Is this a cleft palate?

[Snowingamanda]

Chickens can be carriers of most respiratory diseases, and may infect others, making the whole flock carriers. Breeders should know that chickens don’t get colds. Do some reading about respiratory diseases in poultry. Many of these are common in backyard flocks, especially MG, and wild birds can spread them from flock to flock. It is always a gamble to get chickens from another person, since they may not be that concerned about diseases, but raising chicks to sell. When they tell you what to use on a sick bird, that is kind of a give away or hint that something may be off.

VetRx which consists of herbal oils and camphor, is much like Vicks—there is nothing in it that will cure a virus or bacterial disease. If the chickens have a virus—infectious bronchitis or ILT— they will have to suffer through it for a minth or so. Bronchitis is milder, but ILT can be pretty serious. If they have MG or coryza (coryza is worse,) then antibiotics can be used.

Thank you

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

http://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird
This lab does all sorts of testing. Most are $20 to send a swab in. If you can get sterile swabs somewhere, nurses and vet techs can usually get their hands on a few, or order them from Amazon.
Call the lab. Very nice people who answered my million questions. Even gave me the item number for the swabs for easy ordering. LOL

 

[DellaMyDarling]

http://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird
This lab does all sorts of testing. Most are $20 to send a swab in. If you can get sterile swabs somewhere, nurses and vet techs can usually get their hands on a few, or order them from Amazon.
Call the lab. Very nice people who answered my million questions. Even gave me the item number for the swabs for easy ordering. LOL

Whoa, really?
$20 per a single test or is that one test a test for everything? As in, I can pay $20 to actually diagnose the type of yuckiness the birds have?

 

[Kiki]

Whoa, really?
$20 per a single test or is that one test a test for everything? As in, I can pay $20 to actually diagnose the type of yuckiness the birds have?

Per test.

What state are you in?
The state labs are usually priced fairly decent for these type tests.

 

[Kiki]

State lab website list:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/necropsy-and-disease-testing-lab-info.1236884/

 

[Snowingamanda]

I called a sick bird hotline and their vet said that based on symptoms description it’s not very serious and don’t need to cull them. He said if they die I can send the bird to their CALF lab an de they will do testing for causes of death (so, all tests), for a total of $25.
If you need their website let me know, but it’s a part of UC Davis so in NorCal. IF the symptoms were serious the state vet would have come out to test birds for free... but I’m glad we are not there yet!

Whoa, really?
$20 per a single test or is that one test a test for everything? As in, I can pay $20 to actually diagnose the type of yuckiness the birds have?

 

[Snowingamanda]

Per test.

What state are you in?
The state labs are usually priced fairly decent for these type tests.

If these are your only birds, you can close your flock to new birds or letting go, and treat them with the Tylan powder. Get them tested if you can since knowing what they have is helpful. If it is only bronchitis, the flock would only be carriers for up to a year. The state vet may be helpful in getting testing, or your local vet may be, and there is a commercial lab in TX (Zoologix) who will mail you the swabs to test them for a respiratory panel if interested. It costs $95. Since most respiratory diseases only remain alive for a few days once all of the chickens are gone, it is possible to start all over if you lose them or choose to cull. Culling for me would depend on the disease. I would cull for ILT or coryza, but the other 2 diseases are fairly common. Sorry that you are dealing with this.

If these are your only birds, you can close your flock to new birds or letting go, and treat them with the Tylan powder. Get them tested if you can since knowing what they have is helpful. If it is only bronchitis, the flock would only be carriers for up to a year. The state vet may be helpful in getting testing, or your local vet may be, and there is a commercial lab in TX (Zoologix) who will mail you the swabs to test them for a respiratory panel if interested. It costs $95. Since most respiratory diseases only remain alive for a few days once all of the chickens are gone, it is possible to start all over if you lose them or choose to cull. Culling for me would depend on the disease. I would cull for ILT or coryza, but the other 2 diseases are fairly common. Sorry that you are dealing with this.

I have other birds, chicks and adults, but I called the sick bird hotline in CA and their vet spent 30 mins on the phone with me. He said based on symptoms and progression it’s nothing very serious (eg not Newcastle’s disease pen coryza), but if it were, he’d come out and test for free. For now he gave resources and a UC Davis CAHLF lab that wouldn’t do all tests for $25 if bird dies or I choose to sacrifice one of them. For now I decided to wait and see... they aren’t much worse but aren’t much better either.

Where do I buy Tylen powder?

 

[Eggcessive]

California is one of the better states to live in where necropsies can be affordable. Let us know how your chickens are doing.

 

[Snowingamanda]

Necropsies are probably the only affordable thing in CA
I’ll post updates

 

[Eggcessive]

I listed the online store for Tylan in post 4. You can get it here as well if it is in stock:
https://www.nepigeonsupplies.com/product/tylosin-powder/