Anyone ever had chickens recover from a respitory disease?

[Maryallison]

I really need a happy story here. I am so sad and worried about my flock. They all seem to have a respitory disease. I am treating them with Agrim ...just beginning of the long word(sp?) I am just on day 2 of treatment so maybe I am overreacting. I just want them to be ok....

Anyone have a happy story for me???

 

[crazy4eggsJulie]

We woke up to two sick chicks today. One was having difficulty breathing, the other wheezing. Another BYC member, threehorses, was a HUGE help, talking me through what the problem might be. She gave me all sorts of helpful info. and suggested I mix the Probios gel in with their food. I could only manage to dip their beaks in it because they were so sick they wouldn't eat. After talking for awhile, she felt like the problem was that they might be reacting to wet shavings from my waterer getting bumped and spilling onto the coop floor. One chick (the worse one who we thought was going to die right there in my daughter's arms) appears to be normal again! She is breathing normal and eating. The other is still wheezing, but has not gotten worse. Give it a try! It can't hurt. She said it is good to give this to them once a week for their first several months of life anyway so that they will thrive.

 

[purpletree23]

My chickens had the same disease and all recovered just fine. I used Tylan though. I've never heard of the medication you are using. Is it an antibiotic? If it is they will be fine. Give extra love and keep a close eye on them so you can see if they are getting better or worse. Best wishes!

 

[Katy]

There are diseases that they can "recover" from but they are still carriers and will infect any new birds they are around. Treating with any meds when you don't know exactly what they are ill with is not a good plan. Having a bird tested to find out what you're dealing with should be your first step.

 

[BayCityBabe]

I had a few chickens, less than a 1/4 of my flock, that got sick a couple years ago, after I (stupidly) added some new birds. I did injectable Tylan on the sick ones. They recovered and have been healthy. I know there are some folks on this forum that cull, cull, cull at the presentation of illness. However, our birds are my kid's pets. And, the more I learn and speak to vets & poultry professionals, the less alarmed I am about these stories. Chickens can & do get sick and illness can be addresssed with antibiotics and good care.

That said, It is most important to PREVENT ILLNESS THROUGH GOOD BIOSECURITY. So, learn from your experiences and don't repeat your mistakes.

 

[speckledhen]

It's up to you whether you cull or not, but if you do not know what they had, especially if you dont know what the illness was, then ethically, you should never give away or sell a bird who has been ill. They could be carriers and destroy someone else's flock. Mine are pets, too, very much so. I will, however, cull them if they become ill with something respiratory. I just do not want to set up a cycle or treating and re-treating the same birds for the rest of their lives.

 

[DuckLady]

Please keep this to one thread.
It will be easier to help you that way.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=211582