Respiratory infection

[Chicken Lass]

I am very worried that my flock has some type of respiratory infection. I've been reading up on posts here and the outcome looks grim, about them being carriers for life once they have it. I don't know for sure what they have, but all the symptoms add up - a couple with bubbles in their eyes or watery eyes, sneezing. A couple seem to have gotten the scraggly feather look, and one may have lost weight. One hen would stand around by herself in the mornings but then perk up later - put her on Sulmet and she seems happier now. Most of the flock don't even have symptoms, and besides the sneezing and eyes, all act pretty healthy. I love my chickens very much, and there's no way I could cull them. I'll have to get them tested so I can be sure - either the next time one dies or have a vet diagnose them or something. Should I treat the ones with symptoms with antibiotics, or is that useless to do since it will not cure them? Can I just treat the symptoms with VetRx? I had one of them sneezing pretty bad this morning so I need to do something. I am just terrified that they may all be carriers for life now, and that I can't get any more chickens until these guys are all gone. Does anyone know of any respiratory infections that do not cause chickens to be carriers for life? Thanks!

 

[janinepeters]

I've certainly had mild respiratory symptoms run through my flock, with few or no deaths. I have never treated it in any way. I have subsequently added new birds to the flock with no losses. I would wait it out, and would certainly not add any birds until whatever it is, runs its course.

 

[Chicken Lass]

Thanks janinepeters! So far the symptoms aren't terrible, so I would call it mild. The VetRx seems to help a bit. I just don't want to keep perpetuating it by bringing in new birds in the future if my present birds remain contageous past their symptoms. Hopefully I'm over-reacting and it's nothing. I'll keep giving VetRx as needed and hope it passes through. Thanks again for replying!