A sick chicken died, how long should I wait before introducing new chickens to the flock?

[Nickey1994]

About 2 weeks ago I received two chickens which I thought were Rhode Island Red but turned out to be buckeye chickens. One was sick one is healthy. Sadly today the sick one passed away. I want to get more chickens but I'm not sure how long I should wait to be sure that my other two, a black breasted red old english game bantam and the sister buckeye have not caught the illness. I disinfected the coop and run the best i could. They were also on Sulmet for three days before she passed and I am letting the other two chickens complete the five day course. I was thinking of waiting two weeks and if no symptoms show up to introduce more. Any advice would help. Thank you in advance!

 

[Pork Pie]

Without knowing what the illness is / was, it's impossible to advise.

 

[aart]

Ditto Ken.
Without a necropsy and pathological lab testing you don't know what illness it had.
Chances are whatever it had, the other one is already carrying it and maybe didn't succumb or isn't showing symptoms because it has a stronger immune system.
Even the Sulmet might not eradicate the organism that killed your bird and that your others may be carrying.
Many diseases are carried without symptoms until bird becomes stressed for many reasons especially including the loss of good overall health condition.

 

[Nickey1994]

thank you! Do you think a vet could check the healthier chicken and tell me if anything is wrong?

 

[aart]

thank you! Do you think a vet could check the healthier chicken and tell me if anything is wrong?

If you found a good avian vet (pretty hard to find) willing to work with chickens they should be able to at least swab for respiratory issues.
Not sure what else they could screen for.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think your plan is a good one. It is not fool proof, but in two weeks if everything is still healthy, good chance they will stay that way. If you wait a month, that would increase your odds.

 

[Nickey1994]

I have been in contact with Cornell University in NY and they have found that it was coccidiosis that killed the chicken and I will be starting Corrid tomorrow on the healthier birds. Thank you all for advice and responses.

 

[aart]

I have been in contact with Cornell University in NY and they have found that it was coccidiosis that killed the chicken and I will be starting Corrid tomorrow on the healthier birds. Thank you all for advice and responses.

Did they do fecal float test....or....?

 

[Nickey1994]

Did they do fecal float test....or....?

I'm sending it in today so i should hear back about it in a few days.

 

[azygous]

Did you start the Corid before collecting the stool samples? If so, it may mask any cocci rendering the test moot. It doesn't hurt to test for cocci, but you need to collect and send it in before starting Corid. But the Corid treatment can't hurt either way.

Importing adult chickens into a flock is a risky business. Viruses can be carried by seemingly healthy birds, and some viruses survive for years in the environment despite disinfecting attempts. The only way to detect these viruses is by having a necropsy done on a dead bird.