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

[lauralou]

Stacey,

How are your babies this morning? I hope that you didn't lose any more overnight.

Since today is Friday, and you don't want you have to wait for the State Vet's call over the weekend, maybe it would help if you called the office directly. The main office is in Richmond, the number is (804) 692-0601. They have other offices around the state, and can probably direct you to one that is closer to you.

Hope that helps

 

[Wynette]

Yes, I'm subscribed to this thread, hoping you have some good news for us. Thanks for the heads-up on the moving icons, gumpsgirl!

Eggchel - thanks for putting that info. in your post about necropsies; I did not know the part about a live animal that may not make it. This is good info. to have.

 

[kees]

It's not true that bird get sick from "shipping stress". I've had nine birds shipped from Washing State, near Oregon, all the way to New York, and never once had a problem. So that's just an excuse. Praying for your birds and sorry for what you're going for you. Did you get your meds in the mail yet?

 

[gumpsgirl]

Thank you everyone for being concerned. Everyone as of right now is still accounted for. I am wondering if I should help that little buff orp. along. I think it is suffering, but then I just have that little "what if" going through my head.

Thank you lauralou for that phone number. If I don't hear anything from the vet by 11:00, then I will call. I figured out at 8:10 this morning why I never heard from Dr. Peirson yesterday. The ext. office called me and they said that he thought he had already talked to me yesterday. Apparently there is someone else that is having the same issues with their chickens that I'm having and he talked to them yesterday. I'm even more anxious to talk to him now to see if they bought chicks at the same swap as I got mine from. If so, the state will more than likely step in and get this whole mess straight. I'll post as soon as I find something out.

 

[kees]

Please don't blame yourself for doing anything anything "stupid". It wasn't your fault. The responsibity lies with an unscrupulous breeder who took advantage of unspecting peole.

un

 

[MissPrissy]

Shipping stress can cause a lot of damage to chicks. I would have to say you have been lucky with your 9 chicks.

Don't wait Stacey. Start ringing their phone now.

 

[Wynette]

I AGREE! Don't wait - it's Friday, you won't get ahold of anyone tomorrow, and you surely don't want to have to go all weekend and wait til Monday if you can't reach someone today! It'll put your mind at ease!!

 

[spatcher]

Not to excuse any breeders for being unscrupulous but...the statement that the rest of their chickens are fine could appear to be true. With all the reading I have been doing lately it seems that chickens that "get through" some sicknesses are carriers for life. Could it be possible the breeder is not/was not aware of this? I wouldnt be if not for what Stacey is going through. I know it is of little consolation Stacey but this whole mess IS helping a lot of people learn! Hang in there!

 

[carwinew]

I agree with the other posts on not waiting to call as it seems like every time I'm polite and wait for someone else to call me back I lose another day.
Hope you have good new for us today; that all your chickies are doing better. I have been quarantining all new animals/birds but haven't had a problem and I was getting lax about it but reading about your situation definitely will make me more diligent.
Our local swap meet recently banned all animal/bird sales due to complaints about some sellers selling non visibly ill animals/birds to buyers who would later have to deal with the illnesses/deaths on their own. Our family always liked to look at them but we never bought from them and I'm glad we didn't now.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I have been in contact with Dr. Peter Brown (the chicken Dr.) through e-mail this morning and he says this definitely sounds like Coryza. I have a long hard road ahead of me to try and get through this mess. There will be some of my birds that will have to be culled, but not all, which is somewhat reassuring. Here is what he lists about Coryza.

The following symptoms closely characterize Coryza: Runny nose ( sometimes just a moist clear liquid at the edge of the nostril or nostrils ) . In more severe cases the mucus will be thicker and an off white to yellow in color and the nostrils may crust over and completely plug one or both nostrils. Facial swelling may occur just under one or both eyes and may be severe enough to completely swell shut one or both eyes. This is important as usually there is a secondary bacterial infection in the eye as well. Open the eye lids up and look to see if there is a white to grayish looking film covering the eyeball. If this film is present I would suggest that you flush the eye immediately with a boric acid solution ( you can use any of the human grade eye washes containing Boric Acid that you can find at Wal-Mart ) and then add Chloramphenicol Eye ointment at least 2 to 3 times a day until the film goes away. Failure to correct or recognize this problem early on will result in blindness in the infected eye. Other symptoms include,sneezing,loss of appetite and rattles. Something else that might tip you off as to whether this disease would be Coryza or not would be the presence of mucus soiled feathers on the back,neck and face from wiping the mucus from the nostrils on the feathers. This symptom is not always present but should play a part in your decision making. Coryza also spreads very quickly in relation to some of the other diseases, once it gets started. Last but not least mortality plays a part in Coryza,if left untreated.

One of the most important things to know about Coryza is that a carrier state does exist. Some birds get Coryza and are treated and vaccinated and they get over it,while other birds continue to give you trouble. These birds are your carriers. When at all possible identify and eliminate all carrier birds. The treatment for Coryza is as follows: Use one teaspoon of Gallimycin powder and one teaspoon of Aureomycin/Sulmet powder in one gallon of drinking water for 7 days and then takeout the Aureomycin/Sulmet and boost the Gallimycin powder up to two teaspoons in a gallon of drinking water for an additional 7 days. When treatment is complete vaccinate all birds that are three weeks of age and older with ½ cc of Coryza vaccine under the skin of the neck. Repeat the vaccination with the same dose of Coryza vaccine four weeks later. Reactors ( birds that still show Coryza symptoms ) usually show up from two to four weeks after the last vaccination takes place. These birds are your carriers and should be eliminated if at all possible. Dispose of all carcasses by either burning or burying them. Do not expect birds that are sick to exhibit all of the symptoms described in this article all at the same time. While this is possible it almost never happens that way.

I guess my biggest issue now is to find a place to relocate my bator before these chicks hatch and employ the help of someone to raise my babies for me for a month or so.

That part makes me so sad, but I have got to protect them somehow.