Please help right away, disease outbreak & I dont know what to do

[msitework]

I have approx. 30 hens, 3 roos & probably another 350 or so pullets on the farm, along with 65 heritage turkeys & around 30 ducks & geese. I have 2 acres fenced in with 6' high chain link fence, this is where the birds live. About 2 weeks ago at my local feed store they were selling grown dark cornish hens so I bought 8 of them. I just noticed 3 of them are having a lot of trouble breathing, it sounds as if there is a lot of fluid in there lungs, & this morning I noticed 3 of my barred rock hens doing the same thing. They are just staying on there roost, not doing much else. I seperated all of the ones showing symptoms from the rest of my flock, but I am assuming that everybody has been exposed to it. I have around 500 birds & would never be able to recover if everybody gets sick. I am new to this & I'm not sure what to do. I called my vet & he said they don't see chickens & didn't offer any suggestions. I have two hens on eggs & one of the birds that is showing symptoms was in one of the boxes with the nesting hen when I found her. Please help me asap.

Thanks,
Monty

 

[silkiechicken]

Best of luck. You've found the reason to why it is recommended that you always quarantine new adult birds for a month before introducing to the flock. If it is viral... not sure there is much you can do about it. If it is bacterial, an antibiotic may work. Can you find someone in the dept of agriculture in your state that can run tests? Hopefully someone here can provide more suggestions on what is wrong.

 

[Katy]

I don't know what to tell you and I'm sorry for this happening to you, but this certainly is a case for why you should always quarentine new birds before introducing them into your flock.

 

[S n M Poultry]

It sounds like CRD(Chronic Respitory disease) i dont know how to treat it but there is alot of knowlegable people in here. I wish you the best of luck

 

[Katy]

silkiechicken...you typed faster than me!

 

[MissPrissy]

I am very sorry you have sick chickens.

Please read this thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=30851

 

[mandomama]

miss prissy, I read the link about adding new birds to a flock. Is this true also for chicks? I would assume yes. (in which case I already made a mistake. I hope I don't pay for it.)

My second question. Do most people have a small 2nd coop and yard, or a portable one that they use to quarentine chicks and raise little ones till they are ready for the big coop?

 

[msitework]

Thanks,
I have been doing research & I think its CRD, I think cuda suggested that in another thread for me. I am leaving now to go to the feed store but all they have is teryimicin. Does anyone know if this will work for crd, the guy at the store said it would but i don't think he's old enough to drive yet. I am new to this & jumped in, didn't realize the dangers of adding adult birds to the flock, but it won't happen again.

 

[minkadink]

My chickens had something like that. They sounded like they were wheezing or snoring. One or two got it, I kept everyone warm at night with a heat lamp and it just seemed to pass.
Gail Damerows chicken health book has a great chart on dianosing problems. Many feed stores carry it.
I hope it works out for you.

 

[msitework]

I found some vetrimycin 200, which is an injectible, I was told by the feed store that it is the same thing as LS200. I injected my grown hens with 1/4 cc, does anyone know how much or if I even can inject this into my 6 to 8 week old babies. The guy at the store didn't know how long to continue the treatment or how many times, does anyone have any suggestions. Cuda, I bet you know, if you read this I would really appreciate your help. I can't loose my babies. I am giving everyone terrimycin in their water, & a special feed with it in it also, how hard would it be for them to overdose on this? What about waterfoul, are they succeptible to CRD also, I have a few ducks that are breathing heavy, should I give them a shot too? Thanks for the help, I would be in a bind without you guys.
Monty