SICK French Black Copper Marans. Please help!!

[moorechicks]

We have 5 FBCM's and they are bout 3 to 4 weeks old. They have been fine uo until last night,they are laying around and seem not to have any wing control or not able to walk much either if any.They all have heavy breathing and chirping and drinking and eating. Their poop is green and lil white and solid. Any ideas what is wrong with my babies? i am worried sick?!!! Thanks

 

[MotherJean]

My guess is vitamin deficiency. Get Polyvisol infant vitamins (without iron) - available at your supermarket pharmacy, WalMart, etc. Put 2 drops directly in the beak of each chick when you get home, then put 1 dropperful of the vitamins in 1 quart of drinking water. Add the vitamins every time you change/refill their water. Keep up the vitamins for at least 2 weeks. If you don't notice improvement within a few days, repost.

 

[moorechicks]

Thank you so much! I went to wal mart and got some vitamins, they have been dosed up so now wait and see. I don't know what we would do with out this board lol.

 

[moorechicks]

They seem to be getting worse! They are laying over on their sides and have their legs and wings stretched out ,they chirp like its hurting them

my poor poor babies!!!!

 

[ruth]

It doesn't sound like a vitamin deficiency to me, sounds like Mareks - a disease that paralyzes. I would ask the breeder about the history and health of their flock.

 

[MotherJean]

Sorry to hear that your chicks are worse. 3-4 weeks is a little young for Marek's symptoms to be so severe. Another possibility is "brooder pneumonia" (aka Aspergillosis). Here's info on that. Do these symptoms match what you are seeing?

Aspergillosis

Synonyms: brooder pneumonia, mycotic pneumonia, fungal pneumonia, Aspergillus . When the source of the disease is the hatchery, the disease is called brooder pneumonia. In older birds, the disease is called aspergillosis.

Species affected: All birds (domestic poultry, pigeons, canary and zoo bird species), animals, humans, and plants are susceptible.

Clinical signs: Aspergillosis occurs as an acute disease of young birds and a chronic disease in mature birds. Young birds have trouble breathing and gasp for air. Characteristically, there are no rales or respiratory sounds associated with aspergillosis. Feed consumption decreases. Occasionally there is paralysis or convulsions caused by the fungal toxin. Mortality in young birds averages 5-20 percent, but may be as high as 50 percent. Mature birds also have respiratory distress, reduced feed consumption, and may have a bluish and dark color of the skin (cyanosis). Nervous disorders, such as twisted necks, may occur in a few birds (see Table 1 ). Mortality in mature birds is usually less than 5 percent.

Transmission: Aspergillosis is caused by a fungus. The fungus grows well at room temperature and higher. All litter and nest materials (peat moss, peanut hulls, sawdust, peat, bark, straw) have been known to have been contaminated with aspergillus. Feed and water should be suspect when attempting to identify the source of contamination.

Treatment : There is no cure for infected birds. The spread can be controlled by improving ventilation, eliminating the source of the infection, and adding a fungistat (mycostatin, mold curb, sodium or calcium propionate, or gentian violet) to the feed and/or copper sulfate or acidified copper in the drinking water for 3 days. The litter can be sprayed lightly with an oil-base germicide to control dust and air movement of fungal spores.

Prevention: It is important to thoroughly clean and disinfect the brooding area between broods. Use only clean litter, preferably soft wood shavings. Do not use sawdust, litter high in bark content, or shavings that have been wet.

 

[moorechicks]

OK guys here is the deal 4 out of 5 chicks are getting way better. 4 of them are standing back up and doing much better in one days time.The little one I don't think he is going to make it but we well just have to see.I do now know it had to be a vitamin deficiency.I now am very mad because I payed big dollars for these black coppers and now I may lose my only rooster due to bad feed....I used Dumor Chick starter/grower 20% new bag only fed to theses chicks.I just call the company and waiting for a call back.Who would have thought they would have gotten a vitamin deficiency from chick feed.I feed my chickens this brand and make me wonder what I am really getting.I would like to know what some of you think about this and what you would do about it.I'm really not happy at all!