[farmers wife]

Noticed over the last few weeks a few chickens weak on walking.  I lost one a few weeks ago but just thought it was just one of those things.  This morning 2 chickens are sat down with wing out hardly able to move.  These are ages 1 yr to 8 months very healthy flock.  Have all good food, water, kelp, oyster shell (since last week) bags of space, air, nat light and artificial.


I have looked it up but struggling.  Vets shut now. Any ideas? Thanks

[Eve]

I thought Marek's disease first but there are too many at once coming down with it for that age group.


Could they have ingested something poisonous? Is there any mould on their food?

[farmers wife]

Im going out now to take them out and have inspection.  I do have ABs here.


Nothing untoward to have picked up.


Ive just read up on Mareks but not convinced. I first 50 came in as day olds so assume not vaccinated the next 25 at POL from Cyril Bytons so quality flock.  I had Mycoplasma in the summer but managed to save all through sheer hard work but that was more sinus replated,



whats about Mycoplasma synoviae Infection

[WoodlandsDevon]

I had one with the exact same issue..... but after about 4 days is was back in the flock.... laid on its first night when I separated it!!..... that was only about a week ago....
the only parallel I noticed between this post and mine is the suggestion of poison.... I left the bags of food out in the rain and a little water got in, making some of the pellets clump together, and a little bit mouldy...I tried to remove most of it but.....have you checked your feeders whether there is some mouldy food.... if there is that will give a big clue as to what this issue might be to both me and you?!?!

[Eve]

You might be on to something with Myco Synoviae! I had a bird with both Myco S & G and Marek's - before we knew if the ABs were working she had an accident so we never knew which virus caused her leg problem.

A blood test will rule out / confirm but vets will be closed until Monday and then there's another few days' wait for the lab result. Do you have Tylan or Baytril?






Just fyi, vaccinations are not easy to get right (temperature during transport etc), and don't give full protection.
Marek's disease vaccination has to be done on day 1 so commercial day olds would have had it, but again it's not likely several would come down at the same time at this age. ABs won't do anything against Marek's, whereas they do with Myco G & S.

[farmers wife]

good point! there are issues with mould in foods as this releases toxins.  I havent an issue with the food in the shipping container however with all this damp warm weather I am wondering. I can see no lumps in the fed which is in a 1t tote bag. But you cant see it.


I have 3 in quarantine and all of them look very healthy and bright but legs are weak.  They are eating.


I have read a lot this morning and can only put it down to Mareks or Vit D deficiency (or the food)


Going to get the henhouse disinfected with viral fluid. Def clean out the feeders too.

[Marches Farmer]

Avian leukosis?  Smell the feed - you can't always see mould but you can often smell it.

[farmers wife]

thanks will do but surely if there was a problem all the chickens would be showing illness when most are looking and acting mad as ever.


Because I have only 3 looking weak on the legs and lost one last week out of 75 there can only be a couple of illness???

[Eve]

[size=78%]I would give them the ABs in case it's mycoplasma - a few days of ABs won't harm them and might just do a great deal of good.[/size]

[farmers wife]

what about vit D?  Because they are outside in the summer they get so much sun.  Over the last few months it hasnt stopped raining and even though they are in a huge cow barn protected they still have some light but no sun and its not bright light we have energy saving overhead shed lights which do produce light but I wonder if this is not good enough?


Whats the best way of getting more nutrients into them seeing that they have organic mash, oyster shell, kelp, scraps, milk etc these birds have an amazing diet but does the light really bring them down?

[Marches Farmer]

Are these native breeds or commercial layers? 

[Eve]

With what you're feeding them they definitely won't be lacking vitamins or any kind of nutrients in their food.

Why would you feed them milk? They don't need it for calcium, that's in their mash.

How are they doing today?

[farmers wife]

They are def eating well!  All up on feet while the grey one is still a bit on her hocks.


I have popped some ABs in the water.


All looking blinkin marvellous really.


They have the fresh raw milk from the house cow when we are overburdened by it.  They adore it and as we havent any pigs left makes sense.


See how it goes.