One of my chukars died :(

[shelleyd2008]

That's it....just dead. No signs of trauma, they aren't acting sick, it was just dead.

Any signs or symptoms I should look for? These birds are at least 2 months old.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I lost another one today. It looked just fine yesterday, then today was all fluffed up. When I found it, it had its head twisted completely under its body, and was laying on it.

Any ideas?? Can I medicate them with anything?

 

[kikescove.com]

Something can be scaring them at night like a cat pacing the fence, and they can break their necks on your top wire. There is any one of a thousand diseases that it could be.

 

[JJMR794]

Are They Kept In With Other Speces Of Birds?

 

[shelleyd2008]

They are in a cage next to my coturnix, which are in the barn where all the chickens hang out. But they are in a raised cage by themselves.

 

[JJMR794]

It Could Possibly Be An Illness Introduced From The Chickens. Many People Mix Gamebirds And Chickens--- More Than A Few Are Very Successful At It, But Gamebirds Are Way More Susceptible To Illness That Chickens Routinely Carry But Do Not Fall Sick To--- Coryza For Example.... You're Flock May Carry It But Never Get The Illness Itself, But Put Them Around Your Baby Turkeys Or Pheasants And It'll Run Thru The Gamebirds Like An Out Of Control Wild Fire.

I'd Treat The Chukar Prophylactically---- Lincomycin In The Water Font X 14 Days. (this Works Better For Gamebirds Than Terramycin)

Are They Showing Any Symptoms At All? Runny Nose, Watery Eyes, Swollen Nasal Passages, Cough? Anything?

 

[JJMR794]

The Antibiotic Treatment May Not Help(or Be Needed...) At All, But Its A Cheap Expense If It Does Compared To Loosing More Birds...

And It Certainly Wont Hurt The Birds Themselves

 

[shelleyd2008]

No, they act just fine, then all of a sudden they are dead. I was wondering if maybe it's not from the dampness? They are in a raised cage, but the whole floor of the barn is dirt. We have clay soil here, so drainage is non-existent. I noticed yesterday that one particular area under their cage is always wet, and seems to have some mold on it? I was wondering if maybe it's not a problem with the mold being in there, like they are breathing it or something? Idk, I'm pulling at straws here....

 

[JJMR794]

Never Heard Of Chukar Having Problems With Dampness Or Mold.....

They Live In The Wilds On Steep Rocky River Banks Throughout The West.

Send A Pm To Steelshot And Ask His Opinion--- He Breeds Thousands Yearly Perhaps He Has Some Pearls Of Wisdom?