Okay, it's clearly CRD but even after all my reading I'm not sure which specific one. My hen and rooster both presented differently. No oddness from the hen until I found her one morning with difficulty breathing. She does have one swollen place beside her beak. Nothing runny or nasty. Rooster hasn't had any breathing trouble, just little movement, ruffled feathers and looking forlorn. Rooster started showing symptoms after being on oxytetracycline for a week. Hen is in isolation and has improved. So...should I cut out the antibiotics? It sounds like maybe they've been on them too long already. Should I put the hen back in the flock? Sounds like all the other chickens have it, just not symptomatic. From some of what I've read, this could be viral so antibiotics aren't the right treatment. Is this going to run its course? Or what???? I'm confused and sad.
I feel for you, I've also been in your shoes. I brought in 2 pre-lay pullets I just had to have, I foolishly didn't quarantine at all, just put them right in w/my flock. They weren't clinical when I got them so I thought every thing was fine. Well w/in 2 wks or so, some of my birds came down with it and then it spread thru the flock. Evidently chickens don't get colds, they get bacterial infections that cause similar symptoms to a cold but they become carriers so every time they get stressed they have the potential to become symptomatic. Now every bird that I bring in will become exposed. It's manageable, but now I can't sell any fertile eggs or birds from my farm. I have chosen to bring in more birds as babies, but they are far away from my affected birds and I try my darndest to practice biosecurity between coops.
I have talked to Peter Brown, the Chicken Doctor,
www.firststatevetsupply.com on this topic. He has been very helpful. At first I wigged out and thought my birds would all die. For me it hasn't been fatal. But in the beginning I wanted to treat everybody as it seemed to hit them hard that first time they got it. He thought I probably had Mycoplasma Gallisepticum running through my flock. He advised to use a combo of gallimycin and oxytetracycline in their drinking water. (Obviously make sure sick birds are drinking, keeping their nose free of crusty discharge helps). Dosage: Gallimycin and oxytetracycline 1 tsp each in 1 gallon water x 10-14 days. I had to order both since I couldn't find it around me.
Is there a foul odor coming from their face? If so it's infectious coryza, sometimes it will be IC but they won't have the smell. Peter Brown didn't advise this but didn't advise against it either, use liquid sulmet in water per label.
I hope this helps, CRD is not necessarily fatal. I have not lost any birds to it, you just have to be careful! Currently I don't treat any of my birds for it, unless they can't get over it w/in a reasonable time or it hits them hard. Any time I have people come to look at or take care of my chickens, I always have them wear different clothes over to my house and spray their shoes with Oxine before and after they come on my property if they have chickens. A small price to pay for a little piece of mind.
ALso look up on BYC using Oxine fogging or nebulizing for treatment for CRD.
P.S. Also let me know if they have swollen or crusty eyes, you will need a recommendation for a flush. I have it if you need it.
