Fast Death of Cockerel

[Denise Baker]

     History- Had MG 3 years ago, took appropriate measures, returned 2 years ago, took appropriate measures, no signs this year.  Doing a complete re-stock with new birds this year to confirm it's gone.  Chicks in grow out pen far away from location of last flock that MAY had still had latent, no signs, undetectable by two necropsy,  disease.

     Issue- Checked 4 weeks olds at 2Pm, all well and active.  At 5PM discovered a cockerel coughing, sneezing, lethargic.  Pulled it, ran it to med room, by the time, about 2 minutes, it was bleeding from mouth.  Slit throat, disposed of, sanitized and went out to still covered flock pens.  Moved them to new grass.  All were well.  All well this morning.
     Any Ideas?

[Mike Gilbert]

Bleeding from throat sounds like L.T.     I would get the whole flock vaccinated promptly.   

[Denise Baker]

Thank you Mike.  I will do so immediately.  I was hoping the response would be that it was nothing more than swallowing a bee.

[Jerry Segler]

Any updates on this ?

[Denise Baker]

No signs of any disease in any of the other babies of various ages I have on the property.  I'm in a rebuilding phase so there are 2 week olds to 3 month olds.   About 40-50 of threm

[Mike Gilbert]

No signs of any disease in any of the other babies of various ages I have on the property.  I'm in a rebuilding phase so there are 2 week olds to 3 month olds.   About 40-50 of threm

So did you vaccinate for LT?    Any plans to attend the big show at Lebanon?

[Denise Baker]

Yes I did vaccinate.  I'm not sure about attending nth show yet.

[Suki]

what is LT?

[John W Blehm]

what is LT?

Laryngotracheitis or Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) and sometimes just called Laryngo.

The Merck Veterinary Manual

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an acute, highly contagious, herpesvirus infection of chickens and pheasants characterized by severe dyspnea, coughing, and rales. It can also be a subacute disease with nasal and ocular discharge, tracheitis, conjunctivitis, and mild rales.

I used to vaccinate for it each year and recommended, but no longer do.  It became a big problem when I went to a poultry show, in Iowa, and the birds I took to the show brought it home to the rest of the flock.  My place was quarantined by the state and I had to depopulate and repopulate.  That was back in the early 90s.  Now I gamble and just try to bred for resistance.   
Remember to quarantine your birds for 21 days or more after bringing them home from a show. 
 
If you want to vaccinate against ILT use LT-IVAX®.  It is important to only use a Tissue culture origin (TCO) ILT vaccine because they do not shed the virus...it won't go from bird to bird.  The Chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccines are more powerful and can spread the virus. Vaccinate all chickens 4 weeks and older and then do it again in 6 weeks.  Do the whole flock each year.  It is administered via eye-drop or nostril.

[Suki]

Thanks.  i see a previous post of yours came up via Google, where you recommended doing " for all chickens 4 weeks and older.  Vaccinate and then do it again in 6 weeks.  Do the whole flock each year." and recommended Victor Hake & Peter Brown.  Hake is a bit cheaper.  Do they sell this at shows or just online?  I ask as since I may be attending Springfield, I was wondering if I couldn't pick it up there.

http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46&products_id=568

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/store2/vaccines/live-vaccines/laryngotracheitis-vaccine-lt-i-vax.html

[Mike Gilbert]

Contact Victor and see if he will be there and bring some vaccine along.   If like other vaccines, it has to be kept refrigerated.  He ships vaccine with ice packs in insulated containers. 

[Harry Shaffer]

In the early 1970's I bought some birds in Virginia.  On the way home some birds were making a sound that I was not familiar with.  Later found out it was ILT.  As soon as I got home I killed the infected birds all of them being Lakenvelders but the EE;s and Araucanas were fine and never even got sick and never had any problem with my flock afterwards.

[John W Blehm]

In the early 1970's I bought some birds in Virginia.  On the way home some birds were making a sound that I was not familiar with.  Later found out it was ILT.  As soon as I got home I killed the infected birds all of them being Lakenvelders but the EE;s and Araucanas were fine and never even got sick and never had any problem with my flock afterwards.

When my birds had ILT I found that when I gently pulled a cotton swap across the roof of their months it came out bloody.  I recommend trying that when ILT is suspected.