Cassie Shattuck
In the Brooder
- Aug 21, 2017
- 8
- 4
- 19
Back story
We have had chickens for a while, long story short, we have about 25, mixed breeds and ages. We had a roo about three months old die after having trouble walking, no injury, just sort of stumbled around, almost looked drunk. I brought him in the house and within 24 hrs he was gone. Then we had a sizzle hen, about three months old, get sick about a week later, she was stumbling around and acting off. I brought her in and made sure she was eating and drinking. She seemed better the next day, was up walking around a little and standing ok. Then she started shaking her head. And eventually was throwing her head back in a sort of spasm and died in my hands. She was my favorite so it was a hard loss.
I worm with DE and cucumber and pumpkin seeds. I try to keep the coop clean and have fresh food available 24hrs. Water is available during the day, it's not inside the coop. They are in a large run that includes apple trees and several other trees, oak I think; it is also where our dogs go when let out. They free range our 2 acres once in a while, maybe twice a week. I put apple cider vinegar in their water every couple weeks as good measure. They get kitchen scraps and live near but not with our quail.
Now
One of my daughter's chickens was fine when I locked them up at night, then in the morning stumbled out of the coop, and laid on the ground so I separated her from the flock and looked her over, she's about four months old, not yet laying but I checked for bound egg and didn't feel anything. Her comb is almost purple (the other two had naturally dark combs). Shes been eating flock raiser and I added some plain yogurt to it for her. And gave her some apple cider vinegar water. She isn't eating or drinking much. For the first two days I kept waiting to find her dead but she's made it 4 days, longer than either of the others, but now her tail is drooping, she has green diarrhea and isn't eating much. As well as slightly shaking her head. I've looked for lice and mites and found nothing, no blood in stool, she's lost a lot of weight, although none of my bird are fat to begin with. She's lost some feathers but has no bald spots.
I've called six vets in our area, most won't see chickens but the two that do aren't accepting new clients. One gave us a referral to a college that'll do an autopsy for $180 but that's out of our price range and I'd really like to save her.
We have had chickens for a while, long story short, we have about 25, mixed breeds and ages. We had a roo about three months old die after having trouble walking, no injury, just sort of stumbled around, almost looked drunk. I brought him in the house and within 24 hrs he was gone. Then we had a sizzle hen, about three months old, get sick about a week later, she was stumbling around and acting off. I brought her in and made sure she was eating and drinking. She seemed better the next day, was up walking around a little and standing ok. Then she started shaking her head. And eventually was throwing her head back in a sort of spasm and died in my hands. She was my favorite so it was a hard loss.
I worm with DE and cucumber and pumpkin seeds. I try to keep the coop clean and have fresh food available 24hrs. Water is available during the day, it's not inside the coop. They are in a large run that includes apple trees and several other trees, oak I think; it is also where our dogs go when let out. They free range our 2 acres once in a while, maybe twice a week. I put apple cider vinegar in their water every couple weeks as good measure. They get kitchen scraps and live near but not with our quail.
Now
One of my daughter's chickens was fine when I locked them up at night, then in the morning stumbled out of the coop, and laid on the ground so I separated her from the flock and looked her over, she's about four months old, not yet laying but I checked for bound egg and didn't feel anything. Her comb is almost purple (the other two had naturally dark combs). Shes been eating flock raiser and I added some plain yogurt to it for her. And gave her some apple cider vinegar water. She isn't eating or drinking much. For the first two days I kept waiting to find her dead but she's made it 4 days, longer than either of the others, but now her tail is drooping, she has green diarrhea and isn't eating much. As well as slightly shaking her head. I've looked for lice and mites and found nothing, no blood in stool, she's lost a lot of weight, although none of my bird are fat to begin with. She's lost some feathers but has no bald spots.
I've called six vets in our area, most won't see chickens but the two that do aren't accepting new clients. One gave us a referral to a college that'll do an autopsy for $180 but that's out of our price range and I'd really like to save her.
Testing was $20 + shipping at my state poultry vet at UC Davis, Ca. That's actually the cost of necropsy. My vet was gonna charge the same as what you say + still send it to the state vet. So the fees would be their cost of shipping and preparation and repeating the state vets' report to me. State vet said as far as they are concerned Merek's is in all of North America even if your flock doesn't show signs. Don't assume hatcheries vaccinate. Many do not and those that do often charge an extra fee. Most breeders do not vaccinate and if they did it's only effective IF done correctly. Plus vaccination does NOT mean a bird won't succumb, it means they should have more immunity on board from their system building antibodies against the dead virus that was injected. They cannot test live birds. One other thing is that birds may not show all symptoms, which makes it more difficult to diagnose or believe it could happen to you. Hopefully helpful links, I don't know your location...
Also, I would NEVER worm an already sick bird unless it was confirmed that was the issue.. because it can be hard on their bodies and make them worse. Just as an FYI.
