2 week old cough

[azygous]

You've arrived at a very wise plan of action.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Good advice from everyone.

You asked a few questions, but I'm sure with all the reading you have been doing you have found the answers by now, but yes....respiratory diseases do impact production and egg quality. With Infectious Bronchitis the albumen is watery, hens can have wrinkled eggs. IB can contribute to viral form of Salpingitis (lash egg) in hens and MG contributes to bacterial form of Salpingitis.
MG is also transmitted both vertically and horizontally - so that means it's passed from bird to bird (mucous, discharge, shared feed/water), in dust/dander, clothes, shoes and through the egg into the embryo - so any chicks you hatch are technically considered carriers too.

Getting testing is very wise so you can make the right decision. I'm glad you found an avian vet, you can also send a bird or samples to your state lab https://www.vdl.umn.edu/ or use an independent lab for testing http://www.zoologix.com/

If they weren't so ridiculously adorable and we were harder hearted people this would be a very simple problem to solve. I don't know what to do.

I don't think anyone here is trying to make this sound like a simple problem to solve at all. Nothing about making a decision to cull a chicken for whatever reason is ever easy.

I hope you find some answers. Please keep us posted.

 

[SarahLadd]

I don't think anyone here is trying to make this sound like a simple problem to solve at all. Nothing about making a decision to cull a chicken for whatever reason is ever easy.

I hope you find some answers. Please keep us posted.

Ah, I realized what I was dealing with as soon as I narrowed down the possibilities... I think my husband just doesn't like to see me cry so much, and he's a softie too so this is hard on us both. I'm learning a lot right now, about how to be a better chicken owner, and about what my bleeding heart can handle. All the information I've gotten is wonderful and I appreciate it very much. I'll be back to update when test results come back.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ah, I realized what I was dealing with as soon as I narrowed down the possibilities... I think my husband just doesn't like to see me cry so much, and he's a softie too so this is hard on us both. I'm learning a lot right now, about how to be a better chicken owner, and about what my bleeding heart can handle. All the information I've gotten is wonderful and I appreciate it very much. I'll be back to update when test results come back.

 

[Nambroth]

I see you have some excellent advice and a good plan of action. A side note and gentle word of caution... these viruses are impossibly small and very easy to accidentally transport on your clothing, hair, shoes, etc. Unless you have been doing a very strict regiment of biosecurity between your chicks and your existing adult chickens since the moment you got home with the chicks, there is a chance that your other birds are infected as well but not showing symptoms. I'm not trying to scare you! But please bear this in mind and keep an eye on your existing flock for symptoms down the road, no matter how you decide to deal with your ill chicks. Best wishes to you, as someone that has a "permanently infected" closed flock myself (different disease, same types of husbandry concerns though).

 

[SarahLadd]

I see you have some excellent advice and a good plan of action. A side note and gentle word of caution... these viruses are impossibly small and very easy to accidentally transport on your clothing, hair, shoes, etc. Unless you have been doing a very strict regiment of biosecurity between your chicks and your existing adult chickens since the moment you got home with the chicks, there is a chance that your other birds are infected as well but not showing symptoms. I'm not trying to scare you! But please bear this in mind and keep an eye on your existing flock for symptoms down the road, no matter how you decide to deal with your ill chicks. Best wishes to you, as someone that has a "permanently infected" closed flock myself (different disease, same types of husbandry concerns though).

I can only hope at this point that my adult birds are ok and to be diligent from now on off topic, but I know an artist that uses the handle Nambroth, are you the painter?

 

[Nambroth]

I can only hope at this point that my adult birds are ok and to be diligent from now on off topic, but I know an artist that uses the handle Nambroth, are you the painter?

I am! It's a small world, if you know my work!

 

[azygous]

Awesome! BYC has a celebrity! Your work is amazing!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

I am! It's a small world, if you know my work!

Its very nice !

 

[SarahLadd]

Heh... if you remember me, my old handle was Kestrel Shatterwind. I don't paint or draw much anymore, I'm a master jeweler and I make fine jewelry.

So, I've been bounced around 4 vets and none of them can help me. The amount of blood needed to draw for the panel that would give results on MG or IB would kill the bird anyway. I can have one of the vets put them down and send the body to be tested, but husband thinks that's pointless if they're dead anyway.

At this stage, I'm ready for damage control. I'll be washing any fabrics that are washable, and bleaching everything I can. How long after purging until I can feel safe around my healthy birds that are outside? Should I straight up throw away the brooder, or will bleaching the plastic panels and the kiddy pool that lined the bottom safe to try?