Infectious Bronchitis? Advice needed please

[nzchick]

Hello all. I would like some advice please.
My 8 month old pekin rooster has been with me since he was 4 months old. Not long after he was acquired I noticed he had a small amount of clear discharge from his nostrils.
Everything else seemed fine, he was very robust, eating and drinking etc. I monitored this over time and noticed that it continued but did not seem to get any worse.
After about 2 months he started sneezing occassionally. I took him to the local vet (who seems to know nothing about about chickens!) who prescribed Baytril. This did not seem to improve the condition.
Then I broke my leg! Making caring for the flock near impossible. I asked family members to monitor him, but unfortunately they saw the chooks as an extra chore they just wanted to get over and done with.
I have been mobile for 2 weeks now and noticed last week he was still sneezing, still had discharge but not as much but had a rattling in his throat/chest (not sure if it is on the intake or out take of breath). I took him to another vet today, who seems alot more knowledgeable on chickens. She thought it to be 1 of several things: Infectious Bronchitis, Laryngotracheitis, CRD or possibly Trichomoniasis (Canker). Personally I dont think it's the later but I guess this could become a secondary infection? He is being treated with Metronodizole. I have now separated him from the flock (which consists of a mixture of ages).
His symptoms:
Sneezing
Clear discharge from nostrils
Occasional "bubbles" in corner of eyes
Rattling in throat/chest
Occasional "squeeking" crow
His bowel motions are normal
Keel is palpable, not skinny, but definately feels like he has lost some weight
Is eating, drinking and crowing

My main concerns right now are that he has been exposed to the full flock for quite a few months now which consists of chicks, pullets and older hens. I have noticed a serious drop in egg production lately (which is odd because we are still in Summer here in New Zealand). All eggs seem normal apart from the eggs I have been getting from my ex battery hens (which can vary in shape and size, some soft shells, brittle, sometimes creased and bumpy, one hen in particular lays a large brown egg with good shape but often has a large "pimple" or two at one end).
I currently have a 1 year old hen who has been moulting for a couple of weeks, but she now seems quite depressed and withdrawn, however is still eating and drinking. Last week I found a 3month old chick lying dead in the run. I had noticed the previous week that a chick (probably this one) seemed to be resting more than the others, but I wasnt overly concerned at the time. This afternoon I noticed a pullet sneezing. Everybody else seems healthy and happy.
So, my question is...what do I do????
Im not sure if I should be culling or just seeing this through? When can I introduce the roo back to the flock, the vet said one week, but apparently the antibiotic he is on will only treat secondary infections?
Is there a treatment for IB? How long will my chickens be infectious? Is it typical for an illness to incubate for this long? So many questions Im sorry:/
On the next sunny day I plan on scrubbing and disinfecting the chook house.
Thankyou to anyone that can help

 

[PunkinPeep]

I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe all of these options are among those respiratory diseases that can lay dormant but continue to be contagious - probably for life. It sounds to me like your whole flock has already been exposed to whatever he has. I would say that what you do depends a lot on your intentions with these chickens. If you're going to keep them, they need to be a completely closed flock, since it's possible that they're all carriers now. Personally, i would not keep them, partially because i don't want to accidentally become responsible for spreading disease to someone else's flock (accidentally carrying something on my car or clothes to the feed store or a friend's house) and partially because i want to expand my flock, and i could not without automatically exposing them to this disease. As painful as it would be, i think i would have to decide to cull.

I imagine that it is possible that not all of the chickens have contracted whatever he has, but to be sure, i would want specific testing done by a vet who really knows what he/she is doing - or by some state agency who does this kind of thing.

I'm so sorry.

 

[Harleena]

I've had this problem after buying 2 silkie roos and one died, so I treated our whole flock of 5 with Terramycin powder in their water, and that worked.
Good luck.

 

[pips&peeps]

Your vet seems to be treating the bird for canker. If it is not canker then you are doing nothing for this bird.

They should have taken a swab of the birds throat and sent it to your State's Poultry diagnostic lab and found out what is the problem.

IB will infect the flock very quickly and once they have it, it is done.

ILT will also infect the flock very quickly and usually they will die from it, if not they will be a carrier for life.

MG will take it's time bouncing around, they will also be a carrier for life with it, but it is not deadly.

I would suggest asking your vet to swab the birds throat and send a sample in to the lab for a real diagnosis.

 

[nzchick]

Gee do you really think I need to cull? I have more than 20 birds! And I dont know if I can really bring myself to do that!
I have decided to close the flock now, and accept that by purchasing birds as opposed to eggs has opened my flock up to major problems
Thankyou for the advice so far. i will contact the vet and ask if we can take a swab for testing, although not sure if that sort of thing is done here in NZ, probably will cost a fortune!
Is there a positive outlook for this?

What is MG?