Sick Chicks—Looks Like Something Contagious

[jeflin]

I posted in another post about bringing home guinea keets and Cochin chicks from a local breeder a little over a week ago. One keet had a swollen eye and died the next morning. Another keet died a couple days later. The breeder did have another Cochin chick at her facility exhibiting the same symptoms. Of course I’m kicking myself for buying anything from her. But, hindsight is 20/20...So now I’ve got 2 chicks with closed eyes. Both still eating and drinking. The Cochin chick seems a bit rattly when breathing. The bantam chick seems a bit worse with nasal discharge, rattly breathing with mouth open. Both have one eye closed. I have them in with a bunch of other chicks who are so far ok.

If you’ve read this far, thank you!

My questions:
-Should I still separate sick chicks being that all have been exposed at this point?

-How should I treat them? Or should I just give probiotics and electrolytes and hope they all pull through? I think I have some Baytril somewhere, but I don’t like giving meds if I don’t have to.

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Sounds like possible Mycoplasma Galliseptum.

@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@azygous

Your thoughts?

 

[azygous]

It's obviously a respiratory illness, and it's most contagious when symptoms are showing.

Reading your post makes me very angry. I've known a dog breeder with this level of irresponsibility, and I was instrumental in getting them shut down and animals rescued. You could do the same with this breeder. She is helping to spread disease around the country. She should be stopped. Report her to the local animal control.

As for your chicks, Tylosin in their water is the treatment. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/ But I would be tempted to just return the chicks and tell her the authorities are coming for her. That would give you the freedom to clean your facilities well with disinfectant, wait several weeks, and then purchase chicks from a feed store that orders from a licensed hatchery with strict biosecurity.

 

[jeflin]

It's obviously a respiratory illness, and it's most contagious when symptoms are showing.

Reading your post makes me very angry. I've known a dog breeder with this level of irresponsibility, and I was instrumental in getting them shut down and animals rescued. You could do the same with this breeder. She is helping to spread disease around the country. She should be stopped. Report her to the local animal control.

As for your chicks, Tylosin in their water is the treatment. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/ But I would be tempted to just return the chicks and tell her the authorities are coming for her. That would give you the freedom to clean your facilities well with disinfectant, wait several weeks, and then purchase chicks from a feed store that orders from a licensed hatchery with strict biosecurity.

Sounds like possible Mycoplasma Galliseptum.

@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@azygous

Your thoughts?

Thank you all. I’m just sick over this.

 

[jeflin]

So one of the other Cochin chicks died last night. She wasn’t exhibiting any URI symptoms but was acting off and staying under the brooder plate more. I contacted the breeder who has been helpful and has offered a refund, but is saying her birds are fine. The symptoms started 7-8 days after I bought birds from her, which I find rather suspicious. But, I can’t prove it came from her. It could have been something we tracked in from outside.

The dead chick was already starting to smell—I’m not sure how long she’d been dead when I found her this morning. Would it be too late to use her for a necropsy? I’ve put her in the garage fridge, just in case and I’ll be calling the extension office first thing Monday morning for advice. I’ve thought about culling the whole lot and starting over, but my husband thinks that’s jumping the gun without knowing for sure what’s causing the illness. It would be devastating to both me and my kids.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

about bringing home guinea keets and Cochin chicks from a local breeder a little over a week ago. One keet had a swollen eye and died the next morning. Another keet died a couple days later. The breeder did have another Cochin chick at her facility exhibiting the same symptoms.

The symptoms started 7-8 days after I bought birds from her, which I find rather suspicious.

Ask your state lab if they think they would be able to use the body, they may not if it had already started to decay.


I'm a little confused. In your first post, you mention that when you brought them home one of the Keets had a swollen eye and died the next morning. Another died a couple days later. Your most recent post mention symptoms not showing up until 7-8 days after you brought them home??
Can you clarify? I suppose it may not make a difference, but IF the birds didn't exhibit symptoms until almost 2 weeks after you bought them, then I would be looking at something in their environment (plus diseases too).

Can you post some photos of the brooder and the birds? How much ventilation is in your brooder?
Any mold, mildew, dampness, ammonia buildup from droppings, poor ventilation, moldy feed - anything like that which may cause symptoms?

Honestly I don't know much about Guinea Fowl, but I don't see a lot of folks posting here on BYC about their Guineas being sick with respiratory symptoms. Could be that I don't visit the Guinea forum or folks just don't post.

That said, looking at info I have, there's a few respiratory illness that could affect both the Keets and Chicken Chicks, but again, I would be looking at all angles to see if something "clicks".

 

[jeflin]

I'm a little confused. In your first post, you mention that when you brought them home one of the Keets had a swollen eye and died the next morning. Another died a couple days later. Your most recent post mention symptoms not showing up until 7-8 days after you brought them home??
Can you clarify?

Sorry for the confusion—The first keet with the swollen eye (I noticed when I got them home from the breeder on 3/18) died on 3/19 and the second on 3/21. The rest of the chicks were fine until Thursday 3/25, when I noticed the black Cochin chick’s eye. Hopefully that helps clarify.

The brooder set up is in our garage, in a back corner with one interior and one exterior wall. They’re in about a 4’ x 6’ area. They’re on pine shavings from Tractor supply with a tarp underneath and several layers of cardboard under the tarp (thought it might help insulate from the cement floor). I have 2 brooder plates and a space heater in the garage as well. I have 3 hanging nipple waters and I scoop out the wet shavings from underneath multiple times a day. I change out the shavings under the brooder every morning and change out the rest about every 3 days. I will start changing out every day to every other day as they get bigger/messier. I lined the sides with cardboard, to help prevent drafts and round off the corners to prevent piling. The top is open, except the card table which could probably be removed. The feed is new and changed multiple times a day as they kick shavings and poop into it. They’re on non-medicated chick starter.

Since I lost the first 2 keets, the rest have been fine. I’ve never had guineas before but I’ve raised chicks and I’ve never lost one.

I’ve added a second feeder since these pictures were taken. And put Nutridrench in 2 of the three waterers. Anything I need to change? I’m absolutely open to suggestions!

 

[jeflin]

I absolutely hate it, but I’m thinking about culling the whole bunch and starting over. I don’t want to risk spreading it to my adult birds and I’m getting new chicks shipped to me in May. This is first time I’ve ever bought birds from an individual. Lesson learned I guess.

 

[Myrshine]

Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), or most commonly known as Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG). MG is a bacterial infection of poultry, affecting all different species of birds. This disease is most commonly given from infected parents to the offspring, as the MG bacteria can be transmitted vertically into the eggs of developing embryos, making any chicks that hatch, always infected and sick with the bacteria. So please don’t ever breed from your sickly infected flock to sell or giveaway chicks/hens/roosters to anyone. You can freely choose to hatch for yourself, but you should not ever sell and or giveaway any extra roosters as you’ll just be giving someone else your flock’s disease, causing them a devastation. MG is a permanent lifelong chronic disease- meaning, that you can treat or have the symptoms go away, but whenever the bird gets stressed again, the symptoms will keep coming back or get worse. All birds (even recovered birds) remain lifetime long carriers of the MG bacteria, spreading and shedding it through their feces, feathers, dander, respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids. This is a serious permanent lifetime disease of poultry and is incurable, but treatable with antibiotics. Since MG is caused by a bacteria, antibiotics can help keep symptoms at bay until the symptoms resurface whenever birds become stressed again. Keep in mind that over-use and/or misuse of antibiotics also creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making the disease harder to treat than before. It’s critical in any livestock animal, especially poultry, to get any sick or symptomatic birds tested to find out which specific disease they have as soon as possible. That being said, most choose to cull all birds, disinfect and start over fresh. If you’d rather not, then the other option is to keep a closed flock- no new birds into your flock and no birds leave your sick flock. If you choose to start over, always quarantine any new birds that you decide to bring into your flock, 30 day quarantine isn’t always enough, therefore, it’s best to do a 60 day quarantine AWAY from your healthy birds, in another area.



Here's more information about MG:



• https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf



• https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/blog/protecting-your-flock-what-you-need-to-know-about-mg-ms/



• https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/respiratory-conditions-poultry-mycoplasma-in-chickens/



• https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ahw/animal_health/documents/backyardpoultry/Mycoplasma Factsheet.pdf



• https://www.oie.int/doc/ged/D9107.PDF



List of testing and necropsy labs for poultry & other animals:



• List of US Poultry Labs - https://www.heritageacresmarket.com/poultry-necropsy-labs/



• List of Poultry Authorized Labs (NIPIP) - https://www.poultryimprovement.org/documents/AuthorizedLaboratories.pdf



• Zoologix PCR testing for livestock (poultry, equine, bovine, avian, etc) - http://www.zoologix.com/avian/index.htm



• USDA Diagnostic Tests - https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou..._Lab_Information_Services/SA_Diagnostic_Tests



• Research Associates Lab (RAL) - http://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird



• Poultry Health Services Diagnostic Tests - https://www.poultryhealthservices.com/lab/tests/



I wish you good luck and I hope your birds get well soon!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry for the confusion—The first keet with the swollen eye (I noticed when I got them home from the breeder on 3/18) died on 3/19 and the second on 3/21. The rest of the chicks were fine until Thursday 3/25, when I noticed the black Cochin chick’s eye. Hopefully that helps clarify.

The brooder set up is in our garage, in a back corner with one interior and one exterior wall. They’re in about a 4’ x 6’ area. They’re on pine shavings from Tractor supply with a tarp underneath and several layers of cardboard under the tarp (thought it might help insulate from the cement floor). I have 2 brooder plates and a space heater in the garage as well. I have 3 hanging nipple waters and I scoop out the wet shavings from underneath multiple times a day. I change out the shavings under the brooder every morning and change out the rest about every 3 days. I will start changing out every day to every other day as they get bigger/messier. I lined the sides with cardboard, to help prevent drafts and round off the corners to prevent piling. The top is open, except the card table which could probably be removed. The feed is new and changed multiple times a day as they kick shavings and poop into it. They’re on non-medicated chick starter.

Since I lost the first 2 keets, the rest have been fine. I’ve never had guineas before but I’ve raised chicks and I’ve never lost one.

I’ve added a second feeder since these pictures were taken. And put Nutridrench in 2 of the three waterers. Anything I need to change? I’m absolutely open to suggestions!

I absolutely hate it, but I’m thinking about culling the whole bunch and starting over. I don’t want to risk spreading it to my adult birds and I’m getting new chicks shipped to me in May. This is first time I’ve ever bought birds from an individual. Lesson learned I guess.

Looks fine to me.
Looks like they are moving around eating/drinking o.k. too?

So what symptoms are you seeing again?
Any fumes from vehicles, paint, etc. in the garage?