Can respiratory problems run their course?

[cafarmgirl]

Thank you cagirl,

I hope they follow the same path your chickens did. My rooster was the original chicken we got, and he has never displayed any symptoms. Some just yawned a lot for a week or two and that was all I ever saw them do. I did want to breed and sell chickens in the local community but now it seems that might be out of the question. Someone did mention vaccinating, do you know if I could vaccinate the chicks that come out of the closet incubator from IB, if that is what the tests show?

Yes there is a vaccine for it, just read up on it a lot before you go that route. It's been several years since I checked into the IB vaccine but I seem to remember reading a lot on conflicting info regarding how long it lasts and how often you have to repeat the vaccine. Seems to me I remember reading it had to be done every six months. There was also conflicting info regarding mixing vaccinated with unvaccinated birds. I decided not to vaccinate when I got new birds 2 years ago and none of them have ever come down with it despite the two older birds being part of the flock. The avian vet I go to says that IB actually does not create a lifetime carrier. I don't know. I've heard yes and no on that idea.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes there is a vaccine for it, just read up on it a lot before you go that route. It's been several years since I checked into the IB vaccine but I seem to remember reading a lot on conflicting info regarding how long it lasts and how often you have to repeat the vaccine. Seems to me I remember reading it had to be done every six months. There was also conflicting info regarding mixing vaccinated with unvaccinated birds. I decided not to vaccinate when I got new birds 2 years ago and none of them have ever come down with it despite the two older birds being part of the flock. The avian vet I go to says that IB actually does not create a lifetime carrier. I don't know. I've heard yes and no on that idea.

The information that I have come across is that IB can create carriers for 5 months to 1 year after recovery. Below is a link which has some directions for use, and another from University of Fla:

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/...84af9fa2600f00000499/533884b09fa2600f000004ab

Newcastle disease

Chickens and turkeys can be immunized against Newcastle disease. Low-virulence live-virus vaccines are administered by a variety of routes such as drinking water, intraocular (eye drops), intranasal (nose drops), spray). Killed-virus oil emulsion vaccines are administered to pullets intramuscularly or subcutaneously as a final vaccine prior to the onset of egg production.
Chicks are often vaccinated at the hatchery against Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis with a combination vaccine. Day-old poultry vaccinated for Newcastle disease can not be shipped through the mail.
The combination Newcastle-Infectious Bronchitis vaccine can also be given at 10-35 days. The vaccine can be administered via the drinking water, intraocular route or intranasal route. For breeder and layer flocks the vaccine needs to be repeated at 3-month intervals to maintain protective immunity. Alternatively, an inactivated vaccine can be given at the time of housing (18-20 weeks). Further vaccinations should not be required with this procedure. In breeder flocks, the high antibody level obtained by repeated vaccinations will assure transmission of a uniform parental immunity to offspring.
If you purchase pullets or mature chickens to add to your vaccinated flock, they can be vaccinated with Newcastle disease (B-1) vaccine via drinking water, intraocular or intranasal routes. The more reactive LaSota Newcastle disease vaccine is then given 4 weeks later.
Turkeys are often vaccinated against Newcastle disease at 4 weeks of age, and again when the breeders are housed.
Infectious bronchitis

Infectious bronchitis is primarily a respiratory disease of chickens.Modified live-virus vaccines (usually containing the Massachusetts serotype) are administered in young chickens. Vaccines are effective only if they contain the right serotype of virus for a given area. Do not vaccinate during an outbreak.
Infectious bronchitis is often combined with Newcastle vaccine in the same vial and given at the hatchery or at 10-35 days of age (see section on Newcastle disease).
Killed-virus vaccines (oil emulsion base) are also available. They are administered by injection (subcutaneous or intramuscular) to breeders from 14-18 weeks of age.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL VACCINATION

• Vaccination of poultry younger than 10 days of age cannot be expected to produce uniform or lasting immunity, even in the absence of parental immunity. An exception is that vaccination for Marek's disease is ordinarily given on the day of hatch.
• Rotate vaccine stock. An outdated product may have deteriorated.
• Each vaccine is designed for a specific route of administration. Use only the recommended route.
• Do not vaccinate sick birds (except in outbreaks of laryngotracheitis or fowl pox).
• Protect vaccines from heat and direct sunlight.
• Most vaccines are living, disease-producing agents. Handle them with care.
• When using the drinking-water method of vaccination, be sure the water is free of sanitizers and chlorine. Live-virus vaccines are readily destroyed by these chemicals.
• After vaccinating, burn or disinfect all opened containers to prevent accidental spread to other poultry.

 

[roseygirl]

Interesting that the new birds did not contract, or if they did, we're never symptomatic. A few of my new birds just yawned a lot for a few days, and others have been completely asymptomatic after being with the birds who were once sick for a month and a half. 2 of the new birds just came down with it. I was hoping the ones that regained their health would have some kind of immunity, but I keep hearing about reoccurrence, except in your case. There is so much conflicting information but I'll know a lot more after I get the blood test done next week. Since I'm new here, and to forums in general, should I start a new thread to share the results or update this one? Hopefully people can learn from whatever it is that I find out.

Thanks everyone for your input

 

[countrygoddess]

Here's my experience with infectious bronchitis.

My birds came down with IB at the tail end of winter. I think I inadvertently brought it into the house when I used a new kind of bedding which is shredded hay and straw mixed with PDZ. That's the only thing I can think of since the ground was covered in snow and they weren't really leaving the house much except to step right outside the door for some fresh air and sunlight. I know it can be spread to a flock from wild birds but I think the snow cover would likely keep the viral load way down out where their house is. So the new bedding must have had virus from wild birds in the area where the straw and hay it is made of came from.

Anyway, they all got over it, then a few weeks later I moved two cocks that were being kept elsewhere on my property in with the rest of the flock to gear up for breeding -- they subsequently came down with it and recovered. Breeding was successful. After the spring thaw and "mud season", we moved the hoop coop out further into the field where we keep it during the summer and stripped off the plastic we put up for winter (which, yes, had enough ventilation during the winter -- we also don't heat their house). I bought vaccine for the chicks I was hatching but in the end, decided not to vaccinate. At 6 - 8 weeks, the chicks went out into the hoop coop (in their own portioned off part) and never came down with IB. I brought in three new birds to my flock last month. None of them has come down with it.

 

[roseygirl]

That is very encouraging, thank you. I will hold off on killing all my chickens