- Jul 26, 2017
- 4
- 0
- 54
Hello, All new to the Game and a bit confused. I have 32 in my flock.. all of which where from a hatchery except the most recent 7. I had one RIR whom has mucus and swollen eye. but cleared up in two days while being separated from flock. but i have noticed that more and more birds are having the same symptoms of what appears to be runny nose's and sneezing, and high pitched coughing or clucking. only two of my hen are currently laying. here is why i am confused. other than the fact of them having runny nose, a few smell horindous (even after a bath) but all eat and act normal as if nothing is wrong. except yesterday.. one of my laying hens was perfect yesterday and not showing signs of any of the others whom are seperate as well. and today is having trouble breathing, and extremly raspy, but still no running eyes, or nose on her. I have a customs coop i built plus one from amazon i bought. (whom is housing the sick pullets) I clean or rotate my deep pine shaving bedding everyday, ensure they have several different clean water sources, and feeding is free range, garden, and table scraps. they hardly eat chicken feed. except i put some in the coop at night so they have something if they become hungry. I have done alot of reading about the infectious illness's they can get and i have a couple questions. we are about to introduce another 30 chicks as soon as they are ready to leave the brooder box in about 6 weeks. this will mostly be a closed flock. but family and friends do want eggs. should I cull the sick and quarantine the non symptom showing hens and cull any that show signs of sickness? or could i just keep the sick separate from rest of flock for good and still quarantine the rest to make sure nothing is there. now this has been going on for about two months. hasn't really transmitted to new birds the exception of my laying hen. yesterday. as it seemed it was going away and then come back. that is what is confusing. I will when i get home this evening examine all the birds and see if the oder is just from digging and dust bathing in the garden, compost and anything else they get into the yard with. or from the discharge coming from beak. any help and suggestions will do me a solid.. the wife would kill me if her new flock of chicks got sick.