New Chicks/Pullets Dying

[luckycloverfarm]

We went to a poultry swap this past weekend, and bought 4 chicks from 4 vendors. 2 welsummers, 1 barnvelder, from one vendor, and 1 wheaten ameracauna from the second. all around 8 weeks old, though the ameracauna is bigger. These were all pullets and bought as my four children's frist "very own" chickens. They are housed away from the rest of the flock in a large plastic brooder with straw. They have ample food and water. We came home and the smallest was dead. (3 days after they were purchased). 2 days later, the second smallest is dead with slightly bloody wings (pecked). Those were both welsummers. I am treating with tetracycline. Upon inspection, the ameracauna has some discharge/a blocked/crusty nostril. Smelled the nose and doesnt smell particularly bad, although the brooder stinks more than I think the homegrown chickens do (but I htink that's bc they are on straw, not chips). Any thoughts on what this might be/how to treat? I also have erythrormycin but havent treated with that too...

They seem to be eating, though not a ton.

 

[Judy]

If you treat them its is very likely all your birds will be carriers of whatever the disease is, and you should keep a closed flock for their life, never letting birrds of hatching eggs leave your property. Even if they seem to recover, they will likely be carriers for life.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ow-a-buggery-nose-on-my-roo/0_20#post_9778598

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/12751/urgent-reminder-please-quarantine-newly-acquired-birds/0_20

 

[luckycloverfarm]

So the choice is to either take the chance of not treating and maybe the kids' "pet chickens" will die, or keep a closed flock forever and ever?

I get it, but I browsed this thread and am not sure I agree with the "pro-hatchery" stance. The advice to only get chicks from hatcheries doesn't really work for a) people who want to show chickens, or b) people who have feelings about the large number of male chicks terminated (and the gruesome methods they use). Hatcheries will say their chickens are X breed, but anyone who has bought a large # of hatchery chickens knows that that's not really true. So it's tough, right?

 

[ten chicks]

We went to a poultry swap this past weekend, and bought 4 chicks from 4 vendors. 2 welsummers, 1 barnvelder, from one vendor, and 1 wheaten ameracauna from the second. all around 8 weeks old, though the ameracauna is bigger. These were all pullets and bought as my four children's frist "very own" chickens. They are housed away from the rest of the flock in a large plastic brooder with straw. They have ample food and water. We came home and the smallest was dead. (3 days after they were purchased). 2 days later, the second smallest is dead with slightly bloody wings (pecked). Those were both welsummers. I am treating with tetracycline. Upon inspection, the ameracauna has some discharge/a blocked/crusty nostril. Smelled the nose and doesnt smell particularly bad, although the brooder stinks more than I think the homegrown chickens do (but I htink that's bc they are on straw, not chips). Any thoughts on what this might be/how to treat? I also have erythrormycin but havent treated with that too...

They seem to be eating, though not a ton.

If it wasn't for the discharge,i would say cocci. Unless you have two different medical issues going on here.. Did the chicks that died have discharge from nostrils?