Sudden muscovy and chicken deaths

[Samore2324]

I have about 30 birds total, and throughout the winter I lost 4 to "sudden deaths". The side effects usually included wry neck, and paralysis then trouble breathing, then death. I decided that it could have been botulism toxin. I didn't lose any for about 3 months. Then suddenly today I lost a muscovy duck. This one was different though, she had a pale carnucle, and wasn't with the flock, and kept to herself in dark corners. This morning I noticed her wing was extended out while walking. I found her today in a extra coop we have, and she was dead. Any thoughts on what disease could be getting my birds? All help appreciated, thanks

 

[Pentatonchix]

@Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[lost-duckling]

this happened to one or two of mine i think it was a broken spine from fighting in one case or getting stepped on by my emu in the other.

 

[KaleIAm]

I recommend sending your deceased bird for a necropsy. Some of us could give some excellent guesses, and we might even be right, but you won't know unless you have a necropsy performed.

 

[WallacetheKhakiCampbell]

The chickens sound like Mareks to me. But im no expert. The duck could be a totally different thing too because ducks cant get Mareks to my knowledge.


(I could very well be wrong)

 

[azygous]

Marek's is a logical guess, but the only way to know is to have a necopsy on a dead bird. Trying to guess isn't going to help anything.

 

[Samore2324]

The chickens sound like Mareks to me. But im no expert. The duck could be a totally different thing too because ducks cant get Mareks to my knowledge.


(I could very well be wrong)

That's what I thought initially, but the chickens I got were vaccinated for it. So I'm still confused!

 

[azygous]

Maybe it's not a disease. It could be a hidden toxin. For example, I was seeing some of my chickens suffering paralysis, and when a four-week old chick collapsed at my feet after being outside scratching around with the others, I was forced to look around for something emitting toxins. It took three days of walking my yard and puzzling it out, and I noticed my log splitter was leaking hydraulic fluid onto the ground where I last saw the chick. Petroleum distillates are extremely toxic to chickens. Paint thinner dumped on the ground after cleaning paint brushes, insecticides, rodent poison all are dangerous to chickens.

Sometimes our brains get locked into looking for disease when it's something else entirely that's sickening our chickens.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have about 30 birds total, and throughout the winter I lost 4 to "sudden deaths". The side effects usually included wry neck, and paralysis then trouble breathing, then death. I decided that it could have been botulism toxin. I didn't lose any for about 3 months. Then suddenly today I lost a muscovy duck. This one was different though, she had a pale carnucle, and wasn't with the flock, and kept to herself in dark corners. This morning I noticed her wing was extended out while walking. I found her today in a extra coop we have, and she was dead. Any thoughts on what disease could be getting my birds? All help appreciated, thanks

That's what I thought initially, but the chickens I got were vaccinated for it. So I'm still confused!

If you still have the body, send it for testing/necropsy, this will give you some answers. You can look up your state lab here
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Birds that are vaccinated for Marek's can still have infection from the virus. The vaccine only helps with stopping the formation of tumors.