- Jul 31, 2014
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Beginning a week ago, I have lost 13 chickens to a respiratory illness.
Last Saturday evening, I found 4 hens dead on the coop floor. When I went in to gather them up, I could hear rales in the some of the hens and my sole rooster (officially still a cockerel but huge). I hastily dispatched the 6 chickens that presented symptoms.
Monday I reported the incident to the manager of the chicken health program in Augusta. If I wish to, he told me I can take a suffering bird to the state lab 2 hours away for necropsy. I work 6 days a week for USPS, with no coverage available, so that's out.
My questions are:
Should I be concerned that this is a zoonose (a pathogen that crosses species, and one of my very favorite words ever!)? I usually harvest the chicken feet for dog treats. Is it risky? I scrub them before scalding and peeling them for him. He does love his chicken paws!
Am I likely to have to cull the entire flock and once that comes (if it ever does, this winter has been unbelievable!), tear the coop apart, sanitize, steam clean, repaint and rebuild, burn the hen yard to sterilize it, and order in new chicks for occupancy about a month later?
1) What type of bird, age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Weird. I would expect it to hit the elder hens preferentially and it did, with the exception of the Welsummer roo. He sounded the worst. All of the hens were very light. All of the remaining hens do, as well, so I don't believe that is at all diagnostic.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Rattling breathing, although on Sunday morning I found one hen (Peewee, a 3-year-old buff cochin and a pet *sob*
) huddled on the coop floor, gasping with her neck extended. Bleached combs.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
There were no indications of illness that morning.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Over the course of the week, I have found one more corpse and dispatched two more with rales.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No idea. It's been bitter cold (well below zero at night, with additional wind chills) but that has been going on for weeks.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Large flock, can't tell.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Large flock, can't tell.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
To prevent spread of the infection, I culled the suffering birds and any that were exhibiting symptoms.
I immediately scrubbed the hanging water bucket and scalded the poultry nipples. Refilled with clean water, good measure of raw apple cider vinegar (approx. pint in 4.5 gallons of water), added packet of chick electrolytes and packet of chick probiotic since I had them on hand.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I do not know of an avian vet up here in northern Maine.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Do not have.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use.
Unheated coop, Koop Clean bedding, cracked window in west end of structure, door on east side hasn't closed completely in weeks, most likely from ice in the hinges or buildup where I can't locate it.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Last Saturday evening, I found 4 hens dead on the coop floor. When I went in to gather them up, I could hear rales in the some of the hens and my sole rooster (officially still a cockerel but huge). I hastily dispatched the 6 chickens that presented symptoms.
Monday I reported the incident to the manager of the chicken health program in Augusta. If I wish to, he told me I can take a suffering bird to the state lab 2 hours away for necropsy. I work 6 days a week for USPS, with no coverage available, so that's out.
My questions are:
Should I be concerned that this is a zoonose (a pathogen that crosses species, and one of my very favorite words ever!)? I usually harvest the chicken feet for dog treats. Is it risky? I scrub them before scalding and peeling them for him. He does love his chicken paws!
Am I likely to have to cull the entire flock and once that comes (if it ever does, this winter has been unbelievable!), tear the coop apart, sanitize, steam clean, repaint and rebuild, burn the hen yard to sterilize it, and order in new chicks for occupancy about a month later?
1) What type of bird, age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Weird. I would expect it to hit the elder hens preferentially and it did, with the exception of the Welsummer roo. He sounded the worst. All of the hens were very light. All of the remaining hens do, as well, so I don't believe that is at all diagnostic.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Rattling breathing, although on Sunday morning I found one hen (Peewee, a 3-year-old buff cochin and a pet *sob*
) huddled on the coop floor, gasping with her neck extended. Bleached combs.3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
There were no indications of illness that morning.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Over the course of the week, I have found one more corpse and dispatched two more with rales.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No idea. It's been bitter cold (well below zero at night, with additional wind chills) but that has been going on for weeks.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Large flock, can't tell.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Large flock, can't tell.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
To prevent spread of the infection, I culled the suffering birds and any that were exhibiting symptoms.
I immediately scrubbed the hanging water bucket and scalded the poultry nipples. Refilled with clean water, good measure of raw apple cider vinegar (approx. pint in 4.5 gallons of water), added packet of chick electrolytes and packet of chick probiotic since I had them on hand.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I do not know of an avian vet up here in northern Maine.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Do not have.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use.
Unheated coop, Koop Clean bedding, cracked window in west end of structure, door on east side hasn't closed completely in weeks, most likely from ice in the hinges or buildup where I can't locate it.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
