new chicken added and then something is wrong

[froggy]

lee where did you get the chickens from. i got some from someone and mine was that way also so i moved the sick ones away from the others but all that i bought have died. but none o my own flock has anything wrong with them.don't kill any of your old flock they will be ok

 

[MandyH]

I would like to interject here for a moment. I had to destroy about 50 chickens not long ago due to CORYZA. It is highly contagious but normally does not kill. The symptoms are swollen face, rattling/wheezing, runny eyes and nose and a putrid smell. There is no cure for it and they will infect all chickens. IF this is what you have please humanely get rid of them it will ruin your entire flock. I checked with the vet here and that is what he recommended. I wish I had listened earlier when only 4 had it instead of 50+. Also this comes and goes. Fine one minute sick the next, as long as they live.

 

[cadman68]

Well i got them from someone that you have also been talking to froggy (i think) you can email me if you want to know more info. i won't list them here on the forum because i can not be for sure that the birds i bought from them were the cause but i cant think of where else they may have come in contact with any thing else.

I have been doing a lot of research on the different diseases that this could be and one thing i have noticed is that many of the symtoms they had would fit several different diseases. They never did have a "putrid" smell and only two of them had a swollen face, so i rulled out coryza. The bronchitis seemed to be the best fit i came across but who knows.

I have decided to keep the birds and buy a few more, then if they all of a sudden come down with the same symptoms i will know that my birds are carrying something and then i may have a hard decision to make.

 

[froggy]

lee give me a call ok

 

[SpottedCrow]

Cadman, before you introduce ANY new birds, QUARANTINE them for at least a month as far away from your established flock as you can. Take care of your flock first, then the new ones. Change your clothes afterwards.
Those are just a few quick biosecurity measures to help prevent getting your birds sick from new arrivals.

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

Quote:
I was going to say the same thing.

Check out this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=12751

 

[4-H chicken mom]

If you ever see any of your birds acting like that again, or even if you hear them only sneezing, put some Terramyacin in their water. That normally clears up the small things. Never hurts to try.

 

[froggy]

Lee my mom had a heart attack this afternoon and was life flighted to nashville .but can't sell any chicks till next week sorry, it is a 11:45 pm just got home from hospital she had sugery will be up there till i know more.Lisa

 

[sunnychooks]

Cadman68,
I keep a bottle of Vet RX on hand for just that type of emergency. It's good for respiratory infections and cold-type symptoms in birds. You can get it in a farm supply store or from most hatchery sites. Good Luck!

 

[speckledhen]

Kristen, you sadly had first hand experience with just what I've been trying to tell people. If I had a bird with coryza, it would be put down. I will not treat this type of disease as the birds remain carriers for life and can infect others, even when they are themselves showing no symptoms. Coryza is not the only disease that calls for such action, either, in my opinion.
People always talk about treating birds with colds, but although I realize what the general definition of a "cold" is, chickens really do not get colds, per se. I have decided that I will not treat a respiratory illness. If I have determined that it is a communicable disease, something other than a mere sinus infection, if that can even be determined by me since I cannot afford to take a chicken to a vet, the bird will be put down. Period. No treatment will be administered. Chickens cannot be treated like dogs, health-wise. They just can't. It's harsh, but it's the reality of raising chickens, even pet chickens. Others may have a different approach, but I know that many here will agree with me on this. Many birds with serious transmittable diseases are being treated with mild antibiotics when what the bird has is serious enough to be a reportable disease by law.