Need help, this newbie just bought 13 hens and 6 are sick

It sounds an awful lot like they are carrying mycoplasma (or coryza if they are having an awful roadkill type smell coming from their discharge) and that's not something that you can ever actually cure. You can treat the symptoms but it will come back. They will also infect any other birds they come into contact with and if it's mycoplasma it can pass through the egg to the chick.

The ones not showing symptoms probably have it too, if they all came from the same place, and are just currently asymptomatic carriers.

Now, you can treat it but with the new drug laws that's been made much more difficult, and as I said that will only treat the symptoms and they'll still have it and have flare ups whenever they are weakened or stressed. Much of what we used to have access to to treat this stuff is now only available by prescription.

Now, it could be other things too, could be a virus of some sort like infectious bronchitis, but all those are very nasty as well. If you want to find out for sure what it is before you take other measures, you could have a vet test one, which will run over $100, or you could cull one and send it off for a necropsy.

Personally I would cull and start over. Cull them all, wait a few months (mycoplasma can live that long in the environment, especially in chicken poop), and then begin again with chickens from a different source. But if you are more comfortable treating, running a closed flock and never giving away or selling birds, and dealing with withdrawal times after using antibiotics (and likely having to get a prescription from a vet each time you need to use them, unless you go with Denagard, which is still available OTC) then that is an option too. But I wouldn't try treating until you know exactly what you have, which will require a test or a necropsy.

I'm sorry you're having this experience

 

Hi and welcome to BYC - I agree with Pyxis. Frustrating times, I know.

CT

 

I agree completely with Pyxis. Not sugar coated but, the actual truth .

 

Hello from Kansas, littlewood, and ! Great to have you aboard but sorry the news doesn't look good for your flock. Hope you one day have a healthy flock. Until then, best wishes and don't give up!

 

Pyxis has given you some valuable information, sorry the news isn't better.

Wish you much luck and best wishes

 

G’Day from down under littlewood Welcome!

I am so very sorry that the circumstances in which you join us are heartbreaking. I wish you all the best

 

You really need to bag and burn the droppings, shavings and perhaps the carcasses.

You can send one in for a necropsy to get a more definate cause of illness. I have not had to do this but your county should have an ag department that can direct you.

Your horses and dogs should be ok as it is a bird disease.

As to getting the chicken house clean enough for new birds..... I would use dawn and water to scrub everything down then keep it open to FULLY dry.

I also do not buy started birds as the prospect of illness is frightening. I recommend getting chicks as they have not been exposed to much so are very unlikely to bring diseases.

 

I use oregeno with my birds for a natural antbiotic. Works great