Resp infection?

[kiweed]

I have a large diverse flock. I have 7 laying hens about 11 months old and a 5 month old rooster. I also have 12 pullets 5 weeks old. i also have 26 random bantams that are 3 weeks old. A few days ago I had another rooster that was attacking my children so I culled him. The day of the culling he was coughing and weezing. Two days later 2 of my layers would not come out of the coop. I took them out and one was coughing. The other had her eye closed shut and snot built up on her beak. I removed them to a cage as to isolate them. We treated them with Tylan 50.
All of my chickens free range all day long. They are all using a common water source and feeders. I have disinfected all the feeders and waterers. I have added a probiotic and electrolyte solution to all the waterers.
My question is is all of my birds going to get infected? If any of the infected birds survive will i be able to breed them and sell the chicks?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there swelling around the eye of the sick bird, or was there any swelling in the face of the culled rooster? You may be dealing with a respiratory disease such as mycoplasma (MG or CRD,) infectious bronchitis, or possibly coryza. Since many of these diseases have similar symptoms, you can truly diagnose it without testing. Is there a bad odor with the sick birds? MG can be transmitted through hatching eggs. If it were me, I would sacrifice the sick bird, and send her off to the state vet to euthanize her and do a necropsy which would tell you what you are dealing with. You can treat with antibiotics, but all respiratory diseases make carriers of any exposed as well as survivors. Here is a link about diseases, and a link for contacting your state vet:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/general/staff.shtml

 

[Pinkaboo]

I'm having the same problem
Inicially one bird then three,treated with tylan for five days
Put back i with the others
And treated all of them for five days( in the water )

Then the first sick bird became ill again !
Got doclyclicine then the other two got syptoms back
So gave them doclyclicine

Now ALL the birds have runny noses and sneezes even the ones that were ok originally
I think I'm going to have a winter of blowing chickens noses
Personally I think they will all get over it and be fine

They are all on doclyclicine now, and a treatment for excessive mucus and vitamins egg and yogurt
Yogurt was great fun

They play out near my young chicks give weeks old so I'm guessing they will get it next!

 

[kiweed]

I ended up culling the 3 worst and i removing another from the general population. As difficult as this was i have a lot of other birds i am trying to prevent from getting ill. Is there some type of vaccine to protect all my other juvenile birds?

 

[Pinkaboo]

I don't think so unless they get vaccinated very young,
I have 16 older hens( 3 months to two years)
16 young chicks ( 4 wks to six weeks)
That are outside but seperated by a fence
And 16 3 day old chicks

I think it will go through all the older ones as they sleep together but also the others are bound to catch it as I can't stop the germs! Esoecially If airborne

At first I was very worried , culling wasn't an option but holding a chicken that looked about to die, gasping for breath , gurgiling ( I'm the biggest wuss ever) really took its toll

The antibiotics really help while they are taking them but when they stop it seems to come back
Its like they are just passing it back and forward, the more knowledgeable neighbours ( farmers) say they will get over it on their own without meds, fine if its just a cold but they were really struggling and only relaxed if I nursed them, my husband woke me one morning on the sofa with a cat in one arm and a chicken in the other!

 

[Eggcessive]

I ended up culling the 3 worst and i removing another from the general population. As difficult as this was i have a lot of other birds i am trying to prevent from getting ill. Is there some type of vaccine to protect all my other juvenile birds?

It would be really good to find out what you have going around, either by testing one, or by getting one necropsied by your state vet. Infectious bronchitis, for instance causes runny nose and sneezing, and will run through 100% of your flock. It has to run it's course over 4-5 weeks, and antibiotics will help to prevent some of the secondary bacterial infections that can happen such as MG, coryza, or E.coli air sacculitis, but will have no affect on the virus itself. I would never vaccinate without a test, and each disease has different strains in a given part of the country or world.

 

[Pinkaboo]

It would be really good to find out what you have going around, either by testing one, or by getting one necropsied by your state vet.  Infectious bronchitis, for instance causes runny nose and sneezing, and will run through 100% of your flock.  It has to run it's course over 4-5 weeks, and antibiotics will help to prevent some of the secondary bacterial infections that can happen such as MG, coryza, or E.coli air sacculitis, but will have no affect on the virus itself.  I would never vaccinate without a test, and each disease has different strains in a given part of the country or world.

I know it seems false economy but after spending £100 on vet consultation and meds another £40 on a swab seemed a lot of money
Plus I'm not going to cull them , but for others I agree get a swab done find out what the infection is

 

[Eggcessive]

In some states here in the US, necropsies are fee, and in others, they can be $80-100. Some states are very expensive though. We are fortunate here that we can still get some antibiotics for treatment of some diseases. This may change in the future,

 

[kiweed]

@Eggcessive
I am bringing 2 birds to the tn testing facility today.

 

[Eggcessive]

Please give us an update in a few days if you find out what is going on. It helps to educate us all. Sorry for your loss.