Not again. Respiratory illness

[MOChickenz]

I just culled one of my ex-battery white leghorns and started the flock on antibiotics. This one had a trimmed beak from its former life and was never as healthy as my other ones. Her eye was swollen and she was congested. After last time I am taking no chances. No new chickens in the flock, except for some perfectly healthy baby chicks that are in a different building. I scrub my hands between duties so that can't be it. Sigh.

 

[MaureenL128]

oh no! this seems to be the time of year for respiratory infections doesn't it?

 

[MOChickenz]

Quote:
Yes it does. I hate having to cull, but I would rather cull 1 now, and not cull 20 later.

 

[speckledhen]

The reason is that the bird was probably a carrier already or had a virus. You can't treat that away. Antibiotics don't work on viruses. Even if they did, that won't change the carrier status of the birds. CRD and Coryza make carriers of the "recovered" birds. Think Typhoid Mary.