Mystery illness - lost one chook already

furfeatherskids · **Joined:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 am **Posts:** 11

I have 6 chickens - 2 blue leghorns, an ISA, a Faverolles and a hybrid Australorp. Last week I had another Faverolles, but she died of some mystery illness. All the chooks have had a course of antibiotics and prescribed by my vet. Her symptoms were her comb went very pale, almost grey, she went off her food, became very lethargic, wasn't doing chooky things like scratching and sat down a lot with her feathers fluffed up - she was isolated when the symptoms presented. She died about 10 days after the symptoms first presented. Yesterday one of my blue leghorns started exhibiting the same symptoms. She's still eating, but only a very small amount. I've disinfected the coup and walls, roosts, food and water containers. All bedding has been replaced. All chooks were wormed about 3 weeks ago, all have been dusted for lice and mites, as well as their enclosure. I've added sulphur powder to their food, added garlic to their water as well as a few drops of rescue remedy. Since the antibiotics did nothing last time I'm reluctant to put them on it again. Does anyone have ANY idea what could be going on? I'm at my wits end and terrified the whole flock are going to succumb. Is there anything more I can do? My vet had no idea what was wrong.

We have recently had a rat problem which is now under control. We also got a new dog about a month ago. I can't think of anything else that is new or different in their lives. All the chooks are about 8-12 months old except the Australorp who is the old granny at about 3.5 years old. The ISA we have raised since a day old chick, the others we got at around 18 weeks.

furfeatherskids · **Joined:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 am **Posts:** 11

I just went out to check on the girls and she has a little bit of a grubby poo bum, not much, I had to actually look for it. I picked her up and she was very fiesty and gave me a sharp peck - she's very flightly and doesn't like to be picked up usually, so I took this as a pretty good sign. I was able to catch her without too many problems though, so not so good news. She doesn't seem to have lost weight as Chilli (my Faverolles) had - she was very thin indeed, lost lots of weight, this one (Sharon) seems to be quite plump still. I'm worried sick about my girls. They are a very special part of our family.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Are there any other signs/symptoms ie; wheezing, sneezing, gasping, smelly breath, swollen face, runny nostrils & eyes, paralysis so on and so forth?

furfeatherskids · **Joined:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 am **Posts:** 11

No, although her left wing hanging down a bit. No other symptoms that I can see. I had a sniff of her breath before and it didn't smell.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Mareks is a possibility, especially if one leg splays out .

furfeatherskids · **Joined:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 am **Posts:** 11

oh no, I really hope it isn't Mareks. I'll lose the lot won't I?

furfeatherskids · **Joined:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 am **Posts:** 11

I've just checked on her again and she is losing feathers - she just dropped a couple of tail feathers and the enclosure has lots of downy feathers in it so she is moulting. She keep fluffing up the feathers on her back. Her comb is actually a better colour now, it's pale but not as pale, but definitely pink/red. She hasn't laid in a few days. She's pretty cranky at being isolated and had a very vocal go at me, strutting around the small enclosure she is in. Other than the lame wing she doesn't to have anything different than I described before, no leg splaying out, she is able to put on quite a strut.

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

Did your vet do any diagnostic tests on the original sick bird ( eg faecal tests?)
Which antibiotic did you use?

Many poultry diseases can have similar clinical signs so it can be hard to get an answer based just on the signs the bird is exhibiting.
If you lose this girl- and I hope you don't-then you should get a full post mortem examination carried out so that you can determine a) What is the cause, and
b) What you can do to save the remaining birds.

Good luck with her.

furfeatherskids · **Joined:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 am **Posts:** 11

No he didn't do any tests, he didn't do a post mortem either. I'll bear that in mind if I lose this one. The AB was Baytril.

She's not roosting on a perch, choosing instead to sleep in the nesting box - could this be because she is isolated and missing the warmth of her friends? Not that it's cold, it's very mild in Brisbane tonight.

furfeatherskids · **Joined:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 am **Posts:** 11

She seems to be looking a little perkier today. I've tempted her to eat with some warm porridge which she is having a go at. She slept in the nesting box overnight, but is strutting around her enclosure this morning.

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Mystery illness - lost one chook already

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