PLEASE HELP: I think I have to cull my whole flock!!!

[ultasol]

I would think first step would be to identify the problem- get a necropsy by the state. You might be able to vaccinate and save some depending on the disease.

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
Keep in mind that your flock will now be carriers of what ever the problem was. If you sale any chicks or chickens they could carry that problem to other flocks. Since chickens do not get colds treating the flock just means they are no longer showing signs of the illness. Since most respiratory problems in chickens are virus the antibiotics are really not an answer. Not trying to be mean or cause problems but I would want to know what the problem is before I throw antibiotics at it.

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
Can anyone post the link to Speckeled hen's rule post i have lost it thanks.

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

Quote:
I had a VERY sick chicken years ago, took her to the vet, syringe fed her and medicated her and she has never been sick again and I still have her today....so NO chickens dont Have to be killed when they get an URI, they are like any other pet

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

Advice is how a person learns to care for their animals. Nothing I hate but to put chicken down. Usually it has be doctored until nothing can be done. I give antibiotics anytime I feel a chicken is sick and needs one. Not any animal only gets viruses. And not all ailments are viruses. To say it is all a virus is usually someone who doesn't know or wants to not doctor their animals.

 

[onthespot]

Hoog, are you wanting some eggs to hatch? I just had a guy bail last night on a ten dozen egg order. The eggs are up to 7 days old today, don't have time to really sell. PM me if you want some eggs. I got all crazy kind of stuff.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Probiotics are also a good fix for many ailments. Kefir and Kombucha are the two we use, same as for ourselves. The chickens love the kefir, and enjoy drinking water with a little kombucha mixed in. We've had very few chick or chicken deaths in 2 years, and have nursed back to health several sick birds. The idea behind probiotics is bolstering the animal's own immune system and gut health, to let them fight sickness themselves.

 

[hoog]

Thanks to all for your advice and sympathies. I only had a few birds and as tough as it wad I feel it was better just to start over.

Also, thanks for the offer of eggs but I already have my incubator full from an order I made a few days before this all happened.

 

[yanmar1610d]

Quote:
Hoog, I know how you feel I purchase 19 BFCM's from a guy off Craigslist. Within 7 days they all were sick or either dead. The Georgia Poultry Ind. sent a vet to the house and tested the remaining birds. The disease ended up being MG. Killed all the birds I purchased and some of the bird I already had. Ended up have friend who has a large number of Fowl that he is sure has MG so he took over 60 Chickens from me and put them in with his birds. Cleaning out my pen now. Vet said to leave it empty for 1 month and to bleach it once a week for a month. Just hope my 20 little chicks that I had in the house do not get the MG too. There getting too big, will have to move them soon.

 

[chickengrl]

It is very true that a chicken can be nursed through a respiratory illness and seem to make a complete recovery. I think what some folks are missing is that of the approximately 6 different respiratory diseases that chickens get (some virus, mycoplasma, and bacterial) they will recover but they will always carry the disease and when/if new birds are added or the birds become stressed that disease will often come back. New birds added to the flock will likely pick up the illness. You might not see illness for some time, but it is there and waiting for the birds immune system to be down. I don't think people choose to cull a flock of birds because they don't want to doctor them or take care of them. These folks care about their birds a great deal and it can be a horrible experience, but in the end they can rebuild a flock free of illness and be able to sell birds and eggs with a free conscience becuase they know they are not spreading a horrible respiratory illness with every bird or egg they sell.

I personally will never buy another adult bird from anyone. We will hatch our own or buy day old chicks from reputable sources. That is the only way to avoid buying birds from people who chose to treat a respiratory illness and pass that illness onto others to make a few bucks.

I am certain that is how we ended up with ILT in our flock and we will now always have to keep a closed flock. It kind of sucks to be honest. My DH and I just couldn't cull our birds and we are now vaccinating new ones at a great amount of time and money to us so that we can still grow our flock. So kudos to the OP for having the courage to do the right thing. It was something we were not able to do.

PS: By trying to control ILT with vaccinating we will always have to worry that we will spread this virus to our new chicks before they can be vaccinated and they will sicken and die. It is something we hope we don't have to deal with because we will then have to cull.