Sanitizing Coop and run for a 'clean' flock

[ND]

(Sigh)

I just got chickens less than 2 months ago. Picked a flock of pullets all from one guy. They all seemed healthy, clean, nice birds... and he had all the breeds I wanted.
Two weeks into it, several came down with respiratory symptoms.
Long story short... decided to treat, rather than cull... and finally found "the right" thing that cleared them up. BUT, I keep having one here, or one there...that presents with symptoms again.

Facing the cold, hard fact that this flock won't ever be healthy, and I can't keep pouring meds to them if I never get any sort of long term improvement.

So, I've just about decided to cull them all... and try to start fresh with a clean flock.

It's heartbreaking... some are extremely personable and 'pet like'. The kids will be crushed. But one can only take so much...


So, I will have to sanitize everything. The coop shouldn't be a big deal... I mean, clean it out really good... use a bleach solution...scrub, scrub, scrub.... dry well.


BUT, what about the RUN? I have a 12X50ft run attached. Still mostly grassy.

How long can the grass/soil hold onto any bacteria or viruses that could infect new birds?
Is there anything I can do to sanitize it that won't kill the grass?
Is sun and time enough to kill most everything? How long can some of these things live without a host?



My only other option is to cull ONLY those birds that have shown symptoms. Some in the flock have never shown symptoms of anything. But I have to assume they're infected/exposed/carriers... and I just may end up slowly culling them out in the next few months if they develop symptoms. Also, I don't think I could really sanitize... or risk bringing in any new birds if the remaining ones could pass it on, without symptoms themselves. Ugh!



LASTLY-- I'm just about afraid to get new birds if I cull! How do I know I'm getting clean birds? WHERE do I get them? I'd like nice quality birds of the breeds I'm interested in, not necessarily show quality, but good quality. Is hatching eggs the ONLY way? (though, some things can be passed to the chick in the egg!) And, I've never hatched an egg... and my luck, I'd end up with all roos.



AHHHHHHHHHH! Help! Advice!?!?!?! Please?

Thanks!

 

[Rockerchic]

You poor thing to even have to consider killing your flock! Did you take any of your sick chics to a vet? I'd think it would be worth it to avoid maybe facing the same problem again, since you haven't been able to identify the source of this trouble.Maybe even the local agricultural dept. could offer some advice. Worth a try.

 

[WallTenters]

There are several livestock area cleaning agents available. I used to clean my pig's pens every time I had a sow come for breeding services. Even though I made sure they were all healthy and up to date on vaccinations before they came, I'm still a bit paranoid!

Nolvasan is pretty good. I know it won't kill cocci oocysts, but that may not be your problem anyway. I would use it a couple of times, maybe three treatments a week apart? I used a spray thing like what you would use for killing weeds, one of the carry-around kind.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e0778b-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

Check around on pricing, and it may be cheaper if you can find it local and save the shipping.


ETA: any reputable breeder should have good birds. Because hatchery chicks are vaccinated upon your request, I think that would be the safest bet for a backyard flock, unless you found some nice chicks for sale from a reputable breeder here.

 

[Mrs. K]

You know, you might be thinking that the people you got them from are jerks, and poor chicken keepers, but if they have an established flock, and been in the business long, they probably have some good advice. I am not suggesting that you will get your money back, when you take on animals, you are taking the risk that they might get sick and die.

If yours got sick, and theirs did too, they might know more about treating them. Or yours might have picked something up at your place. I do not think it would hurt to ask for some advice on treatment.

Take a good look for possible rodents. Rodents love to live with chickens, and carry lots of diseases.

Most diseases, will not live in sunlight, so I do not think I would worry too much about your run. Also READ and FOLLOW all directions for any cleaner, many times people think if a little is good, well more is better. It is not. Calling your extension service is also a good idea. Old bedding, hay, sawdust will habor things if a bit damp and dark. Sweep out your coop well, expose it to as much fresh air and sunshine as possible. I never scrub the chicken house.

As for the culling, you might try this. Cull the ones that have had it, or are sick. Clean out the coop, and put in fresh bedding. Wash and clean all bowls, feeders and waters. Then wait...... if you keep having one here or there get sick, you probably should do an all out, all in.

If you don't want to do hatching, you can start with day old chicks, but here we are going into fall/winter, and they would be difficult to get, and tricky to raise. If you want chickens right now, I think you should consider going in with pullets. I know you tried them once, but honestly, I think you had a fluke thing happen.

MrsK