Hi All:
Been on here earlier about my ill pullets but we have learned some new things and eliminated other things. We just need any suggestions that anyone might have, please.
Here is what has been happening:
I have lost 1 silkie at 5 1/2 wks - symptoms: she was the smallest of my two silkies and didn't seem to grow much during the week and a half that I had her. Her face was very swollen on right side only, eye swollen shut, not eating or drinking, not moving around, no other respiratory symptoms, seemed to be burning up. Started her on duramycin. Gave her drops of baby vits. She continued to fail and died that evening.
The next day I discovered a Lt Brahma at 6 wks who was sick. She was the second smallest of my flock of pullets all the same age. She was about 1/2 to 2/3rds the size of the other Brahmas - her symptoms: not eating or drinking, seemed to have a fever, walked like she was drunk, very unsteady, feathers were ruffled, eyes closed most of the time. I started her on duramycin, dripping it on her beak. Gave her the vitamins and watery mash dripped on her beak. Several hours later she rallied and started to eat on her own. She became an eating machine for the next two days. Improving much, walking or crawling some, even up my shirt to perch on my shoulder and nap. Photo's of her were sent to State University along with illness history. They said they noticed lesions on it's feet and wondered if they were fire ant bites. No surprise there, I had seen ants in the coop taking food and was worried they were fire ants. We cleaned out the coop, took out ant mounds and the coop has been ant free since. Surprise me, she died during the night.
Next day discovered about 5 more birds ill a mix of Australorps and Brahmas. All had an eye or eyes that were closed often, golden/brown crust at nostrils, some had bubbles in the corners of their eyes. They were moving around very slowly and you could tell that they were sick. Several were coughing.
I put the whole flock, now 10 pullets, on LS-50 in their water, gave them the baby vitamins, and put baby nose drops in their nostrils - this was June 29th. On the 30th, I worked up my courage and took two of the worst birds to the closest animal disease diagnostic laboratory for them to do necropsy and testing on.
None of these birds were out of the coop (which was just built) to graze prior to the illness onset. I can not walk in the coop, too small to stand up in. But wasn't very conscientious about biosecurity concerning my coming and going to TSC store. I am rather uptight about it now.
Today I got the final word from the director:
Brahma had a tumor-like substance that was not cancerous, he believes it was a genetic defect - should not have caused death. He found a very few round worms and capillary worms. Absolutely nothing else. The Australorp was clean - nothing. The lab results showed, no AI, no Binax-Influenza Antigen, No MG, suspect for MS (mycoplasma synoviae.) He told me that nothing else was found in the bloodwork and other cultures either. He said that the MS is not serious and that it likely did not make the birds sick or cause their death.
So where are we today, July 10th? Four dead birds, not really any clear clinical answers, and after 10 days on LS-50 I still have the following:
3 Australorps who cough, have crusty nostrils, eyes closed more than normal. They walk fine and are fairly active and eat and drink.
1 Lt Brahma with the same symptoms as above but she is less active and not as sure footed as at least 2 of the ones mentioned above.
1 Silkie and 2 Lt Brahma's who all appear to be happy, healthy and normal.
We are going to worm all of the pullets this weekend. Also going to try to boost their nutrition with yogurt, fresh feed from a new supplier, continuing the baby vitamins, and possibly supplementing with some beta carotene as well. We are thinking of stopping the LS-50 since it doesn't seem to be helping much.
My chicks are slightly improved from the day I started them on the LS-50 and vitamins and nose drops. But not significantly. They are not getting any worse but seem to have hit a plateau.
Suggestions anyone? What is this that seems to just be hanging on and isn't showing up in the clinical work?
Thanks for reading this whole saga and for any help you can offer.
Blessings,
Posey
Been on here earlier about my ill pullets but we have learned some new things and eliminated other things. We just need any suggestions that anyone might have, please.
Here is what has been happening:
I have lost 1 silkie at 5 1/2 wks - symptoms: she was the smallest of my two silkies and didn't seem to grow much during the week and a half that I had her. Her face was very swollen on right side only, eye swollen shut, not eating or drinking, not moving around, no other respiratory symptoms, seemed to be burning up. Started her on duramycin. Gave her drops of baby vits. She continued to fail and died that evening.
The next day I discovered a Lt Brahma at 6 wks who was sick. She was the second smallest of my flock of pullets all the same age. She was about 1/2 to 2/3rds the size of the other Brahmas - her symptoms: not eating or drinking, seemed to have a fever, walked like she was drunk, very unsteady, feathers were ruffled, eyes closed most of the time. I started her on duramycin, dripping it on her beak. Gave her the vitamins and watery mash dripped on her beak. Several hours later she rallied and started to eat on her own. She became an eating machine for the next two days. Improving much, walking or crawling some, even up my shirt to perch on my shoulder and nap. Photo's of her were sent to State University along with illness history. They said they noticed lesions on it's feet and wondered if they were fire ant bites. No surprise there, I had seen ants in the coop taking food and was worried they were fire ants. We cleaned out the coop, took out ant mounds and the coop has been ant free since. Surprise me, she died during the night.
Next day discovered about 5 more birds ill a mix of Australorps and Brahmas. All had an eye or eyes that were closed often, golden/brown crust at nostrils, some had bubbles in the corners of their eyes. They were moving around very slowly and you could tell that they were sick. Several were coughing.
I put the whole flock, now 10 pullets, on LS-50 in their water, gave them the baby vitamins, and put baby nose drops in their nostrils - this was June 29th. On the 30th, I worked up my courage and took two of the worst birds to the closest animal disease diagnostic laboratory for them to do necropsy and testing on.
None of these birds were out of the coop (which was just built) to graze prior to the illness onset. I can not walk in the coop, too small to stand up in. But wasn't very conscientious about biosecurity concerning my coming and going to TSC store. I am rather uptight about it now.
Today I got the final word from the director:
Brahma had a tumor-like substance that was not cancerous, he believes it was a genetic defect - should not have caused death. He found a very few round worms and capillary worms. Absolutely nothing else. The Australorp was clean - nothing. The lab results showed, no AI, no Binax-Influenza Antigen, No MG, suspect for MS (mycoplasma synoviae.) He told me that nothing else was found in the bloodwork and other cultures either. He said that the MS is not serious and that it likely did not make the birds sick or cause their death.
So where are we today, July 10th? Four dead birds, not really any clear clinical answers, and after 10 days on LS-50 I still have the following:
3 Australorps who cough, have crusty nostrils, eyes closed more than normal. They walk fine and are fairly active and eat and drink.
1 Lt Brahma with the same symptoms as above but she is less active and not as sure footed as at least 2 of the ones mentioned above.
1 Silkie and 2 Lt Brahma's who all appear to be happy, healthy and normal.
We are going to worm all of the pullets this weekend. Also going to try to boost their nutrition with yogurt, fresh feed from a new supplier, continuing the baby vitamins, and possibly supplementing with some beta carotene as well. We are thinking of stopping the LS-50 since it doesn't seem to be helping much.
My chicks are slightly improved from the day I started them on the LS-50 and vitamins and nose drops. But not significantly. They are not getting any worse but seem to have hit a plateau.
Suggestions anyone? What is this that seems to just be hanging on and isn't showing up in the clinical work?
Thanks for reading this whole saga and for any help you can offer.
Blessings,
Posey
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