Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[woffle]

Just a head's up really...

 

Our Silkie cockerel George had been thriving - chasing his ladies around and generally living it up and being a constant source of amusement. Was fine Friday pm, taking meal worms and scratching around with the girls quite happily, likewise Saturday am. Went down to the end of the garden at 3 in the afternoon on Saturday and it was like he was drunk - couldn't lift his head, shuffling around unsteadily and not at all well. Managed to get an emergency appointment at the vet the upshot being that he was put to sleep. The vet promised to have a look into possible causes though he ruled out parasites as the symptoms came on so quickly though he noted that George was quite thin (though as a Silkie it's hard to tell as he was all feathers, puffed up).

 

Got a follow-up call from the vet this afternoon - after chatting to another vet, a poultry expert, the upshot was lead poisoning! Either from lead shot or some other lead debris. Apparently it gets caught in the crop and poisons the chicken leading eventually to quick onset of paralysis / neurological issues like George was exhibiting (weight loss is also a symptom). I've gone through the girl's run with a fine tooth-comb and nothing that would possibly cause this but thought it was worth mentioning here as it's the first I've ever heard of it...

[Steve the Gas]

Good post, any fishing spots nearby - lead weights, which are banned afaik.

[Olly]

Gosh, how awful for you. Thanks for the warning.

[woffle]

No - nothing - they have an area around 10 metres by 5 metres at the bottom of the garden amongst a couple of coppiced hazel trees. I checked it all before fencing when they first moved down there from further up the garden - been over it again with a rake to check.

 

Apparently lead shot from a gun is more of a possibility than fishing - we're in the country and next-door does shoot the occasional rat but I know 100% he wouldn't do it over our property (and there's a high, thick hedge between his and the chickens). The only thing it could be is some random debris from the previous owners.

 

That said, the vet also said there MAY be a small chance it could also be mushrooms but it's a little late for them (and again, I've checked) - this is also somewhat unlikely as none of the other chucks are exhibiting symptoms and George was always a gentleman and ate last so I'd have expected to see one of the girls get ill too...

[stoice]

Poor you. Poor George.

When i boarded my girls at a chook sitters for a week when i went on holiday, she had a bunch of 5 Ex-batts in a neighbouring run. Her client often boards their girls with her and she told me the land her client keeps their girls on is old farm and has lead on it somewhere, possibly old lead paint flakes or from shot. The sitter has got used medicating them as the vet prescribed an daily injection. (?) Something the sitter never thought she'd had to give and not something I knew existed to combat lead poisoning. I didn't ask if the eggs were still ok to eat either.

[Chucky Mama]

What a shame. I used to see a lot of lead poisoning in water birds.Did the vet actually find lead in the crop or are they speculating going by the symptoms? Lead usually hangs around in the crop.

[Lewis]

Not something I'd ever have thought about.

I'm sorry

[thelurch]

I know it's not technically lead connected but I have made the mistake of buying comfy bed bales for the run floor.

 

It appears to be made of shredded old pallets, and twice i have seen and taken out mangled nails from the run which have obviously got missed as the wood went through the shredder.

 

I did email the company but they haven't responded.

 

Needless to say I will be going back to aubiose !

[Redwing]

I wonder how they reached that conclusion, as the chook was a Silkie which are awfully prone to Mareks I would have thought that would be far more likely given the symptoms

 

Whichever way just keep an eye on the others