Diseased flock

[Gregschickens]

More and more of my flock just keep getting sick and I'm trying different antibiotics but the noticeably sick don't seem to get any better. If I decide to cull the flock, before I get new chickens what should I do to make sure that the new chickens don't get sick from the leftover residue of the old chickens? Should I go around with a spray bottle filled with bleach and water? Any help you could give me would be appreciated. I haven't decided what I'm gonna do yet but I just want to be prepared.

 

[featherz]

What sort of symptoms are they having? That could narrow down what antibiotic to use, whether to cull and what to use to clean the coops. Some bugs take more scrubbing than others.

 

[Gregschickens]

I'm pretty sure they have infectious coryza. Some have the classic symptoms and then I've had some that don't really show coryza symptoms but just drop dead. I've thrown some diatomaceous earth in there to try and take care of any bugs that might be on them.

 

[TrystInn]

Before you cull the flock and before you invest in another, send one of the corpses in to your state for testing.

 

[Gregschickens]

Ok, how do you do that?

 

[Pickaduck]

You mentioned in an earlier post that you've introduced new chickens to your flock on different occasions but you didn't mention quarantining them. If you didn't properly quarantine then that's how all of this sickness got into your flock in the first place. If you need to cull please be aware of the proper amount of time to thoroughly clean their coop, run, etc and to allow sufficient time for any germs to die off before you put new birds in.

 

[justusnak]

If you have to cull the entire flock...depending on the size of the coop....I would get a bag of AG lime..Throw some in a bucket and add water, and white wash the entire inside of the coop. I do this in my barn and coops. It helps with the smell and bacteria. Make sure you get the walls, floors, roosts, and nest boxes. Definately contact your local AG center...and see about getting a necropsy done on one of the birds. Good luck.

 

[TrystInn]

Quote:
Call your local extension agent - you should find their information on the Department of Agriculture for your state's website.

 

[Gregschickens]

TrystInn, thank you I will do that.

Pickaduck, yes I realize that. 20/20 hindsight. I suppose I didn't think of it because I know about 10 people with chickens and they never did anything like quarantine new chickens, and they've never had any issues. I've kept lots of animals and I'm familiar with the quarantine ritual, and I certainly know for next time. I had no idea that there was such a vicious chicken disease.

justusnak, I appreciate it. Do I need to wash off the lime before I get new chickens?