possible bird flu??? Help

[weechickenhawk]

I am worried and wondering:'( :'( I had 4 juvenile birds shipped in from a friend in TX almost a month ago. They looked ok when they came but to be safe i isolated them for a week them moved them in with some like aged birds. Obviously a week was not enough. Within 3-5 days i had birds coming down with the sniffles then junk in the eyes, before you know it the whole pen was sick. They have been on Gallimycin for 2 weeks. ( all the birds on the farm) the original sick birds are just now starting to look better (2 early losses out of 50 birds). Now the other birds on the farm are starting to sneeze and hack a bit and the pen next to them has a few birds with blue combs and waddles. I did have a friend to take one of the birds to the Maryland Dept. of Agriculture for me today for a necropsy. I have over 200 birds i am afraid this is going to be a heart breaking lesson on shipped birds. If it is some kind of flu and not a bacterial thing is there any hope for any of my birds?

 

[realsis]

depending on what they have yes the symptoms can likely be cured with an antibiotic like tylan50 however they might remain carriers of what ever specific disease they have. meaning they could give it to other birds. you will have to wait and see what exactly they have before you will know. it could be one of many common chicken illnesses.how long before you know what it is from the lab? I'd see what the lab said then you will know which disease your dealing with and if the birds will remain carriers . its likely a common chicken illness. I wish you the best of luck and keep us posted.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

You did the right thing to get a necropsy so that you can choose the best treatment. I'm sorry you lost 2 birds, but it sounds like many were able to recover. Here is a link to info about common poultry diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Hopefully the necropsy will specify if their is a specific antibiotic that is most effective.

The most cautious bird keepers recommend a 30 day isolation period for new birds, and I bet a lot of them became so cautious because they learned the hard way.

I hope you get the results of the necropsy soon.

 

[weechickenhawk]

Thanks you two, they said 2 days to two weeks before we know what they have. Oh, i dont think i will ever bring home another bird.
Will most or any of these diseases pass through the eggs? I have some very nice and rare breed chickens. If they need to be destroyed or heavily culled out, as a few pens are not close nor sick, i hopeful to keep some of the eggs to hatch. I guess i will know more in a few days or so.

 

[weechickenhawk]

Well i am so sad to report my birds have MG. I have over 250 birds so this is a very sad day for me. I have about 25 young birds that were never exposed i am hopeful to have them tested and save them anyway. Backhoe operator on stand by:'( :'(

 

[realsis]

I'm so so sorry :'(

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm sorry to hear that. You have probably done some reading on MG, but it looks like treatment with Tetracyclines can help. Duramycin by Durvet is a tetracyline and can be put in the water. Here is a link to info on the disease: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...lasma_gallisepticum_infection_in_poultry.html

And here is a link to info on Durmycin: http://www.pbsanimalhealth.com/details/Duramycin-10-Soluble-Powder/170-570.html

Actully, I just did a search on Gallimycin which also treats MG, so I guess just keep giving them that.

I hope the treatment is successful for most of them.

 

[Noobchick]

Sometimes even 30 days isn't enough.

Ask me how I know.

After that nightmare, I swore to only ever bring day old chicks into my flock, and then, not very often. Closed flock, imho, is best.

 

[weechickenhawk]

After hours of research and countless calls to chicken friend's and the chicken Dr. I think we are going to treat the birds, cull and vaccinate what i keep. While the birds will never be free of what they have it can be well controlled. Since most of the chickens showed no signs at all some very mild and some very sick and i only lost 2 birds i cannot justify neither testing 250 birds, bird by bird or killing birds that are not sick. I know some will not agree but i have read over countless tests, reports discussions and consulted with experts in the field. Some folks would be surprised to find that their birds are infected and just show no signs. God Directed me to grant the girls a stay of execution and it has been granted Speck, Angel, Fuzz and friends are happy once again Treatment is Denagard and 2 vaccinations 4-6 weeks apart an annually for breeders which are few.