Coryza.....*sigh*

[Kmack]

Hey everybody.... it's me again

Lesson one from a newbie. BUY VACCINATED BIRDS!!!!! Hot darn am I sick of sick chickens....

My flock is quickly contracting coryza. All of the signs are there and they're all getting it one by one. First off can I get a vote of who would treat and who would cull. I don't want to cull them I really don't. I don't mind at all having a closed flock. I don't plan on selling or swapping or getting any more birds. When we get ready to leave Australia and go back home we were going to eat them all anyway and that is only in a year or 1.5 years.

Second question for those that have cured their birds, how did you do it? Did anybody manage to do it without antibiotics? I may just bring them to the avian vet because I simply don't have any idea where to get the appropriate antibiotics here in Melbourne, we don't have a "tractor supply", and I can't seem to find any good information online and I don't have the time to drive around all over the city to find them. But I don't have endless cash to spend on them so it will depend on how much it's going to cost me to get medication for the flock. If this was their first sickness I'd have more money but after spending money on all the other problems I'm just running out.

Some advice would be very welcome. I am so burnt out on curing these birds of every known problem to chicken owners world wide. But it's a learning process I guess.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Have you had a diagnosis for Coryza from lab work or surmising from symptoms?

Erythromycin, streptymycin and sulfadimethoxine are sometimes effective but don't always eradicate it. Usually culling is preferable.

I don't know where you're located or what your management technique is but this time of year, many people tend to close up their coops, fearing their chickens will be cold.
That lack of ventilation contributes to respiratory disease.

 

[Kmack]

Have you had a diagnosis for Coryza from lab work or surmising from symptoms?

Erythromycin, streptymycin and sulfadimethoxine are sometimes effective but don't always eradicate it. Usually culling is preferable.

I don't know where you're located or what your management technique is but this time of year, many people tend to close up their coops, fearing their chickens will be cold.
That lack of ventilation contributes to respiratory disease.

Thank you for your response ChickenCanoe. Are these things you can get in the pharmacy over the counter? I don't have a way to get needles so I think I'm going to have to cure through their water. I am coming to a conclusion based on symptoms.

Bubbly eyes
Leaking Nostriles
Lethargic
Beginning not to eat or drink
Smell coming from their heads
Bringing their heads back and gaping over and over at times

I'm in Melbourne Australia and it is summer here. I don't even close the coop at night. They have a large chunk of lawn they run around on and I have three dogs in the yard that protect them so it is not a matter of lack of ventilation. Their coop is enclosed plenty enough for them to keep warm at night though.

 

[Lovechickens202]

Wow that sounds bad! Did you try to separate those who are sick from those who are healthy? Sometimes only one has it and spreads it to the whole flock. And if they were sick I would not recommend eating them.

 

[Kmack]

Wow that sounds bad! Did you try to separate those who are sick from those who are healthy? Sometimes only one has it and spreads it to the whole flock. And if they were sick I would not recommend eating them.

Haha, well we wouldn't eat them while they're sick. Only if I cure them and they become healthy again. I have separated the two that seem the worst but they're all acting a bit funky at this point. I see them every day, hang out with them, talk to them. They are pets for me and I care about them, but it all just seemed to hit yesterday. I went out for the day and when I came back two were sitting in the coop acting very ill with bubbles in their eyes and since they were inside the coup together I could easily smell the odor. Normally they are all running around outside so I hadn't smelled it before. When I went around to take a close look at the rest they just seemed a bit off but that could be my imagination.

The two who are worst are still walking around a bit. Pecking around a bit. Drinking a little. But then will just sit and close their eyes for ages and occasionally do the gaping thing. One gets has the bubbles in the one eye this morning. The other had it last night but it is gone this morning. Both still have wet nostriles.