ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal

[elevan]

Well crud! Hilda one of our pullets is currently exhibiting similar symptoms to Fluffer. After doing some research I fear we're either dealing with Newcastle Disease or Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro). Leaning more heavily toward the Bursal Disease (Gumboro). If it's Newcastle we could lose our entire flock, but symptoms fit closer to the Bursal which could still result in a heavy loss. There is no treatment other than supportive and indiscriminate medicating actually worsens the problem.

 

[elevan]

Thread on BYC: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=601902 If anyone has experience with Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro) and wants to help.

From what I've been able to learn, it's basically the AIDS of the chicken world. A virus that has no cure. Supportive therapy to make the birds more comfortable. Those that survive will recover within 2 weeks and those that can't fight it will die. It seems there's no benefit in culling those that become sick as the whole flock is infected, it's just a matter of whether they become sick or not.

This really sucks rocks. When it rains, it certainly pours.

 

[daisychick]

Ughhhh that is terrible. I have never heard of the Bursal Disease. I am off to read more about it. I did find 2 articles that say it mostly affects chickens under the age of 18 weeks.

 

[daisychick]

Hope you don't get offened by me giving you a few links that I find.
This is one that states the age range of those mostly affected. I hope most your birds are old enough to not get it.
http://www.poultryhub.org/bird-health-and-disease/infectious-bursal-disease-or-gumboro/
and another one.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203100.htm

 

[elevan]

Not offended at all. The vast majority of my current flock is 23 weeks old, with some being 10 weeks old and a handful being just over a year old.

Everything I've read says that while most cases are in flocks under 18 weeks old it can affect older birds. Most articles seem to have been written about broilers and leghorns which tend to have shorter lives anyway based on how they are raised commercially.

Gumboro is the only disease that fits their symptoms pretty much to a tee. I'll probably take Hilda in to the vet for a necropsy if she passes (or if any other chicken does).

 

[daisychick]

I hope Hilda makes it. If she doesn't, I agree that the best thing you could do is get a necropsy so you know what you are dealing with. Sorry for all you have been put through the past couple weeks. I really hope things get better.

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

I hope Hilda makes it. If she doesn't, I agree that the best thing you could do is get a necropsy so you know what you are dealing with. Sorry for all you have been put through the past couple weeks. I really hope things get better.

Me too

 

[elevan]

I just got off the phone with my vet and luckily they've just brought a new vet on staff who just finished vet school and majored in poultry science and has a wide variety of poultry himself. I'm expecting a call back from him soon.

They also want me to take a bird to the state for necropsy if I lose another one.

 

[redtailgal]

Did you see my post of BYC?

I am hopin and prayin that this is not what it is! I have to run a call with my vet later, so I will have him cornered in the truck and can pick him brain to my little hearts content. I'll see what he has to say and suggest.

I know that you are worried, I would be.

 

[elevan]

I saw your post RTG.


Just got a call back from Dr. Phil (that's funny). Anyway, he recommends isolation of sick birds (obviously) and tetracycline 400mg / gallon 7-14 days as their only drinking water. He says it's the standard treatment for most poultry illnesses and if anything can help then it will.

Funny (not really) enough is that the attack on Frieda by the crow may have precipitated this. Wild birds bringing illness into the flock by interacting with them.

So we'll give Dr. Phil's recommendation a try and hope that we don't lose any more birds. Regardless if we do we'll have a necropsy done to confirm cause.



I think I'm going to like this new staff vet (Dr. Phil). We chatted for a couple of minutes about guineas. He also has peacocks. Truly loves his flocks.