[kegs]

I think my flock of four 18 month old hybrids have got egg drop syndrome.  An on-line vet has explained that it's either EDS or Infectious Bronchitis and as there's no treatment for EDS the only option is to cull.   

Really fed up.   

[Mrs Bee]

Oh  poor, poor you. Not surprised you are so fed up.

What a rotten thing to happen.

[nuzuki]

Maybe try seperating the flock and seeing if any get better. I can only imagine how bad it feels having raised them to that age then have to get rid of them. I would however not trust an online vets opinion so hopefully the diagnosis is incorrect.

Best of luck with your decision kegs 

[SnooziSuzi]

I had to cull all 5 of mine about 18 months ago and it was heartbreaking.  They had IB and I couldn't risk the infection spreading to next doors hens that were only a fence width away

What are the symptoms they are displaying?

[kegs]

No symptoms at all.  They look the picture of health (which makes it worse). 

I believe my Hipswell Sussex to be the culprit as she should lay brown eggs but only ever produced white shells which broke in the nest box.  Then it started spreading to the other 3 as they would eat the eggs before I could get to them.  Now all four are either not laying at all or I find soft membranes in the coop.

[the Kergan]

Hmmm, I don't think I would take the advice of an online vet myself. An online vet can't see the birds in the flesh. I would want a blood test to confirm this diagnosis before I got rid of them.

[joyfull]

I agree, go to see a vet in person.

[kegs]

I agree with you, it would be advisable to see a vet but unfortunately I don't have a local reliable poultry vet in my area.  Also they are the picture of health, so externally a vet wouldn't see anything, and although EDS could be confirmed by running a blood test, because I bought them as vaccinated POL, the vaccination they were given for EDS would interfere with the test.

Not having any eggs is one thing but I've got a separate flock of pure breeds in another part of the garden and a group of chicks in the garage.  If I keep prevaricating I'm concerned that I'll end up spreading the EDS amongst all of them. 

[jhub]

Oh so sorry Kegs.
Did they show any respiratory symptoms?
Can you phone a specialist vet for advice- even if you have to pay?
This is a little off the wall but could one hen be culled and autopsied for internal signs of IB? At least you'd know for certain.
Emotional and financial issues abound.
Jane

[joyfull]

if you are going to get an autopsy then take the hen alive to the vets, the fresher the bird the better.

[symonep]

I was told the exact same thing but it is only one of my hens and hasn't spread to the others in over 7 months but she started laying exactly like you have explained. I spoke to the breeder and he said it would be very rare as the are vaccinated against the infection that causes it? No idea how true this is though. She is still with us and is happy and healthy. Agree with others get a second opinion, good luck

[grinling]

http://www.ruleworks.co.uk/poultry/Egg-Drop-Syndrome.htm

says egg production is improved after moulting.

[SnooziSuzi]

If you do find that you have to cull the flock and haven't already taken sound advice on how to do it then I'd thoroughly recommend ChickenKeeper.co.uk's Kill, pluck, gut and bone course.

As the name suggests you are taught how to humanely despatch the bird and prepare one for the table.

I attended one of these courses a few years back and it taught me invaluable skills that, unless you have someone competent around you who already can despatch chickens humanely, don't necessarily come naturally.

I hope it doesn't come to this for your sake, and your bird's sake but it's always best to be prepared.

As I said, I had to cull my whole flock last year because of IB and without knowing how to do it properly they may well have suffered unnecessarily and add to that the cost of a vet to dispose of the course actually works out very cost effective.

[kegs]

Thanks everyone for your input - it is really appreciated.

Jhub - no respiratory symptoms at all - just the white eggs from a brown laying bird, and soft shells or no shells.

Jhub/Joyfull - I hadn't thought of an autopsy, so I will carry out some research to see if that's a possible option.

Symonep - I'm so pleased yours either haven't got EDS or it hasn't spread.  I think mine caught it as soon as they made a determined effort to eat every egg they could find, so watch out for that.

Grinling - Thanks for the article.  I had already read it, but maybe forcing a moult is another option (can the experts advise on the best way to do this - the books I have are old and say to cut out food - which of course could be dangerous, and may be out of date.)

SnooziSuzi - We hatch a batch of table birds every so often so we're ok with the process but thanks for the link too.

[joyfull]

have you read this?
this mentions that the malformed eggs have an absence of ridges but your photo appears to show ridges.