Help! Have a sick flock.

[superjay66]

So, about 2 months ago we added 10 first year laying hens to our flock. Within a few days all egg production stopped and the rooster stopped crowing. A couple of the ladies' faces swelled up and we've lost one of our original hens. They seem to be fairly productive and happy, and there's not a whole lot of sneezing going on. We've treated them mostly with home grown herbs and even used antibiotics. We're now getting one egg per day from almost 20 laying hens. I don't want to cull the whole flock, but I'd like to have some eggs. What else can I do?

 

[lazy gardener]

At this point, there's not much you can do other than wait and see how things progress. This is an excellent example of the very valid reason for maintaining a closed flock. So sorry for the illness. It would be worth your while, if you have a future death to have a necropsy done so you can get a diagnosis. Some diseases are forever once they have entered your flock. Culling the whole flock and starting over may clear the disease from your property, while other diseases linger in the environment long term.

 

[Folly's place]

x2, except I'd want a diagnosis sooner, not later. Call your state veterinary lab and find out what you could send to get answers, and the cost, and get it done. This is a sad sad story, and I hope things work out for you. Mary