Chicken purchased last Sunday has a respiratory illness. What should I do?

[VinnyVincent]

Hello,
I purchased two 5 month old pullets from a local chicken breeder. I thought one of them was just stressed out from the move, because she wasn't very active. However, last night I noticed that her beak had something that looked like mucus on it. At that point I put my ear up to her and noticed some gurgling/congested sounds.
This morning she was just laying in the corner, so I picked her up and put her in a separate cage, then moved the cage into my garage. She's clearly very congested, has mucus on her beak, and her eyes are a bit watery.

I'm new to keeping chickens, so I really don't know what I should do. Right now I'm just letting her rest and offering her food/water, but she doesn't have much interest.
I'm wondering if I should take her back to the lady I got here from? I don't think she sold me this sick chicken intentionally. I purchased 6 other birds from her that all seem very healthy. Again, I'm new to chicken keeping, so I am not sure what is customary in this situation.

She's a super sweet chicken. I really wish I could get her back to health!

I would really appreciate any advice, I'm definitely not prepared to handle a chick this sick!

 

[DaEpicChick]

I’d say, dip her beak in water so it goes into her nose to wash out, but you need an expert on this.

 

[dawg53]

She has some type of respiratory disease which can and will spread throughout your flock. Cull her and bury her deep, away from your flock.
Antibiotics only mask symptoms, survivors are carriers and will spread whatever disease it is to other birds.

 

[VinnyVincent]

She has some type of respiratory disease which can and will spread throughout your flock. Cull her and bury her deep, away from your flock.
Antibiotics only mask symptoms, survivors are carriers and will spread whatever disease it is to other birds.

Wow that's rough news. She was a replacement for a bird that my dog just killed. The kid isn't going to take this well.
What's the easiest way to "cull" a bird? Just use an axe to the neck, or???
I might try contacting the lady I got her from to see if she will just take her back.

What about the other bird I got at the same time? Just keep her separate and keep an eye on her for a few weeks, I suppose? At the moment she seems very healthy and active.

 

[VinnyVincent]

Luckily the lady I got them from has agreed to take her back. No word on a refund/exchange yet. I would say I don't want any more birds from her, but the rest of my flock also came from her
Maybe I'll get some from her other area, where I got my last batch of younger birds from.

 

[aart]

Luckily the lady I got them from has agreed to take her back. No word on a refund/exchange yet. I would say I don't want any more birds from her, but the rest of my flock also came from her
Maybe I'll get some from her other area, where I got my last batch of younger birds from.

I would not take any birds from her....if she takes back a sick bird her management techniques are highly suspect. I'd take both back, hope it hasn't spread or is already carried by your existing birds, and just deal with the ones you have.
Your coop space is tight for more birds anyway.

What about the other bird I got at the same time? Just keep her separate and keep an eye on her for a few weeks, I suppose? At the moment she seems very healthy and active.

How 'separate' is she?
It's about impossible to truly quarantine birds for most back yarders.
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

 

[Eggcessive]

I would take both birds back, and not ask for money or any replacement birds. Or cull them. The second chicken has been exposed to the first one, and will be considered a carrier, even if she does not get sick. Did you keep them quarantined from your other chickens? Most respiratory diseases in chickens make them carriers for life, with the exception of only 5 months to one year with infectious bronchitis. MG, coryza, ILT, and infectious bronchitis are the common ones, and you can read about these in this link:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[VinnyVincent]

I would not take any birds from her....if she takes back a sick bird her management techniques are highly suspect. I'd take both back, hope it hasn't spread or is already carried by your existing birds, and just deal with the ones you have.
Your coop space is tight for more birds anyway.

How 'separate' is she?
It's about impossible to truly quarantine birds for most back yarders.
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

Thanks again aart! I've just caged them both in separate containers and am about to head over to bring them both back.
You've been a great help to me, I appreciate your patience with my lack of knowledge.

I was keeping the new birds in the garden and the old ones in their coop. So, not very separate with just a few feet in between them. Way too close for comfort considering how serious these respiratory issues seem to be. Decided to just follow your advice and take them both back. I'm going to do a thorough cleaning of the whole area when I return.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks again aart! I've just caged them both in separate containers and am about to head over to bring them both back.
You've been a great help to me, I appreciate your patience with my lack of knowledge.

I was keeping the new birds in the garden and the old ones in their coop. So, not very separate with just a few feet in between them. Way too close for comfort considering how serious these respiratory issues seem to be. Decided to just follow your advice and take them both back. I'm going to do a thorough cleaning of the whole area when I return.

Respiratory diseases can be carried on your person; clothing, hands, shoes, even the tires on your vehicle. Before you go to your old flock, consider personal hygiene, a change of clothes, shoes etc...

 

[VinnyVincent]

I would take both birds back, and not ask for money or any replacement birds. Or cull them. The second chicken has been exposed to the first one, and will be considered a carrier, even if she does not get sick. Did you keep them quarantined from your other chickens? Most respiratory diseases in chickens make them carriers for life, with the exception of only 5 months to one year with infectious bronchitis. MG, coryza, ILT, and infectious bronchitis are the common ones, and you can read about these in this link:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

This was also excellent advice. I ended up putting both birds into a cheap storage bin and dropping them off on her porch, then I sent her a text telling her where I left them.
This worked out great, because she tried to argue and say that she looked at the bird and that it just needed some electrolytes and medicated feed, and that the other one wasn't even sick!
It was much easier to deal with the whole situation through text and not in person, with the birds in hand.
She actually ended up telling me to come back so that she could either give those back with medication, or give me other birds, which I politely declined.

After reading aarts link about how to do a proper quarantine, it's become apparent that I really screwed up that process as well. All I can do now is clean up any feathers and droppings in the area that the sick bird was in, and hope for the best.

I'm considering locking them up in their coop all week, to give the sun time to kill anything that may be on the ground in there run and garden areas. Does that seem like a good idea?