What would you do? Lymphoid leukosis

[Sphinx]

I had a hen pass away a few days ago, and I had a necropsy done. It was determined that she had Lymphoid leukosis.

The big problem I have now is that I had no idea she was sick. She just started showing symptoms 5 days ago, and died within two days ago. I set some eggs to incubate, and one of the eggs is hers. I guess transmission is most common from hen to chick. I hate the idea of killing a chick that may or may not have the disease, but I really don't want to infect my flock if they managed to stay clean while she was with us (I just acquired her a couple months ago).

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

 

[ChicKat]

It is, as you are experiencing, a really difficult call.

I think I would discard the egg(s) that may be disease carriers in responsibility to the rest of my flock. I'm sorry that you have to go through this. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[tellynpeep]

So sorry.. I lost a pullet to LL a couple of years ago. She also showed no symptoms (though in hindsight she was very very thin when she died.) It is passed vertically (through the egg.) I would definitely not hatch any of her eggs. The others should be fine, unless they were infected separately.
Good luck

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

I think I would not hatch the egg...but man that is a tough thing to do and a lot easier to say! Is it contagious, so could your other girls have gotten it?

 

[Sphinx]

From what I've seen in trying to educate myself, it can be contagious, but it's most usually passed from mother to chick. I guess exposure isn't too uncommon so many, many, many chickens have been exposed and you'd never know it. Incubation is 4-6 months. I figure that if I keep these 6 birds separate from my other chickens (long story, I have 10 chickens in one pen, 6 in the other) and see no other symptoms in 6 months, everyone else is probably clean.


It was a really tough decision, but I took the egg that I know came from the partridge out of the incubator. I could hear it tapping, which broke my heart.

I've stuck it in the freezer so it will pass more quickly.


I have had to euthanize a chick, and I have to admit it's easier when they haven't come out of the egg yet, but I'm still a bit weepy over it. I have to keep telling myself I'm doing it to protect everyone else.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

My heart is breaking for you, having to hear the tapping. I think I would bawl my eyes out! You did a good thing though, just awfully hard. So sorry my friend that is a tough thing to deal with.