Advice for adopted flock? (UPDATE) sick birds :(

[delisha]

Update:

We finished the course of antibiotics, and I hand fed the sick birds until they improved. Both girls are actively eating, scratching, running, and drinking. They seem totally better except for 2 things: both hens are sort of chirping? Or coughing? I'm not sure what to call it. It's loud though. I can hear it from inside the house. Also, neither bird has started laying again yet. They don't lay much this time of year anyway, but how long does it usually take sick birds to recover?
I'm still not sure what they have.

Every bird is different. You gave strong meds, it takes a while for the body to recover. Make sure you are putting ACV in the water, they have sunshine and exercise and good feed.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Update:

We finished the course of antibiotics, and I hand fed the sick birds until they improved. Both girls are actively eating, scratching, running, and drinking. They seem totally better except for 2 things: both hens are sort of chirping? Or coughing? I'm not sure what to call it. It's loud though. I can hear it from inside the house. Also, neither bird has started laying again yet. They don't lay much this time of year anyway, but how long does it usually take sick birds to recover?
I'm still not sure what they have.

I was worried, upon seeing your update, that I'd be readin' of something far worse than this ... good to hear they're improving, and (mostly) that your flock didn't suffer from the new birds. There seems to have been a big spike in threads about sneezing/coughing chickens, most probably due to colder/damp conditions, and the lack of fresh air -- so many want their birds to be what they think to be more comfortable w/o realizing that they don't suffer from dry/cold conditions nearly so much as they do damp/warm.

And, I'm guessin' they ain't drinkin' water w/ ACV in it ... four teaspoons to the gallon, but not in galvanized metal containers ~'-)

And odd twist, which you might consider as a possibility -- sometimes, it's the new arrivals that become infected by what the existing flock carries. Flocks can develop rather custom characteristics of resistance, or lack thereof, to various diseases.

Start 'em back on the ACV, and give 'em a few weeks to finish swappin' what they will back 'n forth ... hopefully, they'll all be fine.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Thanks. We've been lucky enough to have unseasonably warm weather this week. I've been letting them free range every day, and all the birds seem pretty happy and active. It's just the noise that's weird. And it's a new symptom. It's like they're honking. One of them honks loudly every few seconds. I'll start adding ACV back into their water.

None of the new birds ever got sick. So it seems like they have to be the carriers. I don't think it would have helped even if I had quarantined them when they arrived. This is probably the last time I'll add new adult birds into my flock.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Thanks. We've been lucky enough to have unseasonably warm weather this week. I've been letting them free range every day, and all the birds seem pretty happy and active. It's just the noise that's weird. And it's a new symptom. It's like they're honking. One of them honks loudly every few seconds. I'll start adding ACV back into their water.

None of the new birds ever got sick. So it seems like they have to be the carriers. I don't think it would have helped even if I had quarantined them when they arrived. This is probably the last time I'll add new adult birds into my flock.

Yeah .. that's somethin' I'm paranoid about. I scrub up, and change boots, every thime I've been anywhere other chickens have been, not that it guarantees my birds' safety ... might even be hindering their ability to develop natural resistances, for all I know, 'cause it only take one sick bird flyin' in, or even over.