Help! Lost one hen and others exhibiting signs!

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry to hear you lost all of your original flock, I can't begin to understand to heartache your family must be going through

Did you or your vet send a bird, tissue, swabs anything to your state lab for further testing to get confirmation on what illness you may be dealing with?

It's very hard to know what do to in these circumstances. You only have a few choices.
One that I would recommend to start is "sacrifice" one bird, send her for necropsy so you can hopefully at least get a "name" for the illness they are carriers of. This will give you more information so you can make the best decision moving forward.

You can also keep the birds, determine that you will keep a "closed flock" meaning you only bring in new birds - treat any birds that become symptomatic, but never sell, trade or give away hatching eggs, chicks, started pullets or show your birds. Any bird that lives on your property dies on your property.

A third option is to cull all. Clean, wait for a period of time, then start over. Knowing the disease you have helps in determining the waiting period.

I know these are generalizations and it's probably not what you want to hear. Each situation is different depending on what your chicken keeping goals are - not just short term, but long term as well - if you have even the slightest inclination that you want to breed or sell chicks in the future, then culling may be your best option.

As far as I know, you can eat the eggs of birds that have most respiratory illnesses as long as you following proper handling and cooking methods - just like you would any other eggs. Respiratory illness can affect the quality of eggs as well, sometimes shells make be weak or wrinkled or you may run into pale yolks or watery albumen.

The foul odor you are noticing from the 2 hens needs further investigation. Determine whether the odor is indeed caused by a sour crop issue or if it's from the disease. I am assuming you never detected an odor from your original flock, even when they were sick(?) Infectious Coryza is the only respiratory disease that I know of that reports a foul odor coming from birds - it is said they smell rotten. Sour crop should smell yeasty or like fermentation. If you suspect they do have sour crop consider treating them - I have linked the best article I know about treating crop issues down below.

Again, I am very sorry this has happened to you. If after all this, and you find that you and your family have hard feelings against these birds and you can't find pleasure in taking care of them, then it may be a kindness to cull them

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[BYC910]

I'm sorry for all the trouble you've had and losing your pets . It is sometimes hard to keep chickens. There will always be lost chickens . It really is a fact of chicken raising . A virus is the hardest thing to deal with there are so many . Antibiotics will not affect a virus only treat the bacterial infections that they cause . Most of the time when you realize it is sick it's to late .This is even more true with large flocks . I am surprised your vet didn't do a necropsy on the bird's you lost . Me I might cut my loses and dump them chickens on the farm they came from . Start again with a few more chicks than the number I wanted to have. Either buy from a well known hatchery or someone you trust or have been recommended to by someone you trust . Lots of good people are BYC members and should be one close to you we're everywhere . Don't give up get determined. And there is always the incubation route . But I must warn you your gonna be twice as attached if you hatch them from a egg . I've hatched hundreds and still hover around the incubator on hatch day . I can't wait to see how they grow out . I have some mixed breeds that I really like . Only because I wondered how the cross would look . I've been crossing a Lavender Orp. roo with Black cooper Marans Gold Laced Wayndottes and a Blue AM and am about to set the first batch of eggs .I can't wait to see what they look like . Crazy ain't I . Wyorp Rock has given you about as good advice as your going to get I'm just talking . Wish you the best of luck whatever you decide to do .

 

[BF2014]

Thanks for all the support...
Ive spent decent money on these 4 new carrier birds and hate to just give up on them but part of me says, do a drive-by and drop them off from where they came from!

I'm finding that birds are excellent in hiding their illness until they are knocking on deaths door.

Is there anything that can be given to chickens to help them resist & or fight off the virus before it gets a solid foothold on them, maybe something in their food or water?

I hate to raise a new flock from day one, and yes, we will be more attached to them that way.....thats how we did our first birds. We lost half to a loose dog and ended up with 4 survivor's. Now our 4 survivor's have passed to this virus.

TAKING A POLL:
From experienced owners who have had or who currently have carrier birds; with only having 4 hens, all of them suspected of being carriers to a virus, would you start fresh with new birds and X the 4 carriers or keep the 4 carriers, and attempt to introduce new birds in the future?
Getting rid of the 4 ((( & who would want 4 CARRIERS?....thats a whole new hurdle to deal with))), I guess I would disinfect the entire coop and surrounding area.
If I keep the 4, then how would one suggest trying to build up my flock again? using chicks, pullets, laying hens?
We eat more eggs a week than 4 chickens can produce. I really need around 12-14 birds to produce enough eggs to keep up with the breakfast demand.
I know I'm beating my head against a wall and probably making BYC community roll their eyes with all my questions, which have probably been answered in this thread already lol. I'm just trying to make sound discussions from here on out.
Thanks to all

 

[BYC910]

Simple question would be what is the virus that you are dealing with ? There are limited vaccines for chickens out there . It would require culture growths to know . And someone else would have to tell you about those .I don't vaccinate for anything. I am a firm believer in the survival of the fittest. There is always the option of separate flocks . I also don't use antibiotics anymore . I have treated and treated only to lose the chicken so I'm not doing anything. I recently read an article on Marek's disease. The author stated once you have it it's impossible to get rid of it . The virus is spread by dander . Short of starting a total new operation where chickens have never been . Completely isolating them from the outside world . And only have chickens that are certified all virus and disease free . That should only cost two hundred dollars a chicken . Your going to get viruses . His opinion was don't vaccinate and let the chicken build up natural antibodies to the virus . A virus resident flock . I agree with him. More chickens and poultry overall are lost to internal parasites than virus . You have very sick chickens and may lose them all . The ones that survive may be carriers or they may just have strong antibodies against the virus . The awful part is you won't know until they are put with other birds and if they make them sick . And the one thing that has only been speculated about to this point is they are the carriers and not your original four . If your worried about them by all means cull them in whatever fashion necessary to restore your comfort level . If they survive I would eat the eggs and not even worry about it . It is a lot to think about. Sometimes finding ones direction can be tough . Took me years to get up the nerve to sell at the flea market .I was always worried about the ones I've brought home . I still am but I must sell chickens otherwise this whole place would be covered in chickens .If I sell a pullet for laying or rooster for breeding .I give a two week death refund or replacement guarantee. If some varmint eats the chicken that don't count.