two flocks having deaths please help.

[insanity]

My flock and an FFA kid( across town) are have some strange issues. Several birds have began to stumble and act drunk. They eat and drink OK but cant stand. It is both hens and roos of different ages and breeds.Some have been vaccinated for Marecks so I ruled that out.

We both feed 50/50 layer and all flock, supplement oyster shell and scratch grains.Weather has been wet but feed has been kept dry. We dewormed 3 weeks ago with a follow up last week.Both flocks are mixed with pigeons,ducks, and turkeys. The other species all seem fine.

Any ideas on what to do or what it is would be great.
Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Some diseases can travel 5 miles. You can also be transmitting disease on your shoes or vehicle tires.

I would take a bird for a necropsy. Preferably a live one with symptoms. That's the only way to know for sure and nip it in the bud before you lose too many more.
A live sacrificial bird will give more conclusive results than a dead bird.
I'd start here
http://www.uwyo.edu/wyovet/

 

[insanity]

Both flocks having the same problem doesn't surprise me as we have traded birds in the past.
Thanks for advise but I was hoping to get it narrowed down without shipping a sick bird 300 miles. I doubt it would survive the trip.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It won't really matter if it survives the trip and they'll euthanize as soon as it arrives. Shipping a live bird will make sure you get better info.
There are just too many things that could be the issue to effectively narrow it down.
Good luck.

I would call the lab and ask how the bird should be packaged and delivered.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Keep in mind that even if the birds are vaccinated for Marek's, they can still get it. I wouldn't rule it out yet. Certainly, a necropsy is the best way to go, as you'll find out exactly what is wrong.

Along with Marek's, another possible cause is a vitamin deficiency. Though this shouldn't be a problem normally, it is still possible. How old is the feed they are being fed? Old feed often loses some nutritional value.

It wouldn't hurt to start some poultry vitamins in the water, just in case. This will also help strengthen the immune system if it is another disease.

 

[jdilapi]

How long ago did they have vaccinations? and dewormer? We had neighbors that lost all their animals after a vet vaccinated. supposedly the products had expired,but i don't know if expired meds could do this kind of damage. Whatever was in those vaccines killed everything.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Did the problem start after worming?

 

[insanity]

The Marecks vaccinations would have been as chicks so it couldn't be that.
Chickencanoe, it was after the deworming that it started. I use pumpkins every 3 weeks as a natural treatment (it seems to work) my friends uses commercial treatments in the spring and fall.
We have started a Tylan 50 treatment on my friends flock as 1 of his turkeys has sinus inflammation. Figured it couldn't hurt to give it to the chickens to.