BUGGER. I think it's Coryza

[PrepperNerd]

My biggest girl, Annie, now has a DISGUSTING smell around her beak in addition to the rasps and sneezing. No discharge/mucky/eyes/nose etc but it's starting to look like Coryza - what's worse, we bought two more chickens from the same breeder on the weekend and one of THOSE is now sneezing

Waiting on the vet to ring me back as I can't find Tylan available in Australia - but as heartbreaking as it would be, am I better just to cull? I know they remain carriers, and i'm unsure even if I can get a vaccine for the three remaining healthy birds. We don't live near other chickens, nor will we in the foreseeable future. Do others think it would be safe enough if I can cure them, to keep them?

 

[PrepperNerd]

Also just reading about parasites....is the smell possibly caused by parasites??

 

[PrepperNerd]

Argh....I just did a FULL ON check of her and she does have a very small discharge from one nostril. Help?

 

[PrepperNerd]

Ok, found a savvy farrier who is knowledgeable on chickens, she says sounds like coryza, bring her in at 6pm and she'll do an exam for $10, she has Tylan on the shelf if it's needed.

 

[PrepperNerd]

How freaking bizarre.....just went and checked on her again....and NO SMELL. None. I even parted her beak and took a good sniff....Nada. And no runny nose either....nor could I hear any rasping! I think i'll just take her tonight and see what the go is....but weird, huh?

 

[PrepperNerd]

So an update: Vet says without actual testing she can't be entirely certain, but she's leaning towards either a) some kind of upper respiratory disease either viral or bacterial or b) worms/parasites of some kind. Basically she has elected to offer treatment for everything we CAN treat, which is pretty much a case of worming all the birds (which i'm not ENTIRELY sure the 'breeder' did) and antibiotics. We've crop-fed the sick girl her worming stuff AND 1ml of Tylan, and she's inside for the night to check for crop impaction too (she DOES have a large crop, but she always has had for the whole 2 months we've had her, and every time i've worried about it when i've checked in the morning it seems smaller and softer, so we're just making doubly sure). In the morning i'll need to worm all the other girls, and all the flock are allowed to drink for the next 3 - 4 days is Tylan, just to be safe, and also to ensure the other possibly sick girl gets better.

So, fingers crossed!