What could it be....9 wk old Polish breathing and scratching

[ChinoChix]

In a nutshell, my 9 wk old GL Polish bird (don't know if it's a roo or a hen yet) started exhibiting some sniffles/sneezing/croupy ratttled breathing 11 days ago after I brought a dirty bird in for a weekend.
In a panic after talking with my vet, I put my little flock on Duramycin. (I have 6 birds---all between 9-11 wks old) So they have all been on it for 11 days. Polish seemed to be getting better, eating, drinking but looking puffed and a little droopy and sun-chasing all week...but otherwise fine and on the mend. I put a humidifier in their shed hoping it would help. We live in very dry Arizona.
Yesterday morning it all changed. Would not eat and hiding so I brought little bird inside to my guest bath shower enclosure with heat lamp and humidifier. I spent the day syringing sugar water and the antibiotic water. Last night was AWFUL. I didn't think s'he would be alive this morning but s'he was! Eyes glued shut and labored breathing. I almost took her to the vet to be euthanized....

Today s'he ate a little watermelon, mash, yogurt, oatmeal, white rice, ACV....but tonight it's back to the mouth breathing and sneezing and s'he's picking her butt and scratching her face and shaking head, sneezing. There is NO discharge. Just a slight odor, nothing bad. I've had this bird since it was 3 days old.
Shouldn't the antibiotics have worked by now? Today is day 11. My feed store didn't have any other antibiotics.
I'm so confused and appreciate any advice for this worried newbie. My vet said I was doing everything she would have recommended I do.
And how hot/humid shall I keep the shower? I just put a thermostat in there.
Thank You.

 

[CMV]

That "dirty bird" was dirtier than you imagined. Your flock is infected. You should have them tested to see what you are dealing with because it sounds like one of the CRDs. If it is one of them, you need to make some hard decisions. In the meantime- no birds in and no birds out. What your flock has is highly contagious and likely can never be cured.

I am sorry. This is one of the hardest lessons to learn in poultry keeping.

 

[ChinoChix]

Just home from the vet with Baytril. The bird I brought in had been in quarantine at the breeders, but NEVER again. She's back with the breeder and showing no signs of any illness.
I had only intended on keeping a few as a hobby so I don't plan on getting any more. My 5 remaining pullets all seem fine and the Polish is eating/drinking and enjoying life inside away from everyone else.

What a total bummer---never be cured? Wow...

 

[CMV]

They can be treated, but they will always be carriers if they have one of the CRDs. They will frequently be sick and need treatment often. Most often people that have one of these diseases in their flock opt to cull their flocks because it is expensive, time-consuming and heartbreaking to constantly be dealing with a flock of sick birds that are never going to get better.

I would really recommend you have them tested to see what they have. Then you can make an informed decision about how you want to proceed.

 

[ChinoChix]

Well, I guess I'll just take my chances and see what happens. I can't imagin killing them because they "may" get sick. I've spend thousands of dollars on my dogs over the years...it was never an option to kill them because they required vet care.
Thankfully I have a great vet.
Dont you have to kill them to get them tested???

 

[CMV]

Goodness, no. It's a blood test and/or swabs of the nose and throat. And the culling isn't usually just because it's expensive (although it is expensive), but rather because it causes so much suffering in the sick birds. People have a hard time watching their birds get sick over and over, failing a little more with each illness relapse, and knowing that the birds aren't ever going to be cured no matter what is done. Also knowing that the infected birds will infect any bird that comes in contact with them directly or indirectly is another big reason for culling.