We're about to cull our first birds

[nzpouter]

Quote:
correct, but your bird's respiratory problem might not be cold....

 

[Sunny Side Up]

No one likes culling, especially when it's a sick bird that you can't even invite to dinner afterwards. But you have to think of your whole flock as one big organism, and if there's an infected part it's best to remove it for the health of the flock.

I just had to cull a sick hen, it was sad because she's served us faithfully for a few years now. But she had something affecting her breathing, she was gasping & wheezing. I had separated her & was treating her with antibiotics & Vet Rx, but she showed no improvement. Then I read about respiratory illnesses in chickens, how these sick birds might recover but still carry the germs to others, and knew I had to cull her.

After soothing her and talking softly to her, and thanking her for all the tasty eggs she's given, I held her upside down by her feet until she relaxed, laid her head on the ground, placed a length of PVC pipe across her neck, held it down with my feet, and gave a firm tug up on her legs until I felt her neck break. Her wings still gave reflexive flaps for about a minute, but there was no blood or mess this way. I placed her body in an empty paper feed sack, folded the end & put it in a plastic bag, and into the trash which was due for pickup the next day. I didn't want to bury her sick body in the yard, the way I have with other dear departed chicken friends.

I'm sorry for your dilemma, and pray for wisdom & strength for you in making your decision & carrying out your action.

 

[chickiebaby]

I don't know nearly as much about this as some here will, but I must agree with Speckled hen, who really DOES know her stuff. I wouldnt think you'd need to cull a bird just for sneezing. Not if she was of a good disposition, able to walk about, had proper energy, was eating ad drinking and exhibiting all her proper birdie behaviors . . .

can't you just separate the sneezers for a bit and see how they do? If they don't really seem ill?

 

[nnbreeder]

So by your posts they have been like this for about 20 days?

If it was anything really bad they should have already shown other signs, died or gotten better. Watch them closely and note the times that they sneeze. Feeding time perhaps? You should be able to see a pattern if it's caused by enviromental concerns.

 

[maymiegirl]

Just sneezing could be from feeding time. I have had birds sneeze every time I feed because of their stirring up particles in the feed. Dust particles in straw and wood shavings can make them sneeze. Diatomaceous Earth may make them sneeze.

You said they were "sneezing," not "wheezing." They aren't gasping after all this time of being separated.

Try this...Give them a good shot of B vitamins--such as in Poly Vi Sol by Enfamil. Say, give them 3/4 dropper per gallon then decrease to half dropper. Add a scoop of probiotics to every 3-4 cups of feed and give them Diatomaceous Earth, food grade EVERY DAY in their feed.

On the very first morning after you start this they will most likely stop sneezing. They will be running around stretching and flapping their wings, singing like little baby chickens again.

If this is due to ammonia or other surroundings, it won't hurt a bit to mist their quarters with Oxine water. It's super great for the air they breathe at night and super duper clean air for their lungs if they are getting any type of nasty mold or other plant spore. I just use a Vaporizer but you have to fill it every day. There are other things you can use to mist the air--I just found the vaporizer does the trick and using an oxine water mix kills every nasty little thing that is floating in it.