same symptoms of paralysis and such. I was basically ignored :-S Pride is stronger than wit with some. *useless rant, I'm done now lol*

 

[SillyChicky]

Oh geez. I'm at the vet now. This morning I went to check on junior and he was covered in MAGGOTS. I bathed him and found an injury that I did not see before for all his fluffiness. Its a laceration underneath near his vent on his belly. Its superficial but sign of a possible scuffle. The vet is sending in the blood and doing an x ray. Maybe just maybe all this is due to injury.

That happened to me years ago on one of my favorite pet Sussex hens Emily. My sister picked her up and found maggots all coming out of her bum and around her bum. She was really sick, so sis smothered her for me. I still don't know what exactly happened to cause al lthe gross maggots.

 

[julie0477]

Well my vet was awesome. She took
A full flock history and then a history on my individual little guy that was down. After all was said and done and after looking at X-rays it did appear he had trauma to his spinal cord, probably from my other silkie roo. I had him put down. I feel horrible for it but I think I did the right thing. My vet made a call to purdue and they will do a necropsy free of charge to rule out other causes. I have a friend that wants one of my birds but I'm not bringing any birds in or letting them leave until tests are back. Better safe than sorry. I'm pretty sad. I never get used to losing a bird.

 

[Nambroth]

Quote:

Well my vet was awesome. She took
A full flock history and then a history on my individual little guy that was down. After all was said and done and after looking at X-rays it did appear he had trauma to his spinal cord, probably from my other silkie roo. I had him put down. I feel horrible for it but I think I did the right thing. My vet made a call to purdue and they will do a necropsy free of charge to rule out other causes. I have a friend that wants one of my birds but I'm not bringing any birds in or letting them leave until tests are back. Better safe than sorry. I'm pretty sad. I never get used to losing a bird.

Oh no, I'm so sorry about your roo! That is always so hard. I truly hope, now that it is over, that it was only an injury and that your flock comes back testing clean.

That happened to me years ago on one of my favorite pet Sussex hens Emily. My sister picked her up and found maggots all coming out of her bum and around her bum. She was really sick, so sis smothered her for me. I still don't know what exactly happened to cause al lthe gross maggots.

When you find a chicken's bum covered like that... it may have been something called a "fly strike". Some chickens seem to be less hygienic that others... sometimes they have too much volume to their butt fluff, or they don't move the feathers away properly when they poop, but regardless of the reason, droppings can build up in the feathers under the vent. Sometimes it's impossible to even see this happen unless you spread their fluffy feathers to the side to see. What happens is that some droppings build up, and flies lay eggs in the droppings. The maggots hatch all at once and start eating the poo, but (especially when the poo is close to or against the skin) they end up eating into the rump of the chicken, too. This can happen very quickly! I check my bird's rumps, and make mental note of the hens that are not so good about keeping their feathers poo-free. These hens I check at least once a week if not more often to make sure they don't get a build up. I have to trim some of their feathers back and sometimes have to wash them off.

 

[julie0477]

Haunted - by the way I want to thank you. Well, thanks to every one that gave me advice and listened to me, but thank you in particular.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Julie--

Very sorry about your rooster! It's hard, but it sounds like it was what needed to be done so it's good you did.

Later add:
Genilou-- Just saw your post about Tunes. So very sorry you are having to lose her. I've lost some very dear birds before, too, and it is really hard to go through. How did things go when you went to the vet's?