Hens got Infectious Bronchitis, will I EVER be able to add to my flock??

[MrsBrooke]

From what I understand, MG is a life-long carrier thing. IB sticks around in the flock for about a year.

MrsB

 

[Sunshine Mesa Farm]

My birds got Infections bronchitis last year.

Some were really bad and could hardly breath.. just standing with their head in the air and gasping and struggling to breath with loud raspy breathing and coughing.. Others were not so bad.

Weird thing was the worst looking ones got better the fastest.. and the ones that showed only mild symptoms stayed ill for a long time.

I had about 20 birds.. they all recovered fine with no treatment.. only clean, stress free environment and proper food and clean water 24 / 7.
There was a sharp reduction in egg production.. but after they recovered they went back to laying eggs the same amount as before.

I introduced new birds several weeks after mine got better... and the new ones never came down with it.

People often say to cull birds with any respiratory diseases as they stay carriers and sick even through they show no symptoms... but for people keeping a few birds in their garden I don't think you need to cull.. only if you are large scale commercial business.

The birds may stay carriers.. but they will have no symptoms and they are not 'sick'.. they don't feel unwell or behave any differently to a chicken that never got the disease.. they don't feel sick, so I don't see the need to cull them.

My birds had several disease over the years and I never culled any. Once they recover they are stronger and not likely to get that disease again. I never noticed any permanent reduction in egg production or condition of the birds themselves.

Having just gone through IB experience myself, I had a very similar experience. We have about 175 birds, and maybe 15% got sick. I have no clue where it came from - probably airborne as our neighbors have chickens. None of my birds died and all fully recovered. I introduced another flock of adult birds about a month after, and they did get sick, but again fully recovered. I did have a drop in egg production and lots of weird eggs for a short time, but now I’m getting great, normal egg production (actually have had customers say they are the best quality eggs they’ve ever had!).

This was about three months ago. We just hatched some chicks, and we also brought some home from the feed store. None of the babies have gotten sick, which has been a relief.

I think a lot of the knowledge about chicken diseases comes from large scale operations where birds are in terrible, stressful, and crowded environments. Those birds never really get a chance to recover. Ours are coddled, sick ones get quiet, warm, private areas to recover, and they get warm mashes etc. I did not ever give any drugs, although I did put some oregano oil in their food for a couple weeks.

As a startup egg laying operation, I was really worried about the IB when it first hit. But now, I’m completely comfortable adding new birds to my flock. Just my experience.

 

[Fillyhill]

From what I have been able to find out about it, they are only carriers up to 20 weeks. The virus only lives about 5 days off the bird in the environment. It is easily killed with disinfectants. Birds have a life long immunity after having it, and the chicks have a maternal immunity between 2 and 3 weeks. The highest shedding of the virus is in the first few days and incubation is 24 to 48 hours. I am having to deal with it now it appears. Have 6 birds insulated and are getting better. Three hens appear to be ok that were with them, as are my two month olds that were penned next to them when they got sick. Have one month olds that are fine so far too. So plans are to keep the sick ones away from the rest for the twenty weeks and hope my babies don't get sick. I have 17 incubating too. They with be in the house for a while. Thinking about getting them out of here asp.