New birds, not experienced.

[Rachael<3Chickies]

Hi I'm really upset over a situation I just got myself into. I raised from the egg 6 very healthy, organic fed, nice chickens. 5 turned out to be roo's. ... so. I got three pullets to offset, and one chick because I had a moment of weakness. Well. I put them outside in a separate run in case they're sick and lo and behold they are very sick. Sneezing. Tilting head up sometimes to breathe. One does nothing but sleep. Nothing. The first day it wasn't that bad and I thought man these things are exhausted. The second day my friend brought me corrid. Today, the third day, I'm freaking out bc after researching it seems more respiratory. I will not be taking them out today. They will no longer me allowed out in the same air as my healthy babies. I get now that I shouldn't have allowed them to have the same air to begin with and I feel stupid. Do you think I have infected my whole flock? This would break my heart. I keep them as pets. If these chicks do get better and somehow my flock dodges it, will it matter? In terms of them being carriers and never being able to integrate them? So overwhelmed.

 

[Pyxis]

Sorry you're dealing with this, respiratory diseases are no fun.

If you are seeing the bugs on them in the daytime, it's probably lice. Mites live in the coop and get on the birds at night when they are roosting to feed. Permethrin will kill them, but be warned if you have cat it is highly toxic to cats and will kill them. If you have a cat Sevin is your best bet instead. Dust the birds, clean out their coop, and dust their coop, and then repeat again in ten days.

On the respiratory front, what antibiotics did the vet give you? Are you noticing a bad smell coming from the chickens, especially from nasal discharge? If not, then it's probably not coryza and I would lean toward mycoplasma. Mycoplasma can be treated with Tylan 50, which you can get at a feed store. It will be injectable, which means you will need to give them shots. Denagard is also great for mycoplasma, especially since mycoplasma has no resistance to it. That you would probably have to special order though.

If your original birds are now showing signs, then treat them too. Your flock will come through this with treatment, but they will always have it, and they would give it to any new birds they ever come into contact with. As such, you should run a closed flock and never give away or sell any of your birds.

Also, they will have flareups whenever they are stressed, such as going into molt, coming into lay, a sudden cold snap, etc. So you'll want to keep medicine on hand to treat them with when that happens.

Could be something viral, like infectious bronchitis, as well. But you won't know without expensive testing. In this case, since they're pets, better to just treat it as if it was a bacterial thing and see what happens, rather than let it go and just hope it passes on its own.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I don't see where anyone has these birds dying or on death's door. Rachael posted about her birds on a forum - she has gotten various opinions and viewpoints. It's ultimately up to her to determine what is best for her birds, her current situation and to consider the impact that an illness may have on her future flock(s) and chicken keeping goals. She has expressed a desire to NOT keep a closed flock - the only way to know for sure what she is dealing with is to have testing performed. Depending on what it is, culling and starting over may make sense for her circumstances. A lot of people choose to keep closed flocks and that's great, but it's not for everyone.

I am the one that asked for the photos and video, so yeah - sometimes seeing if there is facial swelling, whether there is clear or yellow thick mucous from the nostrils, watery/bubbly or pus filled eyes and hearing and seeing what the birds sound and act like may give a clue. I can only go by what has been reported- birds showed symptoms in about 3days - the old flock is showing symptoms by around the 4th day - there is also mention of a foul odor, but is not sure exactly where that's coming from. Infectious Coryza and Infectious Bronchitis both have a general incubation of 1-3days and spreads rapidly. So considering the information given - these 2 illnesses would be my first inclination. I would also use the antibiotics prescribed by the vet, even though the visit was somewhat disappointing.

Most all respiratory illnesses have very similar symptoms, so without testing, it's hard to know. It could also be Mycoplasma, ILT or any combination - sometimes one is the primary and another illness complicates it further. Hopefully the state labs will be able to do some testing for you and you will be able to get some definitive answers to help you move forward.

Common Poultry Diseases
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Kentucky State Labs
http://vdl.uky.edu/
https://breathitt.murraystate.edu/

Ohio State Lab
http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/addl/

West Virginia State Lab
http://www.agriculture.wv.gov/divisions/animalhealth/Pages/default.aspx

 

[chickens really]

Thank you. I will most likely being going to the vet bc I care a lot about my flock. Will they ever be able to be integrated once they are carriers?

The thing is your other Birds have been exposed..It carries on your shoes, clothes etc...Unless you preformed total bio security with the New birds it's too late now to worry about introductions...Take the sickest into a Vet and get their opinion...
Best wishes...

 

[Pyxis]

"SMZ TMP 240mg liquid per cc"

I was gonna give away two roos end of month and I got these hens to start boosting up my ratio. I hatched 6 and got 5 roos. Can't really have a closed flock. Plus these are my first chickens and I'm 26 and will likely have chickens the rest of my life. I was so dumb about buying these hens from a flea market.

I know this is going to be hard, but please, please do not give away or sell any of these birds. What you're going through right now? That would be what someone else has to go through as well if you give away or sell infected birds that are carriers of a disease for life.

This doesn't mean you can't have more chickens. It just means that once a chicken enters your property, it never leaves. The only other ethical thing to do would be to cull the whole flock and start over. I know that's not what you want to do, but please treat these two options as the ONLY options, because they should be the only options you consider.

I've been where you are and it's not fun. Something infected my flock with mycoplasma years ago. I had to cull them all and start over. What you're going through isn't fun, and it wouldn't be fair to do this to someone else too. You could just keep the extra roosters in their own bachelor pen if you don't want to cull them.

 

[Eggcessive]

Holy....Not sure why everyone has your birds dying or on deaths door...Sorry, they are Chickens and I don't feel as you probably do...I do have compassion for people and animals.....best wishes...

No one has the birds dying or on death's door, but trying to help the poster on what might be happening with their chickens. Just was posting the symptoms of the 3 or more possible or most likely diseases and symptoms for Rachel to read. We all agree on closing the flock to new birds or for birds going out being a good practice. We are all here to offer our opinions. Every opinion can be considered, and the OP can decide for themselves.

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

I don't see where anyone has these birds dying or on death's door. Rachael posted about her birds on a forum - she has gotten various opinions and viewpoints. It's ultimately up to her to determine what is best for her birds, her current situation and to consider the impact that an illness may have on her future flock(s) and chicken keeping goals. She has expressed a desire to NOT keep a closed flock - the only way to know for sure what she is dealing with is to have testing performed. Depending on what it is, culling and starting over may make sense for her circumstances. A lot of people choose to keep closed flocks and that's great, but it's not for everyone.

I am the one that asked for the photos and video, so yeah - sometimes seeing if there is facial swelling, whether there is clear or yellow thick mucous from the nostrils, watery/bubbly or pus filled eyes and hearing and seeing what the birds sound and act like may give a clue. I can only go by what has been reported- birds showed symptoms in about 3days - the old flock is showing symptoms by around the 4th day - there is also mention of a foul odor, but is not sure exactly where that's coming from. Infectious Coryza and Infectious Bronchitis both have a general incubation of 1-3days and spreads rapidly. So considering the information given - these 2 illnesses would be my first inclination. I would also use the antibiotics prescribed by the vet, even though the visit was somewhat disappointing.

Most all respiratory illnesses have very similar symptoms, so without testing, it's hard to know. It could also be Mycoplasma, ILT or any combination - sometimes one is the primary and another illness complicates it further. Hopefully the state labs will be able to do some testing for you and you will be able to get some definitive answers to help you move forward.

Common Poultry Diseases
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Kentucky State Labs
http://vdl.uky.edu/
https://breathitt.murraystate.edu/

Ohio State Lab
http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/addl/

West Virginia State Lab
http://www.agriculture.wv.gov/divisions/animalhealth/Pages/default.aspx

Thanks to you and others. Really appreciate all the info.

 

[Eggcessive]

Clinical Findings of ILT: (merck veterinary manual)


In the acute form, gasping, coughing, rattling, and extension of the neck during inspiration are seen 5–12 days after natural exposure. Reduced productivity is a varying factor in laying flocks. Affected birds are anorectic and inactive. The mouth and beak may be bloodstained from the tracheal exudate. Mortality varies but may reach 50% in adults and is usually due to occlusion of the trachea by hemorrhage or exudate. Signs usually subside after ~2 wk, although some birds may show signs for longer periods. Strains of low virulence produce little or no mortality with mild respiratory signs and a slight decrease in egg production.

After recovery, birds remain carriers for life and become a source of infection for susceptible birds. The latent virus can be reactivated under stressful conditions. Infection also may be spread mechanically. Several epidemics have been traced to the transport of birds in contaminated crates, and the practice of litter spread in pastures is believed to be related to epidemics of the disease.

Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) from Poultry DVM

The most common signs of MG infection in chickens are coughing, loud breathing noises, watery eyes, and swollen sinuses. Chickens with MG infection often show signs associated with the respiratory system, which include mild tracheitis (coughing, abnormal respiratory noses, difficulty breathing), sinusitis (facial swelling, nasal discharge), airsacculitis and conjunctivitis (eye discharge, swelling around the eyes). The facial swelling is primarily concentrated around and just below the bird's eyes. The swelling is the result of pus accumulation in the bird's sinuses located in the area under the eyes. They can sometimes be so severe, that the chicken is unable to open their eyes and see. If left without treatment, the bird can permanently lose their eyesight as a result.

See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/mycoplasma-gallisepticum

Clinical Signs of infectious coryza from UK extension agency
Typical signs of coryza include the following:

• Swelling around the face
• Foul-smelling, thick and sticky discharge from the nostrils and eyes
• Labored breathing
• Rales

In addition, the eyelids of an infected bird can become irritated and might stick together. Diarrhea may occur. Growing birds may become stunted. Infection can decrease egg production and increase the incidence and/or severity of secondary infections.

Mortality can be as high as 50%, but 20% is more common. The disease can last as little as a few days or as long as a few months, particularly when secondary infections occur.

 

[Eggcessive]

I live pretty close to you, and you are near enough to Ohio state vet as well as the KY state vet. A necropsy can be a good way to get testing. Refrigerate the body, but don't freeze. Some poultry labs will euthanize at no extra cost, or do 2 or 3 birds for one price. I really hope you don't have to put any down, but this is just info on how to get testing. Your county extension agent may be able to help with testing a live bird or a few. These 2 links give contact info for Kentucky necropsy labs and the state vet, in case you have one or two deaths and need to get one:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
https://www.heritageacresmarket.com/blogs/misc/necropsy-list

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

Yes absolutely on the quarantine I agree. They were quarantined but only in a diff run and didn't change clothing. Will know better next time how easy it is. If one does, I will get it tested and am waiting on a call back from someone on live diagnostic testing. I found one but was $450 and with them all hanging in there, probably won't do that unless forced.

So far all are alive. All are showing acute symptoms. I'm suspected (shot in the dark kind of thing) the most unresponsive has the addition of an impact crop and will bbe addressing that tonight after doing some research. I've learned a lot this year about chickens. Lol Didnt know what a pullet was in May. Haha