Sick dying chicks. **UPDATE 8-7 PICS pg. 19**

[Acre of Blessings]

Stacey, you need to let the ext. office and the state vet know the name and the location of the one that you got the bird from. That way they can contact that area and have them do a check on their other birds.

I can't stand the fact that someone would bring a sick bird to the swap and get rid of it knowing something is wrong.

Stacey, again as I told you on the phone, I am so sorry. My kids and I miss visiting with you and they are very saddened at theis whole thing to. But I have explained that it is for the best.

I am praying that you will soon find out what is going on with the birds and I pray it is sooner rather than later.

 

[Wynette]

Oh, no...I've been following your posts and hoping things would get better. I'm so anxious to hear what's happening, and prayers go out to you & your chicks. Your heart must just absolutely be breaking! Hang in there, and please keep us posted!!

 

[speckledhen]

Crud. I just dont know what to say except...

and

 

[gumpsgirl]

The ext. office is closed for the day now, so I guess I won't be hearing from the state vet today.

Hopefully he can find the time for me tomorrow.

My week old really don't feel well. Very loud sneezing and they are all just laying around for the most part. Rhodey keeps crowing his head off to let me know that he isn't pleased that I won't let him free range again today. The 4 wk. olds are still the same. Sneezing, but very active. Maybe I'll know something by tomorrow afternoon.

**A special thank you to all of you! Your support has been wonderful and very helpful. My DH has been out of town all week so if it had not been for you all, I wouldn't have had a soul to talk to about all of this mess. Thank you all!

 

[Wynette]

Oh, hurry up and wait for a call. It'll be an agonizing night for you. HANG IN THERE!!! I'd put the "hugs" icon in, but I've never been able to find the ones that move around on here! So, I'll do this instead:

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm so sorry...dang...
I know someone who bought an animal from a respected breeder and it's sick as heck...they said it was "shipping sickness"...

 

[gumpsgirl]

Thanks Wynette! I'm off to a ball game, so hopefully I'll be busy enough to not worry myself sick over it. I guess we'll see if keeping busy works. I sure do hope so!

For future reference, the smilies that move around are off to your right when you post something. It says "Smilies" in bold letter and you just have to click on the [show] option to see them!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
That's kind of what I was told. The excuse was maybe it caught a cold from transport or something.

Ya' right!

 

[eggchel]

Im so sorry that you are going through this.

Birds dont just "catch colds from transport". However, the stress of transport can cause birds to develop the symptoms for a disease which they have been exposed to or are carriers of. The seller's birds may not have symptoms of the disease at this time, they could be carriers that recovered from a previous illness or never showed symptoms.
Unfortunately, many people dont realize that most viruses that birds catch either become chronic and show up under stress or the birds become carriers of that disease. MS is said to be carried by about 75 % of birds and nearly all birds (even in closed flocks) have been exposed to Mareks.

Your birds symptoms dont sound like Mareks. They sound more like Coryza or MS and MG (aka CRD or Infectious Sinusitis).

If another bird dies, put it in a plastic bag and refrigerate it until you can take it for a necropsy. If you have any birds that you think will not recover, then take one of them (alive) for a necropsy. Some of the virus' are very difficult to isolate in tests after the bird has started to decompose. Also, with a live bird, they can check its symptoms, etc. Im sorry if this part is disturbing, but it can help with diagnosis and treatment.



Chel

 

[gumpsgirl]

Thank you eggchel. I have a little buff orp. baby that won't make it through the night, but I was thinking that I would take one of the 4 wk. olds for the necropsy since they are the ones that are smelling strange. I hate to do that to one of my chicks, but I'd rather sacrifice one to find out what is wrong with my flock then to sit back and just hope that everyone gets better. I am also thinking about the babies that are due to hatch in 10 days. I need to know what to vaccinate for.