I’m so depressed - I think I brought Pasteurella/ fowl cholera into my flock

[MontanaChickDoc]

So I recently bought 4 ducklings from a local fellow. Quarantined my standard 30 days and when all seemed good, put them out with the main flock - 40 chickens and 6 ducks, first in a “see but not touch” transition pen, then out with everyone else. Exactly 1 week later ( Sat) my 2 yo rooster got a swollen eye and mucopurulent nasal and ocular discharge. Then another rooster the next day. Now 5 roosters and 2 hens are sick with similar signs. Wheeze gurgle wheeze gurgle. I’ve been pilling them with baytril but I’m going to start flock- wide tetracycline in the water tomorrow. So I’ll have to pitch dozens and dozens of eggs and may end up with chronic carriers that could reinfect the flock. It’s just so depressing. I’ve cleaned and disinfected everything I could but I feel helpless. I’ve since found out this guy gets birds from auctions, sales, swaps and every other germ pit you could imagine. And mixes them all together. I guess the lessons are: 1) even a healthy looking bird can be carrying bad stuff and 2) know your source before you buy.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry to hear that you have sick birds.

Does the mucous/discharge have a bad odor?
It sounds like you have a respiratory disease - Mycoplasma, Infectious Bronchitis, ILT, Infectious Coryza are all possibilities.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044


To find out what you are dealing with contact your state lab to see how to have some testing. You can also use an independent lab too. https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals-animal-health-laboratory-services.shtml
Independent lab testing: http://www.zoologix.com/

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles! But it's a lesson well learned... I will be very, very careful where my future chickens come from, and will ask lots of questions. And QUARANTINE!!! Hope you get yours sorted out soon!

 

[Perris]

I am so sorry to hear of your experience, and so grateful to you for passing on the very valuable if painful lessons learned. Fingers crossed for fixing the health issues speedily and completely .

 

[ChickNanny13]

So sorry to hear what you're going through. You had no idea, we do appreciate your warning us Hoping you flock recovers

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles! But it's a lesson well learned... I will be very, very careful where my future chickens come from, and will ask lots of questions. And QUARANTINE!!! Hope you get yours sorted out soon!

Sadly, as the OP mentioned, they did quarantine the newbies for 30 days. Birds in quarantine did not show any symptoms of illness. When introduced to the flock, the existing flock began to get sick. This tells us the newbies are probably carriers of whatever illness. It happens quite often. Sometimes it's in reverse....newbies are fine in quarantine but get sick when introduced to an existing flock, so that would tell you that the existing flock was probably the carrier of disease.

So I recently bought 4 ducklings from a local fellow. Quarantined my standard 30 days and when all seemed good, put them out with the main flock

 

[Eggcessive]

It does sound more like a respiratory disease, possibly mycoplasma (MG,) since ducks may be carriers. Wild birds also could have brought it in. I have had a terrible problem with migrating starlings the last two years, and they are so nasty, eating my chicken feed and bathing in the water.

Baytril is probably a better antibiotic that tetracycline, although both can treat MG, and Baytril, which is banned in chickens in the US, can also treat E.coli which can be a bad secodnary infection.

I would get some PCR testing for MG, or sacrifice one or two sick birds and get a necropsy to identify exactly what you are dealing with. You may want to separate sick birds from those not affected. The birds may recover without antibiotics, but symptoms may be shorter with them. The egg withdrawal time varies with tetracyclines (14 days) versus Baytril which is hard to find listed. I would use 30 days at least. Sorry that you are dealing with this, but you may be able to control this eventually.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

http://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird

I recommend this lab regularly. I've talked to them and sent various samples and been very happy.

They always answer my million questions without sounded annoyed.

I've heard denegard is good for MG. But never tested that myself.

As others have said ducks can be carriers and bring stuff into the chicken flock. So can wild birds and even rodents can some illness. Don't beat yourself up. You did was you thought was best and what had worked in the past. And could work in the future too. Sometimes these things just happen.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

http://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird

I recommend this lab regularly. I've talked to them and sent various samples and been very happy.

They always answer my million questions without sounded annoyed.

I've heard denegard is good for MG. But never tested that myself.

As others have said ducks can be carriers and bring stuff into the chicken flock. So can wild birds and even rodents can some illness. Don't beat yourself up. You did was you thought was best and what had worked in the past. And could work in the future too. Sometimes these things just happen.

@FlyingNunFarm Roughly how much is testing through this service?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@FlyingNunFarm Roughly how much is testing through this service?

Well, I guess if I had looked at the "submission form" I would see how much wouldn't I?!! LOL