speckled sussex pullet issues I'm having

[ol scratch]

My wife says they're speckled sussex. The issue is that out of 5 pullets, 4 have died and the 5th is acting like she's agonna. The cockerell, on the other hand, could probably defeat an A1 Abrams before he has developed his spurs. Is this usual for sussex? I've heard both sides argued. I want to know before I go about trying to raise anymore of them. And I hope this is in the right board. If it is, please let me know. If it isn't, I'll move it to where it should be if someone will tell me where and how.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Losing that many birds is not about what breed they are - a bit more information is going to be needed to offer much input. Wwhat happened to the previous birds that passed away? How old were they when they died? How old were they when you got them? What were the symptoms they displayed?

 

[ol scratch]

From 3 weeks old til now. Now being around 10 or 12 weeks old (me wife would know exact age). They would just lay down and die. The 1 that is trying to die now we went thru it with her about a week and a half ago. She pulled thru but is now going bad again. We lost the other 1 earlier in the week. I've got her in a bird cage in the house with food and water but she will neither eat nor drink unless I am holding her. She also will not stand on her own. I have close to 20 other birds from younger to older, and smaller to larger. No problems with them. Just the sussex pullets. I don't know what could be the issue.

 

[kittykitty30]

Sounds like either Marek's or Coccidiosis- I forget which are which but I know that both are deadly. Were these birds vaccinated?

 

[ol scratch]

They came from atwoods and I believe they were all vaccinated. None of my other birds have had a problem. That's what is getting me.

 

[kittykitty30]

Sometimes Marek's vaccines are 'canceled-out' by the birds' diets (the vaccine is living and is fed to the chick on their first day, if I can recall). These symptoms sound a lot like Marek's. It is incredibly contagious. To be safe I would give the coop and run a thorough cleaning. I am not sure what could be your pullet's problem, I hope somebody a little more experienced with illnesses takes a look at this thread!

 

[ol scratch]

I have another post in the "that breed is this" page, trying to find out what breed a pullet that died was. She was sick for several days before she passed but she was eating, drinking, and running around before she died. You could just tell that something wasn't right though. The sussex are just laying down, refusing to eat or drink, and dying. Completely different. The rest of my flock are fine.