Stella's Social Club

[chiqita]

That is fascinating! My only bacterial death was egg yolk absorbtion issues.

Just got some more results from the lab.  It is definitely a bacterial infection killing my Isbar chicks; they are culturing the bacteria now to identify it.

Histopathology Comments (July 3, 2013): Microscopic changes in the birds are

consistent with bacterial infection and inflammation of the yolk sac remnants (i.e.

omphalitis). Two of the chicks also have evidence of septicemia. Acute bacterial

sepsis is the apparent cause of death. Bacteriology has recovered bacteria from

these chicks; however, final identification is pending. Identification of the

bacteria should help determine the route of spread. Until we have identified the

bacteria in this case, it is recommended that eggs from this breed not be

consumed, in the event that the bacteria are Salmonella.

Final bacteriology is pending.

Multiple H&E-stained tissue sections are examined microscopically. Tissues on

slides 1-3 are from chick 6/28; tissues on slides 4-6 are from chick 6/29; and

tissues on slides 7-9 are from chick 7/1. There is mild to moderate postmortem

autolysis of the tissue sections.

Yolk sac: The yolk sac contents of chicks 6/28 (slide 2), 6/29 (slide 5), and 7/1

(slide 8) are heavily colonized by bacteria. The bacteria and cellular debris are

bordered by a rim of heterophils and histiocytes.

Lung: The lung of chick 6/29 (slide 4) contains multifocal necrosis that is

centered on parabronchi. The necrotic foci contain deposits of fibrin, edema, and

infiltration by many bacteria (bacterial rods) that are occasionally intracellular.

The necrotic lung tissue is infiltrated by modest numbers of heterophils and fewer

histiocytes. There is a single focus of necrosis and bacteria in the lung of chick

7/1 (slide 7); however, several of the pulmonary capillaries are colonized by

bacteria. Small numbers of bacteria are present in a parabronchus of chick 6/28,

but these organisms may be postmortem invaders.

Spleen: Lymphoid tissue in the spleens of chicks 6/29 (slide 5) and 7/1 (slide 7)

are markedly depleted and accompanied by multifocal deposition of fibrin.

Multifocal bacterial colonization is also present in the spleen of chick 7/1.

Liver: Bacteria multifocally colonize the hepatic sinusoids and vasculature of

chick 7/1 (slide 8). Small foci of hepatocellular degeneration and necrosis are

scattered randomly throughout the liver of this chick.

Kidney: Bacteria multifocally colonize the renal vasculature of chick 7/1 (slide 9).

No significant histologic lesions are identified in sections of heart, trachea,

esophagus, crop, proventriculus, ventriculus, intestine, or brain.

It must be something my adults are carrying but their immune systems are strong enough to be asymptomatic.  Now to wait some more to find out what kind of bacteria....

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I have seen dogs with packs on them!

Take a Pack Dog....

My dogs have packs

I planned to go on a 6 day 50 mile backpacking trip with my son and his Boy Scout Troop. My DH told me (and I quote) that I shouldn't go because I'd never make it. He decided to come along too, because there were not enough adult leaders for the boys - and if anyone got injured we'd need the extra adult. Now I'm way more fit than he is, but I would not make it? I've been working hard on my endurance at the gym - he has done nothing. Gimme a break. I am going to leave him in the dust and make him eat his words.

My son is a cub scout as well. have a parade tomorrow in Pleasant Valley. My wife is the den leader.
we love it. gets us off are rear ends as much as our son lol

 

[cbnovick]

Were these chicks hatched in an incubator ? Something must be growing in there, or the hatcher. What ever, if I had hatched these chicks I would be on a real tear sterilizing my bator, and hatcher ,and brooder

X 2

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have seen dogs with packs on them!

Take a Pack Dog....

My dogs have packs

I planned to go on a 6 day 50 mile backpacking trip with my son and his Boy Scout Troop.  My DH told me (and I quote) that I shouldn't go because I'd never make it.  He decided to come along too, because there were not enough adult leaders for the boys - and if anyone got injured we'd need the extra adult.  Now I'm way more fit than he is, but I would not make it?  I've been working hard on my endurance at the gym - he has done nothing.  Gimme a break.   I am going to leave him in the dust and make him eat his words. 

My son is a boy scout as well. have a parade tomorrow in Pleasant Valley. My wife is the den leader.
we love it. gets us off are rear ends as much as our son lol

It sure does! Our youngest is a Cub Scout also.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

It sure does! Our youngest is a Cub Scout also.

lol I meant to say Cub Scout. He is 8 and is a Bear

 

[Happy Chooks]

Mary )and others in northern CA), I hate to rub it in, but we are having the most wonderful thunderstorm up here in the mountains. Feels so good after dealing with all the heat!

 

[ronott1]

Mary )and others in northern CA), I hate to rub it in, but we are having the most wonderful thunderstorm up here in the mountains. Feels so good after dealing with all the heat!

I read today that 80 was closed at the CA Nevada border from a mudslide from a flash Flood! It is 104 here and a couple hours away it is raining so hard it is flooding....

 

[debs_flock]

Mary )and others in northern CA), I hate to rub it in, but we are having the most wonderful thunderstorm up here in the mountains. Feels so good after dealing with all the heat!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Rinda - maybe it is in your dirt, not your birds.

But only the Isbars are dying, and I move their coop and run once to twice per week because I did wonder if it was in the soil- their coop and run were brand new, no birds had ever used them before the Isbars. They always lay in their nest box, which is a plastic milk crate with clean pine shavings. Eggs go from the crate to a disinfected egg tray on the kitchen counter, and I set the eggs every 7-10 days.

Were these chicks hatched in an incubator ? Something must be growing in there, or the hatcher. What ever, if I had hatched these chicks I would be on a real tear sterilizing my bator, and hatcher ,and brooder.

Yes. I have become meticulous about cleaning egg trays and hatching trays for each batch (and drying before they go back into the incubator), brooder is a plastic bin that is emptied, thoroughly scrubbed, bleached, and sun dried between sets of chicks. The last two sets though I have had two or three Isbar eggs in each incubated set actually start to seep so I knew there was bacteria in them. This confirms (to me) that all the Isbar eggs are contaminated at lay. I have Black Copper Marans, Ameraucanas, Cream Legbars, and several mixes I hatch out and none of them have these mortality problems. Yes I lose a chick here and there but usually obvious causes. They are all incubated together but I brood the Isbars separately.

Agreed about the incubator. Oxine without the activator is good for cleaning and killing bacteria. Oz said to put a couple of pre 1987 pennies into the water and it will kill bacteria and fungus--makes a weak copper sulfide solution.

Southland Organics sells a product called litter life that will kill bacteria and etc. in the coop and runs.

Rinda it is great that you have an answer!

I did recently buy Oxine but was so confused about the directions on the label about the activator that I haven't actually used it yet, usually I use either a bleach solution or hydrogen peroxide followed by white vinegar to disinfect. I did finally find an article that explained about the activator and that it disinfects just fine as is, and just this morning someone on another thread told me the dilutions to use (depending on the use, between 1/4 tsp and 2 tsp per gallon was what I was told). I am thinking I am going to do an Oxine dip (1/4 tsp to 1 gallon warm water, then set on a towel to dry without rubbing) for the next set of eggs.

I will definitely look around for Litter Life. Found their website just now.

Mary )and others in northern CA), I hate to rub it in, but we are having the most wonderful thunderstorm up here in the mountains. Feels so good after dealing with all the heat!

Ooh that sounds nice.... we are finally a little cooler but some rain would be wonderful!

 

[debs_flock]

I did recently buy Oxine but was so confused about the directions on the label about the activator that I haven't actually used it yet, usually I use either a bleach solution or hydrogen peroxide followed by white vinegar to disinfect. I did finally find an article that explained about the activator and that it disinfects just fine as is, and just this morning someone on another thread told me the dilutions to use (depending on the use, between 1/4 tsp and 2 tsp per gallon was what I was told). I am thinking I am going to do an Oxine dip (1/4 tsp to 1 gallon warm water, then set on a towel to dry without rubbing) for the next set of eggs.

I use 1/4 tsp. of Oxine (never use the activator for home use) in a quart of water. I spray this on my incubator parts and put them in the sun to dry. If I have a really dirty egg, I will wash it in warm water and spray it with the same solution, then just let it air dry. Of course you could just spray a clean egg.

I also put 1/4 tsp. of Oxine in a gallon of water and this is what I use in my incubators for my humidity.