New coop, chickens are sick.

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
True, diseases have an incubation period; sometimes lasting several weeks; a few have very short (hours or a day) incubation period, but health issues are not always disease. Those with allergies can attest that being in an enclosed area with something they are allergic to will cause a rapid reaction. Likewise for irritants such as strong, toxic emissions.

 

[nop169]

What kind of "shavings"? If you are using cedar - especially if it is not aged - and your ventilation is not good - it can cause upper resp. in your birds (also with small animals). Sometimes - if the shavings are fresh - the cedar oil will also cause allergic reactions - so if yo are using cedar - either replace it or dry it well - or dilute it greatly with pine shavings.

 

[lastcopy]

UPDATE:

Since starting the flock on Duramycin, everyone is doing fine. My Americauna that was really snotty and drippy is clearing up good. My rooster that was not as bad as she was is also doing better.
I have checked the shavings in the coop, they are Newmans pine, I like that brand because they are nice and fluffy with no sharp sticks, etc. They are not damp, just COLD. Even though my coop is insulated with refelectix, it is still quite cold in there. I added a heat lamp yeasterday in case anyone wanted a little more heat, but did not turn it on until this morning. It is 27 degrees, the coldest morning so far. I will only leave it on for a few hours. I do not want an extreme temp change between the coop and them going outside! I do not let my flock out until after 8:00 AM. I am not in a rural area and have been very lucky with the neighbors. They have not complained of the roosters crowing at that time in the morning!
Have been doing research on CRD. Has anyone heard of Oxine therapy? or used it? I am considering that in case this is the problem. I think the first rooster I got may be the carrier. He is a golden cuckoo marans. He was in quarantine for 6 weeks, but was the first to get sick when I introduced him to the flock.
Because of this situation I will not be intrducing any more birds to my current population, which is too bad, because I would love to have some marans hens!!

 

[speckledhen]

You may be onto the carrier thing with that rooster. Actually, 27 degrees is not that cold for a chicken, unless it's already ill.

Your case is a good example of the fact that even quarantine isn't perfect. I'm glad you're figuring it all out, though.

 

[jenjscott]

Actually, if the new rooster was the first to get sick when introduced to the flock, He might have caught something they were carrying. It works both ways. Then with additional stessors, ie the move to the new coop, it could show up in the original flock.