What Am I Doing Wrong??

[gtaus]

Now I know this sounds completely ridiculous. But I might as well ask . Say my birds are sick and I have a necropsy done and they find a rare disease like newscastle. Ok should I be worried about them possibly forcibly calling my flock? Now I know this is a stretch but what do you think? my birds are not sick or anything but it's just something that came to mind.

If a necropsy found a rare disease and your birds had to be culled, I would think you should be glad in that you know the cause and you took action to prevent it spreading to other flocks. You certainly don't want your birds to suffer nor to spread that suffering to others. Later on, if you want, you can start over with a new flock.

I don't know where you got your birds, but maybe you could contact your source and ask them about any issues they are aware of with their birds. I know one local farm store here got a batch of chicks from a hatchery and they had a very bad survival rate. The store banned that hatchery after that experience, so sometimes the problem can come from the hatchery itself. The farm store wants to sell you healthy chicks so you spend lots of your good money on feed, etc.. from them as the chickens mature. Well, at least my local farm stores feel that way.

You also mentioned that you clean the coop daily. I suppose that would be a good idea, normally, but I have bought into the deep litter method. From what I have read, a deep litter bedding builds up good bacteria that is beneficial to the health of your flock. I have about 8 inches of wood chips in my coop and all I do is throw scratch on the bedding so the chickens peck and scratch the wood chips which turns the chicken droppings down into the litter. I have not cleaned out my coop in over 6 months but there is no smell at all. You would hard pressed to find any chicken droppings on their wood chip litter. It all vanishes.

I sure hope you find out why your chickens are dying. I know I would feel terrible about the situation and wonder what more could I do. I'll be following this thread so I hope you keep us updated on whatever you find out. Best wishes.

 

[Bird-Whisperer]

I agree with getting a necropsy done on your birds if/when possible to determine the cause. What have their droppings been like? Green, bloody, diarrhea etc.

 

[hispoptart]

I am so sorry this is happening to you. I can tell by your post you are absolutely heart broken.
You are receiving very good help from the others. The only thing I didn't see pointed out was if you plan on sending a bird in, make sure you keep it cold not frozen. I will be watching this and praying that you find something out and your birds make it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your losses

I agree, getting a necropsy will give you the best answers.

Can you show some photos of your coop (inside and out), run and all the chickens?
Are you getting chicks, point of lay, adults, etc.?
Your feed - post a photo of the type/brand and tag that has the analysis.
What type of water stations do you use?

Have you fed them layer pellets from the time you got them up until now? How old were they when you got them?
How are you storing feed? Does it have a rancid off smell, any mold in the feed?
Have you walked your property to see if there may be a source of toxins - dead animal, possibly fertilizer/weed killer/oil, etc. that may be around an outbuilding that they are getting into?

 

[Don 27]

If a necropsy found a rare disease and your birds had to be culled, I would think you should be glad in that you know the cause and you took action to prevent it spreading to other flocks. You certainly don't want your birds to suffer nor to spread that suffering to others. Later on, if you want, you can start over with a new flock.

I don't know where you got your birds, but maybe you could contact your source and ask them about any issues they are aware of with their birds. I know one local farm store here got a batch of chicks from a hatchery and they had a very bad survival rate. The store banned that hatchery after that experience, so sometimes the problem can come from the hatchery itself. The farm store wants to sell you healthy chicks so you spend lots of your good money on feed, etc.. from them as the chickens mature. Well, at least my local farm stores feel that way.

You also mentioned that you clean the coop daily. I suppose that would be a good idea, normally, but I have bought into the deep litter method. From what I have read, a deep litter bedding builds up good bacteria that is beneficial to the health of your flock. I have about 8 inches of wood chips in my coop and all I do is throw scratch on the bedding so the chickens peck and scratch the wood chips which turns the chicken droppings down into the litter. I have not cleaned out my coop in over 6 months but there is no smell at all. You would hard pressed to find any chicken droppings on their wood chip litter. It all vanishes.

I sure hope you find out why your chickens are dying. I know I would feel terrible about the situation and wonder what more could I do. I'll be following this thread so I hope you keep us updated on whatever you find out. Best wishes.

Ya you are right I would not want my birds to suffer or anyone else's birds in the area. .

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Now I know this sounds completely ridiculous. But I might as well ask . Say my birds are sick and I have a necropsy done and they find a rare disease like newscastle. Ok should I be worried about them possibly forcibly calling my flock? Now I know this is a stretch but what do you think? my birds are not sick or anything but it's just something that came to mind.

Actually it sounds like you are thinking what many others may wonder or worry about as well and not a stretch at all!

Please remember I'm no expert or attorney, but what I saw take place in Southern California was... initially the detection of VND... required JUST quarantine, including NO free ranging even in your yard. It wasn't until it reached outbreak levels, where bird populations are high and it spread rapidly (which is a threat to our national food supply chain) that all back yard flocks in those zones received mandatory euthanasia orders... which I imagine the government or it's employees were likely the reapers/executioners... whatever the appropriate word is. Not that it makes it any easier for the flock keeper.

As others have stated... even though having your flock culled would be heart breaking if that was ever the case.... better to minimize the heartbreak by getting your results instead of letting your flock and others be killed off by something like VND anyways. If people don't follow guidelines and do OUR best to prevent these situations and cooperate as needed... it will (or could) boil down to relinquishing our right to even keep back yard flocks. Remember also some things like Marek's aren't even considered reportable!

For what it's worth... I instantly quarantine a bird that looks off. After some initial assessment to the problem... I will cull instead of letting them slowly die, for things like Salpingitis, or even things that could repeat themselves like vent prolapse. I consider culling an effective means of controlling or limiting the spread of many things including bad genetics. Trying to save every bird would diminish the strength of my flock. But it has taken many many many years for me to reach the place where I KNOW I MUST make choices for the good of my entire flock and not just an individual.

Also, if you choose... you could have your future birds vaccinated against vND and many other things... though I don't know the vaccination scheduling or efficacy... the option is there!

 

[Don 27]

Actually it sounds like you are thinking what many others may wonder or worry about as well and not a stretch at all!

Please remember I'm no expert or attorney, but what I saw take place in Southern California was... initially the detection of VND... required JUST quarantine, including NO free ranging even in your yard. It wasn't until it reached outbreak levels, where bird populations are high and it spread rapidly (which is a threat to our national food supply chain) that all back yard flocks in those zones received mandatory euthanasia orders... which I imagine the government or it's employees were likely the reapers/executioners... whatever the appropriate word is. Not that it makes it any easier for the flock keeper.

As others have stated... even though having your flock culled would be heart breaking if that was ever the case.... better to minimize the heartbreak by getting your results instead of letting your flock and others be killed off by something like VND anyways. If people don't follow guidelines and do OUR best to prevent these situations and cooperate as needed... it will (or could) boil down to relinquishing our right to even keep back yard flocks. Remember also some things like Marek's aren't even considered reportable!

For what it's worth... I instantly quarantine a bird that looks off. After some initial assessment to the problem... I will cull instead of letting them slowly die, for things like Salpingitis, or even things that could repeat themselves like vent prolapse. I consider culling an effective means of controlling or limiting the spread of many things including bad genetics. Trying to save every bird would diminish the strength of my flock. But it has taken many many many years for me to reach the place where I KNOW I MUST make choices for the good of my entire flock and not just an individual.

Also, if you choose... you could have your future birds vaccinated against vND and many other things... though I don't know the vaccination scheduling or efficacy... the option is there!

Um ok well I guess there's the option . I'm all about not keeping poor generic birds. If I see a bird suffering I'm going to dispatch it. But I'm not going to do it to my all my rare birds unless 100% necessary. Which if it could threaten the food supply I may consider it. But for now my birds are fine . I heard about what was going on in California that's awful.

 

[Suedan]

I'm sorry for your losses

I agree, getting a necropsy will give you the best answers

Can you show some photos of your coop (inside and out), run and all the chickens?
Are you getting chicks, point of lay, adults, etc.?
Your feed - post a photo of the type/brand and tag that has the analysis.
What type of water stations do you use?

Have you fed them layer pellets from the time you got them up until now? How old were they when you got them?
How are you storing feed? Does it have a rancid off smell, any mold in the feed?
Have you walked your property to see if there may be a source of toxins - dead animal, possibly fertilizer/weed killer/oil, etc. that may be around an outbuilding that they are getting into?

@Wyorp Rock will they check for coccidosis when they do a necropsy or does she need to request it separately?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Wyorp Rock will they check for coccidosis when they do a necropsy or does she need to request it separately?

I honestly don't know - every lab is a bit different. They "should" dissect/inspect the intestines for evidence of lesions/disease. Likely a fecal test would be run too, but it doesn't hurt to ask or request specific testing.