For the most part, the respiratory illnesses are short lived. Bleach and water should work just fine. You are correct, only mammals can get a cold. if you get the antibiotic into asap, there shouldn't be an issue here. I'm sorry, but if this room your girls are in isn't completely closed off from the other side of the wall, where he was, in my opinion, it's probably too late. Was it a double wall between them? Did you handle him and then go into their room? See what I mean? Give the antibiotic and wait would be my advice right now. he's a beautiful bird and it would be a real shame to cull him and then find out your girls were in fact already exposed and will have to be treated anyways. You'd have the same issue later if you ever wanted to get another rooster if the girls are now coming down with this. Just my humble opinion.No he has never been with my girls. I had him seperated in a cage in another room. The only thing is that my girls where on the otherside of the wall in a different room. So they where basically just seperated by a wall. The Rooster is making gurggle sounds and you can hear the "mucus" or whatever it is rattling around in his chest. I have had him less than 24 hrs. This had to be a pre exisiting condition. I had read another post in this forum that said chickens don't get colds.
I just moved him clear to the back end of the barn by the donkeys. Hope they can't catch anything from him. I get attached to about anything. I just feel bad for the poor guy. If it's just a cold ... I would most definetely wait it out...but if it's not. Is it worth putting my girls at risk?
My other question is...suppose my husband goes out and kills my Roo. What do I do to disinfect everything that this bird was in contact with so as to make sure nothing else spreads? Will bleach work?