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...isn't very powerful anymore.
First, always please quarantine for 30 days. This is the reason why. Most illnesses can take from 4-21 days to 'incubate'. This is as much a good thing for your birds as the new birds - they're both at risk, always, when you bring new birds in.
You're seeing something that could be viral (your birds could be carriers of something they encountered and never showed symptoms - or these birds could have had their immune systems reduced with travel), or bacterial (same as above). The symptoms are the same for both types of respiratory illness. Infectious bronchitis is viral. other things are bacterial but they can still be carriers.
Because people have misused Duramycin for so many years, I would not recommend it as there are essentially two flocks at risk here. If you use an antibiotic, I would treat **nothing less** than Tylan injectable or soluble. It only takes 3 days of injections. Or you could use the soluble in the water for the whole flock. DO make sure to get the right dosage, do NOT use one single day less than the very longest dosage period listed on the package itself. I do not like to use antibiotics without knowing there's a reason, but you have a lot of birds here and you do not want this to go any further than it has. Alternately you could use the LS50 in the water. I would not use Duramycin, I do not recommend duramycin on its own, and the product is weak and takes 14 days of treatment, very rough on the system of a bird when it could be handled in a shorter time by a more effective antibiotic.
Also, I find it highly unlikely that it's Newcastles as that's a reportable and not very common illness.
One thing for sure, if any of them start to sling blood, please contact a state veterinarian. If you lose one single bird, get a necropsy. I would contact your state agricultural college and find the extension guys and talk to them about how you go about getting a necropsy if you need one. Some places require a live bird brought in, others will accept and require a carcass. You will want to know how they want you to do that. Having this information ahead of time is really very helpful and hopefully you'll never need it. But if you lose one, you'll want to know EXACTLY what the disease is so you can handle it with the rest of your flock.
Would you consider taking a live bird (new one) to an avian vet to get a couple of tests done to determine if it's viral or bacterial? If so, I can give you a list of certified avian vets. Contacting the state is a good idea as they can test for things like MS, MG, etc.
In the mean time, boost ALL immunities. The best feed, yogurt used daily because their nasal secretions will run into their digestive tract through the opening in the roof of the beak and cause diarrhea and possibly secondary digestive illness. Organic apple cider vinegar in the water (1 teaspoon per gallon) can help adjust the pH to be more friendly to good bacteria, bad for bad bacteria/yeast, and additionally it will help decrease the mucus that you're hearing in their throats. A little cayenne on the food every other day, or tumeric (the seasoning) could be helpful for their immune systems. Giving them all fortified wheat germ oil daily will give them vitamin A which is essential for respiratory healing. You simply buy the oil (see the horse sections of the feed store, make sure it's 'fortified' with ADE), and put it in a spray-bottle like you mist plants with. Spray the top of the food daily as you put it out.
If you can do VetRx on the sick birds, please do. Use diluted VetRx to swab their nares, the cleft in the roof of the beak, under each tear duct. Use a new q-tip end for each spot, a completely new q-tip when you switch birds. I mix a little VetRx with an equal amount of very hot water. Stir well - this cools the water and emulsifies the VetRx oil into the water, like a salad dressing. Theq-tips should be wet with the stuff. It's non-medicinal, can be used in conjunction with any medical treatment, and facilitates air flow in the sinuses in ocular areas. it also is said to help alleviate inflammation and reduce mucus. A bird that can't breathe will not eat and will worry himself more sick. A bird comforted by breathing will heal better. If you cannot find VetRx for poultry, the rabbit kind will work. If you can't find that, large pet store chains (
Petsmart for example) often carry Marshal Pets Peter Rabbit Rx. It's the same thing. A 2 ounce bottle goes a long long way used diluted as a swab.
So summary:
Give everyone heightened nutrition.
Support respiratory healing with fortified wheat germ oil on the feed daily (only misted - do not over use)
swabbing with VetRx will help respiration and thus healing.
Using yogurt will help decrease chances of secondary digestive illness.
If you treat, get a strong and effective antibiotic like LS50 or Tylan.
I hope your flock turns out ok - very scary, and a hard thing to go through.
POSTNOTE: If you use anything ending with -mycin or -cycline (which includes LS50) do NOT use yogurt during that period. It will make the medicines not work. You would have to use a product like Probios dispersible powder from the feedstore. Buy the small bottle - it's around 8 dollars. Or the tube if they only carry the large bottles.
It's only 1/4 teaspoon per bird. Look in the livestock/cattle/calf nursing section. You would noto use in the water as labeled, but sprinkle on top of the wheat germ you're using to mist. After the treatment, you can use occassionally the same way to keep all your birds very healthy.
