I Think I have Infectious Brochitis, do nothing?

[Cash's Coop]

So i made a newbie mistake i am almost certain.... several weeks ago i had a coyote snag a couple of my birds bringing my total down to 8 hens , with 2 roosters which was a little on the light side from the 17 I originally started with.... In effort in increase the flock a bit , i picked up some additional young birds from a local guy. Since then I havent lost any birds but i am experiencing some sneezing or coughing and am curious what i should do to help at this point.... Do i just let it run its course? I have seen mixed reviews on what to do for Infectious Bronchitis and am just unsure which way to go.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Assuming you hadn't quarantined the new group, therefore wondering if something was brought in to your flock? Is the "only" issue the sneezing & coughing? They're all still eating, drinking & pooping? All your flock & new additions or just the new ones? I would separate the ones having the symptoms, thinking it could be a respiratory issue.

I'm not sure what should be done but try searching the problem in the forums. Others what have had experience with respiratory issue will peep in soon but to be safe, separate the one that are "sick".

 

[Eggcessive]

If it is infectious bronchitis, there is not much you can do, but make sure they are eating and drinking, have good coop air circulation, and keeping bedding dry and clean. Those things will help them breathe better. IB symptoms usually last about a month or so, and you might see a decrease in laying eggs, watery whites or wrinkled egg shells. Grown chickens usually recover unless they get secondary bacterial diseases. I would give them a little probiotic plain yogurt and vitamins 2-3 times a week. Do not hatch chicks or add new birds to your flock for at least a year after the last chicken recovers, since IB can make them all carriers for up to a year, and can perpetuate the disease

 

[Cash's Coop]

What kind of vitamins do you recommend?

If it is infectious bronchitis, there is not much you can do, but make sure they are eating and drinking, have good coop air circulation, and keeping bedding dry and clean. Those things will help them breathe better. IB symptoms usually last about a month or so, and you might see a decrease in laying eggs, watery whites or wrinkled egg shells. Grown chickens usually recover unless they get secondary bacterial diseases. I would give them a little probiotic plain yogurt and vitamins 2-3 times a week. Do not hatch chicks or add new birds to your flock for at least a year after the last chicken recovers, since IB can make them all carriers for up to a year, and can perpetuate the disease

 

[Eggcessive]

You can use one in the water like Vitamins with Lactobacillus, Poultry Booster (I think both have probiotics) to use in the feed with a few drops of vegetable oil so it sticks to feed, or one like Poultry Cell or NutriDrench to give orally or in water.

 

[Cash's Coop]

Thank you for this

You can use one in the water like Vitamins with Lactobacillus, Poultry Booster (I think both have probiotics) to use in the feed with a few drops of vegetable oil so it sticks to feed, or one like Poultry Cell or NutriDrench to give orally or in water.

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[micstrachan]

Good lick! All good advice here. I’m afraid I have nothing to add. I will be rooting for your flock!

 

[Cash's Coop]

So it has been a couple of weeks since i noticed the stresses with my flock... I have not lost any chickens and still just have a little sneezing and the occasional cough, and i never had the gooey eyes. However this still has taken a toll, the birds are much less active, vocal and are not eating as much feed. Is this normal? I have been giving them electrolytes in their water, along with poultry cell for vitamins. They are not fans of the yogurt as they will hardly touch it.
Through this process my egg production has dropped to zero, which i assume is normal. The only thing i am doing different in the last couple of weeks is having a light come on with a timer since the days are getting shorter. Should i be doing this? Any additional recommendations? I just want to make sure i am doing the right thing. Also i assume if i didn't use the light on a timer it may allow my chicks to go ahead and start a molt.

BTW... the chicks i have are 7 months old.

thank you

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

So it has been a couple of weeks since i noticed the stresses with my flock... I have not lost any chickens and still just have a little sneezing and the occasional cough, and i never had the gooey eyes. However this still has taken a toll, the birds are much less active, vocal and are not eating as much feed. Is this normal? I have been giving them electrolytes in their water, along with poultry cell for vitamins. They are not fans of the yogurt as they will hardly touch it.
Through this process my egg production has dropped to zero, which i assume is normal. The only thing i am doing different in the last couple of weeks is having a light come on with a timer since the days are getting shorter. Should i be doing this? Any additional recommendations? I just want to make sure i am doing the right thing. Also i assume if i didn't use the light on a timer it may allow my chicks to go ahead and start a molt.

BTW... the chicks i have are 7 months old.

thank you

7 month olds don't molt. That wait till after their first year. Stress can do weird things to them. Include bring on a dormant illness.

It's so hard with respiratory anything. Mostly because it could be anything!

http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms
Poultry symptom checker to give you ideas of what you could be dealing with.

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart
Med list if you decide to go that route and want to try treatment.

 

[Folly's place]

It would be best to actually have a diagnosis, rather than guessing what's wrong. Some things are treatable and will go away, and some things are forever, and it's best to know. Call your state poultry lab if necessary, and find out what your best plan will be, moving forward. Meanwhile, don't add birds or move any to any other flock, and that includes eggs. Mary