Silkie is yawning non stop, help!

[Jenny Loves Chickies]

All good questions!
Ask Cornell if they will help with the vet - they may be able to call one in your area, tell about their findings and the vet will agree to write a script. Alternatively if you have good relationship with your dog's vet, send/take the report you get to them and ask for help - since you will be getting "official" information, I would hope they would work with you on getting this taken care of.

Since you have a very good resource (Cornell) ask a lot of questions Pester them if you must - write down everything you can think of that you want to ask and see if they will give you answers.

I do not know much of anything about listeriosis - but would follow the directions that Cornell suggested. Get rid of the fermented feed and go about switching them to standard feed. My birds love wet feed, but I don't ferment. I make a fresh wet mash usually in the mornings - sometimes, I might make it the night before, but it does not ferment. My container that I mix it in is washed daily. Once a week I add poultry vitamins to my mash, a couple of times a week I may put in about 1tablespoon of ACV.
I try to make just enough for the day - I put out some in the morning, then sometime after lunch. You could try that to help your birds transition since they are used to wet feed - mixing a new wet feed everyday if you have time (I just put the feed in the container, add warm water and let it soak for about 30mins)
Dry feed is also available free choice.

I am so, so sorry you are having to go through all this.
I wish I had more answers for you, but I am learning from you. You have generously shared with us and I hope you continue to do so. Any information you get will be helpful to others that find themselves in your shoes.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/listeriosis
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/listeriosis/overview-of-listeriosis-in-poultry

I will absolutely be pestering the crap out of the vet at Cornell, answers and a clear path ahead is the only thing that is going to make my heart feel better <3 I'm awaiting a call back from my dog's vet, I'm hopeful they can help me without prodding but if they need it I will prod Thank you for sharing how you feed, I appreciate every tip I get!! I have been reading nonstop, the links you posted were most helpful. Thank you so much, I am focusing on the positive and hopeful to come out of this smarter and a better chicken owner. I will also continue to share everything I learn and what I receive from Cornell in the event in can help anyone.

I was also just reading about how listeria can enter the body from a beak wound....my silkie had a wound on her beak

 

[Jenny Loves Chickies]

Jennie, thank you so much for posting your thread and the necropsy results on your two chickens who died. So sorry for your loss. We all here learn so much from seeing these reports, since most of us never get necropsies on our chickens. I have learned a lot, that spleen infection can be a result of a bad strain of coccidiosis, which can lead to enteritis.

I did a necropsy at home this year on a very skinny chicken. I was shocked to see signs of both fatty liver disease on a skinny hen, but also what I believe was oviduct cancer. I tried fermented feed for 8 months a few years ago, and thought it made such a mess. My chickens ate too much. I would never do it again. I firmly believe good feed and clean water are key. As Wyorp does I do add some water to fresh food for a treat occasionally, and they eat it all right away.

The Cornell vet seemed very thorough, and I am sure that you really appreciate that. Sometimes we step on toes eagerly trying to help here, but again thanks so much for posting.

Thank you so much, I'm happy to share every little thing I can in the even it can help anyone else. Interesting about the spleen, both birds had coccidiosis. I think you have a great point too, good feed and clean water - as the vet said simple is often times the best answer. She is very thorough and I absolutely appreciate her taking my call at 9:00pm after receiving that report! I will be talking to her again today and will keep everyone posted. <3

 

[Eggcessive]

Listeria is just an opportunistic bacteria. It may not have been harmful at all if there wasn’t a weakened immune system from coccidiosis, and both cecal and capillary worms. Those of us who don’t like to use wormers very often may take heed from your thread, that it is not a bad thing to worm occasionally. Coccidiosis is also oportunistic, and that strain is one of the worst. So, I cannot stress enough how valuable this thread is, and how informative it can be to get a necropsy. Thank you so much.

 

[Kiki]

Listeria is just an opportunistic bacteria. It may not have been harmful at all if there wasn’t a weakened immune system from coccidiosis, and both cecal and capillary worms. Those of us who don’t like to use wormers very often may take heed from your thread, that it is not a bad thing to worm occasionally. Coccidiosis is also oportunistic, and that strain is one of the worst. So, I cannot stress enough how valuable this thread is, and how informative it can be to get a necropsy. Thank you so much.

This is what I have been trying to say, that bacteria is every where and usually doesn't cause a problem unless if gets out of hand because of a compromised immune system.
With the lice, coccidiosis and the worms your girl was in bad shape and the bacteria did her in.

If you were dealing with listeriosis (food poisoning) then your entire flock would be dead unless you feed the ones still alive non fermented feed.

 

[Kiki]

The Brahma:

Ask the vet when you talk to them if these "hundreds of miliary" are tumors and if they are testing her for Marek's.

 

[casportpony]

The Brahma:
View attachment 1531159
Ask the vet when you talk to them if these "hundreds of miliary" are tumors and if they are testing her for Marek's.

I think that bacteria can do that too.

 

[Eggcessive]

This is what I have been trying to say, that bacteria is every where and usually doesn't cause a problem unless if gets out of hand because of a compromised immune system.
With the lice, coccidiosis and the worms your girl was in bad shape and the bacteria did her in.

If you were dealing with listeriosis (food poisoning) then your entire flock would be dead unless you feed the ones still alive non fermented feed.

I don't want step on toes or be rude, but sometimes it helps to not say things in a way that sounds like we are lecturing or placing blame on the person sharing info. The thing is she had no labs or a vet that would help to do any to look for coccidiosis or worms. Tha fatty liver disease and the cancer in the other hen were fatal diseases. These certainly were not neglected chickens. Many of us deal with lice. But it was such a learning experience for all of us to read, and now she knows how to proceed. Anyway, I am just trying to say this in a nice way.

 

[Kiki]

I don't want step on toes or be rude, but sometimes it helps to not say things in a way that sounds like we are lecturing or placing blame on the person sharing info. The thing is she had no labs or a vet that would help to do any to look for coccidiosis or worms. Tha fatty liver disease and the cancer in the other hen were fatal diseases. These certainly were not neglected chickens. Many of us deal with lice. But it was such a learning experience for all of us to read, and now she knows how to proceed. Anyway, I am just trying to say this in a nice way.

I am not stepping on toes or trying to be rude. I haven't said anything about the chickens being neglected, but am simply pointing out what the reports say since
it seems pretty clear that the OP thinks that they died from food poisoning from fermented feed, which is not something I am ready from the reports at all.

 

[Jenny Loves Chickies]

I sent an initial list of questions to my contact at Cornell and will keep everyone updated as I learn more, if there are any questions anyone here wants to know please feel free to add and I will do my best to get answers. My remaining birds are still showing no signs, I am praying we can get through this with no more casualties <3

Questions:
1 - Were the levels of listeria higher than what is normally found?
2 - Is it possible the listeria took advantage of a weakened immune system from the cocci, lice and worms?
3 - The miliary tumors in the Brahma, are those caused by a bacterial infection?
4 - Were they tested for Marek's?
5 - Is it possible that listeria is in the feed even prior to fermenting?
6 - Is it possible to test the feed?
7 - Is it possible to test the soil in their run?
8 - If the listeria came from the food would my other birds be showing signs by now?
9 - Is it possible to tell which came first?
10 - Will the final report suggest one cause of death or could it be a combination?
11 - I sent the report to the vet I originally took Ming to, I haven't heard back from her yet in regard to the possibility of prescribing antibiotics for my remaining birds. If needed, can she call you?
12 - Is it possible to test a live bird for listeria?
13 - Can we eat the eggs without knowing if they have listeria? I will be disposing of the eggs until atleast a few weeks after their last dose of Corid and Valbazen, but after that?

 

[Jenny Loves Chickies]

I reached out to the feed supplier and they advised they do not test for listeria, based on their research they recommended I have my soil tested. From what I’ve read it can be in your soil especially if you’ve used manure based fertilizers or have livestock. What if the ingredients in the feed were grown in fields fertilized with manure? The area where my hens run was forest for at least 50 years, we just cleared it within the last year, have never used fertilizer and have no livestock. I’m hoping Cornell will test both my feed and soil so I can get answers. In the meantime, just to be safe, I picked up some Purina organic grower crumble and will start transitioning them ASAP.