Can a hen carrying canker raise chicks?

[JulieLikesBirds]

I have a 3 1/2 year old silkie mix named Sweetie who is currently being treated for canker. As prescribed by the vet, she's on 5ccs of liquid metrodinazole every 12 hours, and is expected to recover.

My entire flock carries the disease, but she is the first one to come down with it in a while, my theory is that she is under a lot of stress, being the lowest in the pecking order.

She has raised many chicks in the past, before the flock carried canker and she is her happiest when she has chicks.

I am not in a position where I can get any more chickens right now, but I have a friend who is looking to start a flock, and would like a broody hen to raise her chicks. As much as I would hate to lose my Sweetie, I think she would be much happier in a flock of her own chicks.

But since she is a carrier of canker, I do not know if this would be possible. As happy as I think she would be, I dont want to risk infecting healthy birds with canker.

Does anyone have experience with a similar situation?

 

[Eggcessive]

Why would you want to introduce canker into your friend’s flock? Canker is a contagious protozoan disease spread by pigeons and wild birds. It would not be worth it for her to have it in her flock as well. She is a carrier. I would have your friend read a lot about the disease. It is expensive and time consuming treating this disease, and she could just raise some chicks in a brooder.

 

[JulieLikesBirds]

Why would you want to introduce canker into your friend’s flock? Canker is a contagious protozoan disease spread by pigeons and wild birds. It would not be worth it for her to have it in her flock as well. She is a carrier. I would have your friend read a lot about the disease. It is expensive and time consuming treating this disease, and she could just raise some chicks in a brooder.

 

[JulieLikesBirds]

Thank you, I was not sure if she would be able to spread it if she was not actively having a flare of the disease. You are right, it is not worth the risk to spread it to any other birds.