New Birds from Breeder have Lice & Coryza

[Me & Jack]

Just found some info on a coryza vaccine. From now on I'm going to vaccinate my flock. Not sure what to do with these two I just got -- hate killing anything. Waiting for my vet to call with some feedback. Will update after that.

 

[EweSheep]

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[sonew123]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this but I have to say..If a breeder sends birds like that..They are not breeders.. I would flip if I got a bird with even live or mites! It's easily treatable-especially before shipping. Not a good experience and to have this be your sorta friend makes it worse...It's just unacceptable...

 

[kari_dawn]

I certainly would not add a known coryza carrier to my flock...or the bird shipped with him for that matter...that is just begging for heartache...they are carriers for life, even if they are not symptomatic....kinda like herpes...except worse. your other birds wil get it just from being around the carrier....

 

[Me & Jack]

I should mention that I don't KNOW for sure this is coryza. It's just that it is smelly (really smelly) nasal discharge from the nostrils, and the only things I can find about such a symptom point to coryza. Can anyone think of anything else it might be?

 

[EweSheep]

Did the breeder KNOW he has Coryza in his flock? If not, it's time to make aware that he has them from his birds you got from him. He may not have any signs of it at all on his flock because they may have been carriers and not show anything when he got them.

It is very difficult to get rid of Coryza and once they do recover, they are carriers. You may not sell or give away your birds without informing the buyers ahead of time what they will be dealing with. It would not be in good conscience to sell someone Coryza carrier birds would you?

You would not be able to sell hatching eggs or chicks either.

Yes it is bad, bad disease. CRD/MG are bad bad diseases to have in your flock.

 

[EweSheep]

Me & Jack :

I should mention that I don't KNOW for sure this is coryza. It's just that it is smelly (really smelly) nasal discharge from the nostrils, and the only things I can find about such a symptom point to coryza. Can anyone think of anything else it might be?

It is one of the symptoms. Unless it is of sinus infection.​

 

[speckledhen]

Therein lies the rub--you'd have to have testing done to be 100% sure. True breeders would just euthanize any birds with that type symptom immediately so testing would be moot.

 

[EweSheep]

Had a lady that her entire flock came down with Coryza and I would not let her step foot on my property.

She said she got it when her kids were showing the birds.

 

[Me & Jack]

The thing is, a smelly nasal discharge CAN come from something as simple as a basic respiratory (bacterial) infection. It's the bacteria and infected tissue that create the putrid smell. There do not appear to be any other symptoms -- no swelling, no wheezing, no sneezing, no conjunctivitis or sticky eyes. It's just that smell.

And I'm still waiting on the vet --- oh, wait. Okay, just talked to the vet. He said culturing this particular strain of bacteria is not something they do in his office because of the long incubation period and the regulations for culturing that would make it cost-prohibitive. He said if I am at all worried I should go ahead and cull the birds and burn or bury them deeply. He said he would lean toward that recommendation and replace the birds after using Oxine to disinfect the coop.

Ugh. This is awful. What if it's not coryza? What if it is? Those of you who are more "all about business" than I am can tell me to cull all you want but it is simply not an easy choice for me to make. I would rather these be the only two chickens I have for the next few years than kill them. They are currently no where near any other poultry.