Sick Bird????

[ghost007]

I built a loft this summer and populated it with 3 young rollers and 4 young racing homers. All appeared healthy. One of the young rollers got listless seemed to waste away and died. I just figured the bird was too young and may have been. I did observe it eating. Anther bird resently appeared to have hurt itself and could not fly and remains on the floor. It appears to be getting better, but still can't fly and I find nothing broken. Today I find one of the young racing homes on the floor acting as if it is hurt and can't fly. It shows signs of a broken wing, yet it isn't broken, it feels light and thin and is listless. I have had these birds now for a little over a month. I have not medicated, the loft is ventilated and I keep it cleen by scrapping it once a week. Regular racing mix and water.

 

Does anyone have an idea if the birds are sick and if so what should I do?

 

Thanks

[Guest shadow]

As you know it is difficult without looking at the birds to give a more definite reply but it does soud like polyneuritis do they blow their feathers and sit huntched up what colour are the droppings

 

quality not quantity

[jimmy white]

i would get their droppings tested right away, could be paratyphoid,salmonella  etc

a full droppings test will tell you

[ghost007]

The birds do sit hunched over, but don't blow there feathers. The droppings are greenish and a little watery, but can't tell from the birds that appear sick. The one bird died last night and I swear it was healthy just a day or so ago.

 

How do you get droppings tested?

 

Thank you for your replies.

 

 

[Guest]

I agree with the Shadow and Jimmy, that it is extremely hard to tell what is wrong with your birds, but I think you know by now that there is something wrong.  

 

The problem has obviously been on the go for a while, but first you've got to seperate the birds you think are ill from those that are not. And keep the sick birds seperate from each other. Any old cardboard box (holes in the side) will do if you haven't individual nest boxes available. Any old jars for water and half-brick to prop it.

 

You don't mention minerals or grit for the birds. If you haven't been feeding them this, get some in.

 

Try the local supermarket for (1) a pot of natural (live) yoghurt. Whatever you feed your birds per day, pour it into a bowl and mix in three or four big spoonfuls of yoghurt, mixing it up well. It will stick to the grain, and might appear like cake mix in the bird's hopper. This will restore your birds' beneficial gut bacteria, helping them fight the infection. Repeat for three consecutive days...cost around £1.

 

Remember to thoroughly wash & clean the hopper with a damp soapy cloth immediately afterwards...live lactobacteria and if left, it'll stink like sour milk.

 

Try the local supermarket for (2) a garlic bulb. On the third day (i.e. after the yoghurt course is finished) give them a couple of cloves per day in the drinker. Peel the cloves and cut them into slices (two slices for each jar for each sick pigeon). Because this has been on the go for a while, garlic water for 7 days...normally 3 would be enough...cost around 25p.

 

You'll maybe want to repeat the yogurt after 7 days garlic ... depending on how the birds look and feel.

 

BEST WISHES

 

 

 

 

 

[mealybar]

Take a look at http://www.sandhillvet.demon.co.uk/

If you give him a ring he should be able to point you in the right direction.

[ghost007]

Thank you everyone, we have taken the dead bird to the Vet and he is sending it on to the lab at the washington state university vet schoool and should have some results by mid week. Meantime, I have killed on bird that showed symptoms, cleaned the loft and going to get some grit and minerals tomorrow at the feed store.

 

Thanks again. I will post a resolution when I have one.

[MsPigeon]

Just curious ghost007, where do you live?  And tell us more about your loft design.

[ghost007]

I live in washington state. I have a total of 15 birds in a 4 x 8 loft. Here is a link where you can see a picture of a loft exactly like mine. I got the design off the internet. The birds look really good right now having culled a couple and cleaned it extremely well. They were out bathing yesterday, but I will know more this week.

 

http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm

 

Specifically I live in Spokane Washington.

 

Rick

[Guest]

WELL DONE GHOST007 THIS IS THE BEST POST I HAVE SEEN ON THIS FORUM SOFAR

 

 

HEATHCOTE

 

[GROVEHOMER]

WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE YET INEXPENSIVE LOFT DESIGN GHOST007.

  IT WOULD MAKE A GOOD LOFT FOR ANY NEWCOMER.

  I HAVE USED OSB BOARD BEFORE...IT'S MUCH CHEAPER THAN PLY WOOD AND AS LONG AS IT'S TREATED WITH CUPRINOL OR WHATEVER IT WILL  STAND THE TEST OF TIME.

[MsPigeon]

Hi ghost007,

Glad to hear your birds are better. And sounds like you have a more than adequit loft for the number of birds. Don't get discouraged, it just takes time to recognize and ward problems in the loft and birds off before they do damage. You are paying attention, seaking help, and doing something, not ignoring problems, and thats very important in the begining.

I live in Washington state too, south of Seattle, near Aberdeen. Are you in the AU Beginner program. I know Linda of Redrose Lofts is in charge of it, I have been a mentor in the program myself. Do you belong to a club in Spokane? I attended the WA State Race this year in Yakima. Where you there?

Yours in the Sport.

Carol

[ghost007]

Thanks everyone for the compliments on the loft. Carol, I used to race with the Spokane club in the mid 90's until I had neighbor problems and eventually moved to a place that was not conducive to raising pigeons. We just recently bought 10 acres with a house and shop on it and now I have chickens, ducks, a goat and the birds. I doubt I will race again considering the cost of fuel, I am wondering how anyone can afford to train their birds anymore.

 

Where is the state race this year?

 

Rick

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for the complilments on the Starter Loft.  Steve designed it a couple of years ago just to prove that an inexpensive loft was possible.

 

So far we have heard of about 100 or so of these lofts bult all over the World, USA Canada UK Australian and Venezuela and several flyers have commented that they would not have come into or come back into the sport had it not been for the starter loft.

 

We built another Starter loft this spring with materials kindly donated by our local lumber company, this is now available for fairs, shows parades  (it can be easily loaded onto our utility trailer) and we hope to take full advantage of this and introduce our great sport to as many people as possible.

 

[MsPigeon]

Carol, I used to race with the Spokane club in the mid 90's until I had neighbor problems and eventually moved to a place that was not conducive to raising pigeons. We just recently bought 10 acres with a house and shop on it and now I have chickens, ducks, a goat and the birds. I doubt I will race again considering the cost of fuel, I am wondering how anyone can afford to train their birds anymore.

 

Where is the state race this year?

 

Rick

 

Hi Rick,

I bet is nice to have critters and birds again, I would be lost without them and I'm sure I would always keep pigeons even if I couldn't race them. Maybe you can send some to one loft races, like the WA State race. The Rainier Club is hosting it this year, in Tacoma area. And Yes, training isn't cheap with the gas prices as they are. I don't know about others but we purchased an old Geo Metro, 50+ miles to a gallon. We can carry about 3-4 crates of birds now but plan to try to do some remodeling so it can carry more.

Carol

[MsPigeon]

We built another Starter loft this spring with materials kindly donated by our local lumber company, this is now available for fairs, shows parades  (it can be easily loaded onto our utility trailer) and we hope to take full advantage of this and introduce our great sport to as many people as possible.

 

What a great idea Linda. I think it would be wonderful for promoting the sport. I wanted to use your idea of a day at the races at the SWWCounty fair, but we didn't get a loft going and birds in it soon enough. But one like this, on a trailer would be great, as you said, for parades and such too.

Carol

 

[symbro]

there is a guy.  i wish i knew is name and exact details... but his loft is litterally a trailor.  he spends have the year in Florida? and takes his pigeons with him on the road.

 

if anyone knows this story and has the exact details please correct me.   ;D

 

[jimmy white]

hi ghost ,just looked at redrose website and seen your loft , absolutely brilliant, im sure we can get a lot of ideas from that,,, good luck to you

[ghost007]

Remember everyone that the loft design is from redrose loft, not me, I just created a loft exactly as the intructions indicate and it was a breeze for a looser carpenter Accountant like me.

 

He has been most generous in his sharing of the sport and is the ONLY loft design I could find, there aren't even any kits out there.

 

BTW, the results of the dead pigeon are in but the VET is out til Tuesday and the Tech at the clinic couldn't or wouldn't share the results.

 

More to follow.

 

Rick

 

[ghost007]

Well, finally  got the results on that bird. The Vet said it was bacterial and probably had it for some time. He indicated that it should not have transmitted to any other birds, so I am free to add my new birds to the loft. Appreciate everyone's comments.