chicken diseases

[plantsnobin]

Well, I have ordered from Sandhill Preservation twice this year, the April batch has done fine. The July bunch was ok till recently. I found one dead in the morning last week, next day another one, they didn't look like anything was really wrong with them. Not pecked at, no weird looking poop or anything. Noticed that the remaining chicks didn't walk as fast as they should have at feeding time, feathers maybe a little ruffled. Day before yesterday there were three dead, none dead yesterday. I think it is Marek's. I have had chickens for quite some time and have never had this problem. I have always ordered the chicks vaccinated from McMurray, but Sandhill order form didn't have that option, so I figured maybe it was just their standard to vaccinate all. Guess not. I am down to just a few of those chicks remaining, and I think I will destroy them all. I hate to do that, but it looks like they are doomed anyway.

[bluelacedredhead]

Karen, I don't imagine that Marek's vaccine is something that Sandhill would do, being a cottage industry and organic. I could be wrong (like that's never happened, lol) but vaccinating thousands of chicks for anything is expensive and requires many hands to do so. Hatcheries that offer vaccinations do advise up front.

Now, back to disease diagnosis.

You say they are huddling, and ruffled appearance? You've had chickens for a long time. They've been housed in the same place I imagine? And confined to a yard?? I'd treat the survivors for Coccidiosis. Amprolium, or Sulfa based Sulmet?? Sulfa is not sold here anymore due to long withdrawal times, and my books are packed. Ask at the feedstore. They will know. It's used for Calf Scours, and cocci in several species).

Marek's usually manifests itself as leg paralysis (although not always).

But for the price of an $11 bottle (that's what the Sulmet cost when I was in Indy in 2006), you may save their lives.