How to deal with IBV?

[MaeM]

Hello everyone, I have an IBV outbreak in my flock. There are no diagnostic tests available here, but I've had a team of vets at a local vet school study this issue and they've agreed it's most likely IBV, so that's what I'm going to call it.

I'm going to tell you how it's affected my flock so that you hopefully can tell me how to proceed from now on.

1st individual: In June 2022, Bianca got pneumonia with pulmonary edema. After one month of treatment with antibiotics and diuretics, she was left with lesions in her air sacs (visible in an X-ray) and tracheal stenosis.

She stopped laying eggs due to the illness, then laid soft-shelled eggs for a while, and now she lays deformed, fragile eggs (some of them break as soon as I grab them).

2nd individual: In October 2023, Ruby got a "double" prolapse (rectum + oviduct) with tenesmus. She required stitches to keep her insides in. As soon as the stitches were removed, she laid a lash egg and got another prolapse. They stitched her up again and was diagnosed with salpingitis after an ultrasound. Salpingitis led to oviduct atrophy, then a perforation, and she ovulated in her abdominal cavity (coelum), leading to egg yolk peritonitis. Post mortem the vets found internal eggs.

3rd individual: In November 2023, Mabelo died in the nest box unexpectedly. He was a healthy boy although now that I've thought about it, I've seen him sneeze a couple of times, and occasionally he got watery eyes.

4th and 5th individual: I noticed that Eris and Callia aren't laying any eggs and it's spring here.


In summary: I don't care about the eggs at this point, but I know it's not a good sign that 3-year-old hens aren't laying any eggs or are laying deformed eggs. The vets don't seem to know what to do, as there is no treatment for IBV, but I'm afraid of complications.

What would you recommend? What would you do if these were your pets?

 

[dawg53]

I agree that it's Infectious Bronchitis (IB). A virus and there is no treatment. Typical telltale signs are misshapen or wrinkled eggs. IB normally infects a flock rather quickly in about 15-48 hours depending on the size of the flock and strain.
The virus can be shed 5 months. Personally, I'd cull. then disinfect coops, feeders, waterers and wait one year before repopulating.
There is a spray vaccine for IB but I dont know if it's available to the public. When and if you get new chicks via a hatchery, you can ask them about vaccinations.
I'm sorry you're going through this nightmare. Here's more information for you about IB.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/infectious-bronchitis/infectious-bronchitis-in-poultry

 

[MaeM]

Thank you, but I can't cull birds that look and act healthy. I mean, I did cull Ruby (2) because of her complications, but the other ones are living a normal chicken life for the time being. The only "problem" is the egg production, but I don't care about that as I see them as pets.

Someone else suggested culling because IBV is highly contagious, but these are my only hens and I don't plan to add more anytime soon.

I just want to know if there's something I can do to keep these ones "healthy" and prevent complications as much as possible while the virus completes its cycle in their bodies. Take into account that several vets are involved, mostly for research purposes, but most of them aren't avian vets and/or are vet students with no real life experience with chickens.

One of them said that we could do an ultrasound on their oviducts every now and then, just to check if there's atrophy and if it worsens over time, but I don't know if that'd be useful information. After all, what can be done if your chicken's oviduct is deteriorating? We don't have Suprelorin and nobody wants to go for salpingohysterectomy unless it's a life or death situation.

 

[dawg53]

The most cost effective way is to give your birds probiotics to boost their immune systems.
I recommend ProBios as a top dressing on their feed. It's easy to administer, simply use the spoon provided in the jar and sprinkle the powder on top of their feed, and you're done. Sprinkle it as needed. Tractor Supply carries it.

I also recommend Avian Super Pack. Dosage is 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water. Here's where you can order it:
https://www.jefferspet.com/avian-super-pack-100g/p

 

[MaeM]

So, only one individual is alive by this point, Callia.

After one year of not laying any egg, she finally laid a healthy-looking egg today.

I'm so confused. It doesn't look like we were wrong about IBV, but her reproductive system seems to have recovered from it or something?

Is this a "normal" thing? Like, having one hen with IBV not lay eggs for a whole year and then go back to normal egg-laying?

 

[dawg53]

I wouldnt be concerned about it. Enjoy the time you have with Callia and enjoy eating her eggs while you can.