New 14 week old Cream Crested Legbar Sneezing

[BirdHead]

I keep getting told to just cull my infected birds.

Most infected pulled has smelly nasal discharge and gurgling sounds like corzya

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I keep getting told to just cull my infected birds.
Most infected pulled has smelly nasal discharge and gurgling sounds like corzya

If your goals are breeding/selling/trading (hatching eggs, chicks, started pullets, etc.) then culling may be what is needed. Only you can decide what is best. Getting some testing and finding out what you're dealing with would be a very good idea. Respiratory illnesses have very similar symptoms - having a foul odor could be Infectious Coryza. If you are keeping a closed flock and practicing all in/all out (they live and die on your property only), then you may need to only cull or treat the sick when the need arises - there's too many variables.

Keep in mind birds exposed (regardless of ever showing symptoms), housed together, recovered are all considered carriers - some illnesses like Mycoplasma can also be transmitted into hatching eggs. Respiratory illnesses can cause complications later on down the road - egg quality and production can suffer and birds can be more susceptible to other illnesses/infections as well.
Common Poultry Diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
Oklahoma State Lab Information: https://cvhs.okstate.edu/oaddl

 

[BirdHead]

Yes they were supposed to be used for breeding and made my mind up yesterday now they're all infected, I will cull sadly.

However after culling and disinfecting the coop with DC, what else should I disinfect?

When I scoop dirty dirt (choice of litter) and clean the coop, I dump the buckets of dirty dirt spread into my old garden. Now how long should I wait before getting new layers and letting them range and possibly coming across the garden, wouldn't the corzya reinfect my new batch of layers?

Also shouldn't I clean and disinfect everything a chicken has been near or in? Like dispose of old feed and clean the scoopers of course, clean the sheds where birds were handled/brooder box.

ReAson I ask because I'm going to spend a pretty penny once more on a trio of fowl oh heritage so disease would be in the high chances of catching, also won't let the layers around my heritage fowl as I know more modern domestic breeds are more disease resistant and can be as well carriers

 

[BirdHead]

Also what about the layers of poo and feathers in the dirt of the coop? I honestly don't feel like digging a foot deep in that coop as its big/tricky to maneuver through with the roosts..

Cant I just scraped top layer of dirt out disinfect, replace dirt and re disinfect?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you do cull, send a couple for testing - this way you know what your dealing with. Your state lab can also advise on how best to disinfect.

Generally - all bedding would need to be removed - most respiratory diseases are transmitted through feces, dust, dander, feathers and can linger on surfaces for periods of time - some are a bit easier to control/eliminate, but you would want to do a thorough deep clean. It may be best to burn the bedding if possible - but again, it depends on the illness you have.

I'm not trying to be vague, but there's so many possibilities - getting more information on the specific disease you have - then studying how it's transmitted, how long it lasts in the environment, etc., would be best way to proceed in your clean out/sanitizing, waiting period and start over.

 

[BirdHead]

If you do cull, send a couple for testing - this way you know what your dealing with. Your state lab can also advise on how best to disinfect.

Generally - all bedding would need to be removed - most respiratory diseases are transmitted through feces, dust, dander, feathers and can linger on surfaces for periods of time - some are a bit easier to control/eliminate, but you would want to do a thorough deep clean. It may be best to burn the bedding if possible - but again, it depends on the illness you have.

I'm not trying to be vague, but there's so many possibilities - getting more information on the specific disease you have - then studying how it's transmitted, how long it lasts in the environment, etc., would be best way to proceed in your clean out/sanitizing, waiting period and start over.

Thank you, that would be best as I'm about to drop upwards a 1k for some birds I definitely don't want it to repeat, I do have a new flypen on the opposite end of the yard that hasn't been used nor finished which it will be before I get the new fowl, would it be best to just put them there and not let free range until I can get new land to put them on?

As I let the last batch of layers/game free range the yard (0.5 acre approx.), I should just keep the new birds in the pens until the ground clears? I'm not very sure of many safe chemicals that'd disinfect that big of a surface area on top of that, it being grass and 99% chemicals kill grass.

And I suppose I'll dig super deep then, quick burn the ground, disinfect/bleach then add new dirt and let set for a couple weeks then re disinfect twice the week prior to getting new birds. I also thought about taking out old perches/roosts and replacing with new boards obviously feces gets stuck on/in the board and they step and rub their beaks all over it, I'm not very positive how well disinfectant will work on wood.. But I will definitely spray the wire vigorously. Ugh this sucks, it has to be corzya as the pullet has gotten substantially weaker/less energetic, sits and sleeps more, mucus continues to come out smelling rotten even with tylan (4th day of getting injection). I also been moving her pen around each day, cleaning the water and food bowl and putting VetRX around her nostrils and under the wing however I'm getting upset and worried so culling has became the solution to this flock infestation.

However I'm more worried about the period of time I should wait before bringing new birds to the yard regardless they won't be in the original pen(s).. Seriously don't wanna waste more money and definitely don't want to lose this heritage breeds bloodline to some pitiful bacteria and poor disinfecting/not long enough wait time. But I guarantee I will work my arse off to get everything that the previous chickens touched, disinfected to my best ability. I honestly can't wait more then a couple months to get more, as I had already made the breeder a promise in about 3-4 weeks I will be making my second call for scheduling the pick up. So I have a month to kill, disinfect and let sit, would this be long enough? It'll be this week the culling occurs and immediate cleaning will take place following.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Mg,coryza can last up to 3 months if not longer in the soil

 

[StephStone]

I got the testing back and my birds had both mycoplasma gallisepticum AND mycoplasma synoviae. The MS diagnosis made sense for the bird I had to cull that couldn't stand. She was only a few months old and couldn't stand long--MS makes the joints inflamed, along with all the respiratory issues All birds were culled because I didn't want to introduce this to my existing flock. Only day old chicks for me from now on. Thank you for your help!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I got the testing back and my birds had both mycoplasma gallisepticum AND mycoplasma synoviae. The MS diagnosis made sense for the bird I had to cull that couldn't stand. She was only a few months old and couldn't stand long--MS makes the joints inflamed, along with all the respiratory issues All birds were culled because I didn't want to introduce this to my existing flock. Only day old chicks for me from now on. Thank you for your help!

@StephStone I'm sorry to hear that you had to cull your birds.
That must have been a very hard decision to make. It was good that you were able to get a confirmation of what you were dealing with.
Thank you for giving us an update.