What the heck is going on?

[gettineggs]

Ok so my flock is about 50 deep. In that 50, is a set of 5 broilers, about 3.5 months old. For the past month. I have noticed some "silent gasping" in them. Checked them for gape worms, didn't see much (I know you can't always see them.) But then I noticed them randomly sneezing, and one of the hens comb is quite pale/purple in color. So do I think I have gape worms or a resp disease? NO OTHER BIRDS have ANY symptoms! Just these 5 broilers. It's been about a month since I noticed the start of the random gasping. And if I don't figure it out, can I even still eat them? It's almost cull time for them. So frustrating. Thoughts?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

What kind of broilers - are the Cornish Cross or ranger type? How are have they been managed - were they raised for slower growth and development with controlled feeding and *forced* exercise, or allowed to eat freely and lie about?

 

[gettineggs]

Cross Cornish... Uhm well they range with the rest of the flock, BUT I only put out a certain amount of food and if they don't fight for it, they don't get copious amounts like they would like. They are very mobile and one hen with the questionable coloring seems thinner than the rest. But all in all the males are quite heavy to hold.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Cross Cornish... Uhm well they range with the rest of the flock, BUT I only put out a certain amount of food and if they don't fight for it, they don't get copious amounts like they would like. They are very mobile and one hen with the questionable coloring seems thinner than the rest. But all in all the males are quite heavy to hold.

Okay - was only asking as 3 1/2 months would be quite past the expected processing weight and age for Cornish X raised the standard way for that type. Even with the modified management your birds have experienced, my first suspicion is organ failure (specifically cardiac) leading to poor circulation and respiratory difficulty.

 

[gettineggs]

Even with the silent gasping? I was given these birds fr someone who could
Not keep them where she lived. She is a photographer and only wanted spring chicks for her pictures. I'm guessing her inexperience lead her to pick brpilers. (Wouldn't have been my first pick). But anyway, they were fairly feathered by the time I got them, and was just judging by weight as to when I was gonna cull them. Have been wanting to do it the passed month, but this weird gasping thing had me a little thrown off. So you think that's what it is and they should be safe to eat? Once I cull, I can obviously check for gape worms, but even if it's a resp disease how will I know the meat is safe? Or I just won't know?

 

[gettineggs]

So I guess my real question is, if you eat a bird with a resp disease, will you get sick?

 

[gettineggs]

Okay - was only asking as 3 1/2 months would be quite past the expected processing weight and age for Cornish X raised the standard way for that type.  Even with the modified management your birds have experienced, my first suspicion is organ failure (specifically cardiac) leading to poor circulation and respiratory difficulty.

After doing more reading, it does sound like CHF. So safe to say they are ok to eat?