Adding new silkies to flock...HELP!

[sillyovrsilkies]

I have 3 silkie pullets and a roo in my coop currently, but I purchased a few additional silkie hens b/c I have another roo that I really wanted to keep, so I figured I'd add a few more "girlfriends" to the flock in hopes of keeping both of the roos together. However, my plan backfired as I ended up with some sick hens (sneezing, underweight, and yellow discharge from nose)...UGH...not to mention scalely leg. At first glance these birds did not appear sick, but they were kept in coops which were overrun with chickens. Okay, okay, lesson learned...I'm still new at this, but at least I knew enough NOT to integrate the new birds w/ my existing flock. So, I ended up keeping only 2 of the 10 hens that I purchased (found a local lady willing to take the others and nurse them back to health). One of the hens though has been sneezing constantly and has a crusty nose. After running Duramyacin in their water for 5 days I finally separated her from my roo and the other silkie hen (these 2 hens were housed together though w/ previous owner, but the other hen is not showing any signs of illness nor is the roo). I switched the sneezing hen to Sulmet and she's in a pen by herself (since Monday)-she's still sneezing and doesn't seem to have improved. I'm not against culling her which is the way I'm leaning; however, my question is this: Since the other hen and roo are not showing any signs of illness (I did see green poo in the pen yesterday; however, I have read that can be normal or due to certain foods) would it be okay to integrate them with my flock or would you wait it out until it has been a full two weeks? I still have Duramycin in their waterer, but should I be concerned that this hen is simply asymptomatic since she was housed with the sick hen?? The roo isn't showing signs of illness either which is a positive sign since he was in the run with both girls. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[midget_farms]

You have a lot going on.

First - since you are not entirely sure of the illness - I would wait 2 more weeks before integrating. They are probably fine, but you never know. Birds have a funny way of not showing simptoms until they are very sick.

You didn't say you did anything with the scally legs. This is caused by mites getting under the skin of the chickens. If you have gotten rid of the offending birds that is only half the battle. It is very likely they spread the mites to your other birds & pen. A lot of mites will hide in dark damp corners during the day & come out at night to feed on the birds so you often dont see them.

Treat your pen with seven dust or other safe alternative. I use NEEM oil on my coop twice a year & anytime I suspect something is going on. This is an organic insecticide I buy at Menards. read the warning lable & follow instructions & you should be fine.

 

[sillyovrsilkies]

The leg mites were treated and it was basically the other birds that I gave away that had it; however, I treated all of the birds and since they were being housed in my garage, I removed that bedding and added new. The little splash silkie that isn't showing any signs of illness didn't have visible mites, but I treated her anyway.