Hen w/ respiratory issue- 3 questions??

gchickys

Hatching
5 Years
Jun 6, 2014
3
0
7
Okay hi everyone, idk if I'm doing this right. I mostly just read from everyone else's postings. In fact this might be my first idk.

Anyways, I recently bought a hen. I called the seller and he happened to be out on the side of the road not too far from me. Great. So I get there and I could tell things were off and that this was a place that I did NOT want to buy from (very long nails, birds stuffed in cages, lethargic looking), but I have really bad social anxiety and I couldn't work up the nerve to give him and his wife a piece of my mind after I had just said id buy one. So I gave him his money, picked out my girl, and he didn't let me look at her he immediately STUFFED MY BIRD IN AN ONION BAG (oh I wanted to hit him!!!!)and we left.

NEVER AGAIN. If I could find that man I would be livid.

So we drive home and I'm in the backseat stroking the poor girl and she does not look good. Upon further inspection, I see she has 2" long toenails, bumblefoot, her face looks swollen but I couldn't tell if it was just her molting or what, and I can hear her breathing. Not to mention she's just waaaay too calm.

So of course I quarantine her and the next day I see one of her eyes has bubbles and looks swollen, her nose is running clear fluid, and her foot is bothering her (holding it up, probably because it was sore from me trying to clean it).
Later I notice green snot gunk balls on the side of the tub I'm keeping her in and at night I could hear her breathing. Every now and then she'd open her mouth to get some air but was mostly able to breathe without gasping.
ALSO her poos were mint green but very well formed. Not watery at all.
Yesterday she stunk really bad but I think that's just what happens when you keep an adult chicken in a tub in your house. I couldn't tell if it was an abnormal smell.

So I get some Tylan 50, and I've been giving her 3/4cc per day injections and yesterday was the 6th day.

She's been acting MUCH perkier but I'm worried it's not completely taken care of. Yesterday I saw some food sticking to her beak (and maybe that could've been water idk). I don't want to treat her past 7 days with antibiotics.


So my questions are:

1.) What is your best guess at what she's got?

2.) How do I introduce her disease to my flock in a VERY small amount so they can learn how to fight it?

3.) what are some immune boosting herbs/foods that I could give her as well as my flock? I know of garlic but that's about it.


I know plenty of people will say to cull her, but she's been such a little fighter and I want to give her a better life than what I know she's had. And also since most vaccines don't make chickens immune (just make symptoms less), and I cannot practice perfect bio security 100% of the time, it seems like the only long term answer to disease is to build resistance. That's what I would like to attempt to do in my flock. I will practice bio security for the sake of others flocks but I know I'm not perfect.
Now I probably will never breed her because I wouldn't want to pass the sickly genes, and if she keeps getting sick I will put her down.
But id like to at least give her a shot at life.

Thanks to anyone who helps!!!
 
Can you take her back? You are very noble to want to rescue this chicken from such a poor breeder, but respiratory diseases like the one she has will infect your other chickens eventually. These diseases make chickens carriers for life. Mycoplasma (MG,) coryza, ILT, and infectious bronchitis as well as some non-respiratory diseases such as canker can ruin your healthy flock. She will still be infectious after or if she recovers. If you can't take her back, then I would humanely cull her. Here is some info on diseases:
https://umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
 
Thanks for replying! Is this a disease that birds are unable to build resistance to? I mean I'm willing to do what I've got to do, but idk I do want to work towards resistance anyways. I've got more time to think about it anyways I guess. She's gotta be in quarantine another 2 weeks
 
Any bird if they are healthy and getting some probiotics and a balanced diet, can have good immunity to help fight off many common diseases. Once they have a respiratory disease, they are considered carriers. And since most are chronic diseases, they can come back again and again, especially when they are stressed such as when temperatures turn cold, they are molting, or they go to a new home. Infectious bronchitis is the exception, since they can recover within a few weeks, and are only carriers for up to a year. Sorry that you are dealing with this, and be sure to practice good biosecurity.
 
I know that the above advice is a HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.
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I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO ABOVE. Many times life does not seen to be fair. I wish you best with your flock.
 
I know that the above advice is a HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.
sad.png

I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO ABOVE. Many times life does not seen to be fair. I wish you best with your flock.

Agreed - there's simply no point in threatening the health of your existing flock. Quarantining the bird was good practice and that has already saved the rest of your flock from exposure.

CT
 

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