Ok, about a month ago I thought a chicken got hurt and was limping...

[Haunted55]

we have changed the food, that gave no result...the vitamins I am still adding to their food and water, what is aflatoxin poisoning?

Cow Creek has done the most recent research on this and hopefully he will chime in here soon and give you everything you need to know. I will try and give you the down and dirty but talk to CCG to get all the updated stuff.

This year because of the heat and drought in most of the growing belt of this country and Canada, the corn and some of the other grains were hit with a mold. This, in high amounts can kill our birds especially ducks. It can also cause crippling, sometimes permanent, neurological issues, again sometimes permanent, and even death if the concentrations are high enough. Is this what is causing your problems? I don't know. It could be or it could also be a contributing factor to something else. That is why I suggested changing feed and will go so far as to say feed companies. If you're using Purina now, change to Blue Seal or whatever the case may be. Just switch the food to a feed that is high quality and the main ingredient isn't corn. That is the safest bet. Corn was hit the hardest, but so was some of the rye crop and the wheat also has some issues. I don't have the answers, I wish I did.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Haunted55's covered it pretty well ... the mold, which I think to be Aspergillus flavus, actually produces the toxic substance known as aflatoxin, and it has been an especially bad problem lately, mostly due to folks like Cargill, who produces some of Purina's foods, were caught red-handed by the USDA ... as if that wasn't enough? They've left out some vitamins completely, and it's been an ever-growing recall, which expanded to include all states. Even if you're feedin' somethin' that hasn't been recalled? You may have already fed 'em stuff that has (like me )-;~

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:

NOTE: Due to the manner BYC chooses to edit these forums, posts that do not violate their TOS are removed along w/ any that they feel do ... it's sorta like pullin' a loose thread 'til it unravels completely free, rather than trimming it's end most carefully. Therefore, I suggest you follow the links provided, and bookmark those off-site URLs, as this post may be removed.

Hey, don't think so negative. You are a good person for bringing important information, and, backing it up with links.

 

[seminolewind]

Right now have an EE who was on death's door months ago. I brought her in and gave her Penicillin shots {that's all I had left to try}. She got better and was eating and drinking, and was put in with some docile chickens. It wasn't Marek's symptoms . She put her head in a corner of the coop and stayed there. I don't know why she was sick. But she got better. Now, she is skinny with food in her crop, and sleeping quite a bit. I don't think she's going to make it. And I'm going to have to say most likely Marek's, and wasting. Two days ago I saw her eating, well, pretending to eat, mostly just moving the crumbles around.

It's a sad thing.

 

[casportpony]

Hey, don't think so negative.  You are a good person for bringing important information, and, backing it up with links.

X2... I actually consider both of you to be my go to folks.

 

[casportpony]

Right now  have an EE who was on death's door months ago.  I brought her in and gave her Penicillin shots {that's all I had left to try}.  She got better and was eating and drinking, and was put in with some docile chickens.  It wasn't Marek's symptoms .  She put her head in a corner of the coop and stayed there.  I don't know why she was sick.  But she got better.  Now, she is skinny with food in her crop, and sleeping quite a bit.  I don't think she's going to make it.  And I'm going to have to say most likely Marek's, and wasting.  Two days ago I saw her eating, well, pretending to eat, mostly just moving the crumbles around.  

It's a sad thing.  

Sounds like we have the same issues. Seems like so many of mine have the ocular form, it's driving me nuts!

 

[missnu01]

yeah both of these eat like mad...and they both are quick to the food dish...the one just has such a hard time getting there

 

[missnu01]

yeah both of these eat like mad...and they both are quick to the food dish...the one just has such a hard time getting there

 

[seminolewind]

Quote: Thanks! You are one of my go-to people as well! I think there's alot to learn when we all get talking about it, I think many members read these conversations and this information is vital.

I had a roo that lasted a long time, he may have been 2, more or less. One day I notice that his pupils are not round. He had started out as an egg in my car, LOL. He protected his girls up until he died.

Every month or so I go around at night and give everyone a hands on physical to see if they are thin or not.

 

[missnu01]

Well I went up this morning and the chick that has been doing the worst of the 2 was in fact laying there with one leg forward and one leg back...so I guess that decides that then. We are going to cull these 2, hopefully this weekend while the older children are gone. My son was especially attached to the little roo that is not doing too badly...He will come and chatter at you and sit on your shoes, and loves pettings in a way none of the other chickens do...but I talked to my son about it yesterday, and he said he would rather it be dead than up there suffering, so he went up and gave his farewell cuddles before he left to go to his grandparents for the weekend. Poor little chickens.