NPIP breeder and sick chickens?

[Blondi]

I just picked up some chickens from a breeder who is NPIP and immediately notice on my drive home a few were sneezing. I called the seller and they said none of their others were. When I got them home they are shaking their heads and sneezing constantly clear runny noses. They told me to treat with Tylan, my question is will they always be carriers? I do not have the space to permanently quarantine them nor would I have made this investment to do so. Not sure what to do at this point...any chance it's stress and they will be fine?

 

[Pyxis]

Take them back. Sounds like the have coryza or mycoplasma, and yes, they will be carriers for life. NPIP only tests for avian influenza and pollorum and salmonella usually, so they could easily have the other diseases. Stress doesn't manifest as runny noses and sneezing. Maybe something in the environment is irritating them, but it could easily be a disease too.

 

[Blondi]

I drove ( my idiotic choice) 3hrs one way to pick them up!!! What would you do?

 

[Pyxis]

What state did you get them in? Some states test for mycoplasma. It's not common but perhaps they have been tested. If I were you, I'd keep them very well quarantined and watch them without treating. If it was an environmental irritant in your car that made them sneeze, it should clear up on its own now that they are out of the car. If it's a disease, it won't clear up without treatment.

 

[Blondi]

In Missouri, sigh, I'm so sad frustrated and disappointed! This is the most money and furthest I've driven to get birds! Makes me want to just say forget it and just be happy with the ones I have

 

[Pyxis]

I think Missouri only requires Pollorum and Influenza testing to be NPIP certified, but you can have the other tests done too for additional fees. You might want to ask the breeder what their birds were tested for. If they had no symptoms at all before the car ride, as in no sneezing or discharge etc when you picked them up, it could well be an irritant, and I'd keep my eye on them, being very careful not to spread anything to your other birds. Mycoplasma has an incubation time of 3 days to three weeks, so it shouldn't just pop up during a three hour drive - I forgot to ask if they had any symptoms when you first took them. Coryza is one to three days.

 

[Blondi]

Yes right away I called her on my way home.

 

[Blondi]

Sneezing has slowed and she is responding to me and keeping an eye on hers as well we are both hoping its environmental

 

[Pyxis]

Good! I wish you luck and hope it's nothing serious.