Upper Respiratory disease in chickens

[vinlwallace]

I recently bought 6 hens and a New rooster from a young girl who says she didn’t know they were sick when she sold them to me. We got them and now all my hens are sick and one of the new ones I found dead this afternoon. I’m treating with Tetracycline Hydrochloride Soluble Powder and also Corid just to make sure. I have used the VetRX on them also. Some are getting better-ish but some not so much. My question is if I cull my whole flock to put them out of their misery can you put new chicks in the same pin or do I have to clean or dig dirt out?. I’ve researched and talked with people who say certain upper respiratory infections are super contagious. Is it like parvo and stays in the soil or not? I’ve only been a chicken momma for 8 months so I’m not quite sure.

 

[Smileybans]

From what I have read you don’t want to put new chickens in where disease was. Depending on the illness it can linger. For future reference this is a good guide to follow when adding any new chickens to a flock. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/

Sorry you’re dealing with a sickness. Tylan might be a way to go as well. When my chickens were wheezing I administered that and they are better now.

 

[dawg53]

It depends what respiratory disease your new birds have. For example: Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) lasts in the environment for 3 days. Coryza about 3 weeks after disinfecting everything. To complicate matters, birds can have several diseases at the same time. There are other respiratory diseases that have longer course and stay times.
It would be best to contact your local extension office or state department of agriculture and find out where to send off your sickest bird for necropsy to find out exactly what disease(s) they have. Then ask them when you can repopulate.