Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[irishrovr]

For those of you who were interested in the results of the latest necropsy I had done by the state lab, the report came in last week. The bird tested positive for Mycoplasma Synoviae. The different strains of Mycoplasma generally start showing as upper respiratory infections but weaken the birds opening them up to secondary infections...that's why my birds suffered from chronic diarrhea and many of the hens developed egg peritonitis. The test also showed pneumonia in that bird. The Synoviae strain can also cause swelling in the joints although I didn't see that in this flock. Because of all the different symptoms I'm guessing many flocks go undiagnosed...the upper respiratory problems are 'just a cold' or the diarrhea is thought to be vent gleet.

Symptoms can be controlled with antibiotics but the birds will always be carriers of the disease. It can also be passed through the egg. I thought that maybe I could breed and hatch my way out of this but the chicks I hatched this spring were kept in quarantine and are already showing symptoms. For this reason I've decided to depopulate and start over.

Some of you here know I wanted to share some of these beautiful birds but that's not going to happen this year...for that I'm truly sorry. This has been a hard decision for me because these are a rare variety and it will take me a few years to get back to the point of offering chicks. I'm not giving up and when I get there I'll let you know.

 

[glarnerchicks]

So sorry to hear about the losses, firstchic and irishrovr.

The New Glarus Beer Bacon Cheese fest sold out by Weds night, I believe -- we had family in to visit during Polkafest, enjoyed some beer and music in the tent.

One of my silly birds wouldn't stay in the coop last night -- she's the friendliest, the only one who comes running to be picked up and petted. I looked out the window at 9pm to see if they'd gone to bed -- all quiet. Opened the screen door to go and shut the coop up and she heard me -- came running out yelling "BWAAAAAAAA". Wouldn't stay inside, so FINE. Coop stayed open last night. (The door is inside the enclosed run, so I'm not *too* worried about preds for one night.)

 

[Firstchic]

So sorry to hear about the losses, firstchic and irishrovr.

The New Glarus Beer Bacon Cheese fest sold out by Weds night, I believe -- we had family in to visit during Polkafest, enjoyed some beer and music in the tent.

One of my silly birds wouldn't stay in the coop last night -- she's the friendliest, the only one who comes running to be picked up and petted. I looked out the window at 9pm to see if they'd gone to bed -- all quiet. Opened the screen door to go and shut the coop up and she heard me -- came running out yelling "BWAAAAAAAA". Wouldn't stay inside, so FINE. Coop stayed open last night. (The door is inside the enclosed run, so I'm not *too* worried about preds for one night.)

So sorry to hear about the losses, firstchic and irishrovr.

The New Glarus Beer Bacon Cheese fest sold out by Weds night, I believe -- we had family in to visit during Polkafest, enjoyed some beer and music in the tent.

One of my silly birds wouldn't stay in the coop last night -- she's the friendliest, the only one who comes running to be picked up and petted. I looked out the window at 9pm to see if they'd gone to bed -- all quiet. Opened the screen door to go and shut the coop up and she heard me -- came running out yelling "BWAAAAAAAA". Wouldn't stay inside, so FINE. Coop stayed open last night. (The door is inside the enclosed run, so I'm not *too* worried about preds for one night.)

thats funny....wonder why some won't go in the coop. I figured that my red and Gimpy did not go in because Gimple was injured and the red was keeping her company.

 

[glarnerchicks]

No, she goes in every night -- she was just staying up late last night to have a chat with me, I guess. She goes into the coop, just wouldn't stay in and didn't want to roost with the others quite yet. She eventually did.

 

[wyoDreamer]

My guineas will dash out of the coop if I go out to close the door before it is totally dark out. Even if they are on the roost already. I believe it is because I don't get up at first light to let them out, so they stay up late to keep me from closing the door.

 

[Huntress78]

Quote: I'm sorry for your loss. One bird or fifty it hurts the same.

A lot of disease questions can be answered by reading the Merck Vet Manual.
MS... http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/p...nfection_in_poultry_infectious_synovitis.html
Egg Peritonitis....
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/p...uctive_system/egg_peritonitis_in_poultry.html
Vent Gleet is sometimes a generic term for diarrhea of unknown causes but it's also called Crop Mycosis or Thrush. A good article here...
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/disfungi.htm

 

[Celtic Chick]

My guineas will dash out of the coop if I go out to close the door before it is totally dark out. Even if they are on the roost already. I believe it is because I don't get up at first light to let them out, so they stay up late to keep me from closing the door.

I have some chickens that will do this also, but I noticed with mine that they are the lowest ones in the pecking order. I think mine wait until the bullies are too tired to peck at them anymore before they go to roost.

Huntress, I am so, so sorry to hear about your flock.

That is horrible that it passes into the egg too. I know how much you were looking forward to breeding these new birds.

Let me know if you want some eggs or chicks from your lav girl. She is doing great.

 

[irishrovr]

I have some chickens that will do this also, but I noticed with mine that they are the lowest ones in the pecking order. I think mine wait until the bullies are too tired to peck at them anymore before they go to roost.

I noticed that, too, with mine.

 

[cuties]

So sorry for the losses

 

[bigzio]

Pouring rain here today...sorry to hear about the bad news huntress.....dang that has to suck to cull them all...but is the best way to go for the future. Nothing but the best wishes for you and your project.

I woulda fit right in at the beer fest....prolly had a couple too!

bigz