Help me decide........Should I cull my flock and start over?

[chicmom]

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Oh criminy! More to think about. Before today, my process has been taking the sick bird out of the coop/run, and keeping it in my basement storage room. (I call it the chicken hospital). I keep them in a dog kennel. I I found that if I give them Tylan, they improve quickly. My first chicken to ever have this ailment was a hen, and I tried treating her with duramayacin, and she took a really long time to get better. This past winter, I lost a hen, and my rooster nearly died. I brought him inside and treated him with Tylan. I literally had to feed him the Tylan with a dropper into his mouth. I could even tell he had a fever, because he was HOT. Anyhow, he was laying there, really weak, and I gave him the tylan water about every half hour with a dropper. Then I said, hope he makes it. I went to bed and in the morning, he was standing up, and he got better very quickly. I believe I kept him inside for about a week. Then he went back outside with the flock. I don't think it's environmental. My chicken run is framed with relatively new treated lumber. The coop is nice and dry inside, and it's not painted on the inside. The outside is painted with barn paint, which is safe for animals.

 

[chicmom]

Everybody, I want to thank you all for the very good advice and kindness! I am so glad this didn't turn into a big debate about culling versus treatment! Everybody was so nice and polite.

It's so good to have online chicken people to talk with!

 

[StevenW.]

Our whole flock of 50 hens and roosters have Coryza and we are treating them. This is the first time in 5 years they have all caught something...
It's very saddening....

Once a bird has Coryza they are carriers of it for life. They vet you talked to is probably one that knows nothing about birds and only mammals.

 

[phasian]

If you are seeking some other solutions, I would recommend ordering the book 'Poultry Homeopathy' by J.P. Madrewar and/or 'The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm & Stable' by Juliette de Bairacli-Levy. Both of these authors are vets, the former specializing in poultry in India, the latter in Europe. These both give effective & inexpensive remedies for dealing with respiratory issues in poultry. These are natural solutions for dealing with disease that still allow for eating eggs from these animals (if they happen to be laying). They do not create the environment to develop 'super bugs' and come from extremely well educated, respected healers that have dedicated decades of their lives to medicine.

While health is the normal state of most living creatures, ALL beings get sick from time to time. We don't kill our family or friends, our dogs, cats, etc..........
However, I will cull a creature if their quality of life seems irreparably damaged.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Here is another post- pretty much someone who was in your shoes exactly. This is the link to read what they decided to do with their birds: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=397924

I'm very sorry about your sick birds. I don't know what i'd do either!
BTW- I read that Coryza is not transferred to the egg. If you did decide to keep your birds, it sounds like the eggs are safe to eat.

 

[StevenW.]

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Yes BUT If it is Coryza and you start treatment with meds it says not to eat the eggs.

I "think" you can't hatch the eggs from a infected bird because the hen transfer it from her to the chick?

 

[Hawkeye95]

pretty much a given that you should not be consuming eggs from a medicated hen.

But probably necessary to reiterate that point in fact, thanks.

I will look up the link again about hatching the eggs. The article stated that eggs were safe to incubate because the disease was not transferred.

 

[nikischicks]

I live right in your area, if you would like the name of the vet I take my chickens to let me know!

 

[chicmom]

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Thank you Hawkeye! I will check that out!

 

[chicmom]

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I personally didn't pass this information along. Never talked to a vet regarding Coryza. Very sorry for your loss.