Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Celtic Chick]

Susie & Angie, thank you so much.

This has been a very challenging 24 hours.

 

[MustLoveHens]

CC- I'm so sorry about your loss of Henrietta.

I'm thinking that Henrietta passed more from old age then the illness that the reds had since she was pretty much normal.
I wish I could say for sure what is going on with your reds, but there are so many unspecific viruses that wild birds can bring in sometimes it's hard to pin an exact sickness down. It doesn't sound like "avian flu" but what else it could be is a puzzler to me. With the watery diarrhea it sounds more like an intestinal issue like they got into something? You could try giving the flock Sulmet. That is a good treatment to give when your not quite sure what might be running through your flock. The egg withdrawl is 10 days with Sulmet. I'm sorry I could not be more help..

 

[Celtic Chick]

MLH, thank you. Right about now, anything helps. Although I don't know what they could have gotten into since they do not free range. They have both an indoor and an outdoor run, in addition to their coop. Wild birds do have access to both runs, unfortunately, as do mice and god only knows what else.

Henrietta's symptoms are very similar to the reds with the exception that hers came on so much quicker, but I attributed that to her size and age. I'm just paranoid that I have some disease running through my flock. I want to see if my vet would do an autopsy on her to see if he can find anything, but I'm not sure what to have him look for. And this storm doesn't help matters any either.

 

[bigzio]

Evening All...Yep ,I agree that it's most likely old age. I think most are lucky to live longer than 8 years. Sorry for the losses of your wonderful pets CC. Chickens are really gentle fowl and just don't have the longevity gene that we wish they would. I know it sucks and I really don't think that it could of been prevented. My old ones always seem to falter during the winter....Dang, it's the hardest part of caring for pets.

Glad you stopped by fmommy....I suppose your a happy camper with sore feet and ankles from all the dancing you had to do, to bring this mess to come upon us here soon! Stop back soon and don't forget your shovel!

later... bigz

 

[FrenchToast]

Thanks for the tip, Bigz. I haven't read squat about the intro to the new BYC. Couldn't care less right about now, except why can't I copy & paste in here????? Sorry. I'm in a completely foul mood. I just lost my 9 year old banty hen, Henrietta. Her & Jack were my very first chickens (as an adult, anyway).

One of my reds died between X-mas & New Year's. Then one died yesterday. Well, now Henrietta died today. She looked fine yesterday, today she is dead. At least with the reds, I could see it coming on. I'd say it took almost a week in the reds. First just kinda huddling with ruffled feathers, then a gradual loss in appetite and watery diarrhea, then laying down wanting to sleep, then (sometimes) convulsions & they're dead. One red convulsed, the other did not. And they both felt very thin in the breast despite me trying to feed them the last 2 days. One of them was having a hard molt too.
Henrietta looked good today except her head was pale. She was still squalking like she always does. (She always had an opinion). And she was eating today too. She didn't go up on her roost tonight. Instead she went into a rabbit hutch, so Steve brought her in. All she wanted to do was sleep. I put her under a heat bulb and she died like 10 minutes later. And she convulsed too. I heard her flapping her wings & came flying in, thinking a cat scared her.

We've had her so long, and she was Steve's absolute favorite. This just sucks. What the heck could it be? If anyone has any ideas, I would be eternally grateful for any insights you may have.

I'm glad you didn't find your glasses by sitting on them, FT. That would be my luck.

CC I am so sorry to hear of all of your losses. It is so so hard to lose a beloved pet. Even though we know it is going to happen doesn't make it any easier when it does. Hugs to you and Steve

Have you thought of sending one of the birds (if you still have them) to the State lab? They will do 1-3 birds for I believe $80.

I agree witht he diahrea it sounds like an intestinal problem. May Cocci ? In that case corrid or Sulmet would work. Have you wormed them at all in the past?

Hoping that is the end of your loses.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Really? Do you think losing 3 birds in such a short period of time is just a coincidence? Nothing to be worried about? Because losing 2 in less that 24 hours sure has me shaking in my boots.

I hope you all are right. I haven't been at this as long as alot of you here have, so I trust your judgement. But just going out & seeing how few birds I have left sure is a heartbreaker. I really cringe to see the look on Jack's face tomorrow when he can't find Henrietta. They have beem through so much together over the years.

 

[FrenchToast]

VERY CAREFULLY, You open the top of the cardboard box and look/pick-up the chicken ...

It's best to keep the cardboard box in the vehicle while you do this !! AND if you deliver after dark if the chicken does get loose it will be easier to catch !!

 

[FrenchToast]

Okay - This is kinda "different." I think I like it. Smileys are on the top row.

Looks like a storm coming through tomorrow!

I think these ladies would cause me to START DRINKING! LOL



Later...

Tom

 

[Celtic Chick]

Thank you, FT.

I was thinking of taking Henny to my vet to see if they can find anything. When Myrtle was ill, I had them check her stool for worms & it came back negative, so, no, I haven't wormed them lately.

I sure hope it is the end of my losses too. There are only 2 old ones left, plus my roo & 4 pullets, one of which is sitting on a clutch now. I sure don't want to hatch any chicks in the middle of an epidemic.

 

[FrenchToast]

I find the format quite easy to navigate...must be the younger age difference

or the technical know how.

Happy Birthday Terri! Hope you're day was a fantastic one

I'm so looking forward to this snow, and from what the weather man says, I'll take the 7 inches any day of the winter...so cannot wait to get some white stuff on the evergreens here, though am not looking to shoveling it all.

Hey Tator Tot !!! No need to pat yourself on the Back or Toot your own horn !!! It's not that difficult to navigate !!! Right CC ?