[Prod]

I hope I am not tempting fate but I think I have this outbreak under control, after losing almost half my hens to it.  I lost my last one about 3 weeks ago and since finding out what the cause was I have been operating an ultra sterile environment. No one, including my dog who loves visiting the chucks and ducks, is allowed onto the field and I have placed bowls of disinfectant and Jeyes Fluid at strategic points so I am not transferring anything from one pen to another. I am stocked up with disposable gloves, antiseptic sprays, bowls of antiseptic water to wash things in daily and all waste tied up in a bag and removed etc etc. The coops are inspected more thoroughly (even though I used to 'pooh pick' daily) so that I can check them for signs, one of which nasty smelling fluorescent yellow droppings.  What gives me encouragement is that, although this disease only killed my younger birds at or around POL, never the cockerels, my girls are laying again and I am getting between 3 and 5 eggs a day. I was also trying to breed Nankins, which are quite rare, and I lost 3 of the 4 I had (although with the male it was heart related not Histomonas) leaving me with a solitary hen who is incredibly tame, the size of a blackbird fully grown, and more like an overgrown budgie than a hen. Anyway a friend bought, unbeknown to me, 6 fertilized eggs and they have all hatched which is an achievement in itself, she is going to raise them to 5 or 6 weeks and then I can collect them so happy days   Thanks all for your kind words/support and help, especially Grindling whose gracious gift will not go unrewarded, I believe what goes around comes around

[grinling]

I'm glad things are working out for you. Hope the chicks are hens and 1 cockerel.

[splash101]

Im so pleased you are over the worst of it.

Onwards and upwards.

[Prod]

Thanks.  Amanda, my friend, sent me some pictures of the chicks which are about 10 days old  & so far I think I have 3 hens & 3 cockerels   but we all know how things can change.

[joyfull]

fingers crossed here for you Prod.

[barley]

well done Prod , you've really been through an ordeal , think I would have given up and gone without chooks for a year or two

I take my hat off to you