What is the incubation period for Infectious Bronchitis or other respiratory diseases?

[peepinator]

Just lost my hen that I've been nursing for a few days and she had some sort of respiratory illness. Anyone know what the incubation period is for other chickens to get it if they've been exposed to my sick hen? They all look healthy and well right now and I moved her away from them last Monday when I noticed that she didn't look like she was feeling well. Kept her in the coop in a seperate pen for a few days and then moved her in the house to better care for her on Friday. Anyhow...I tried to nurse her and lost her.

For the future....how much water or yogurt should I feed and how often if I have to feed a chicken. I think I may have overfed her or over medicated her. Whatever I did, it didn't work.

Thank you...
Carol

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Hi, Carol! I would call your state poultry tester to have them take a look at her if you still have the remains. They could do a necopsy on her so you know what to treat any others who fall ill with the same symptoms. It's hard to put a finger on exactly what the incubation period is for an illness without knowing what it was for sure.

 

[peepinator]

Well...I already buried her Thank you for the advice. I am going to wait and see if any others fall ill. She was an older hen but one of my best hatchers when I wanted to have chicks. I have treated their water with electrolytes for now. I have some antibiotics but don't want to go that route unless I have to. It's a waiting game at this point. I've been very fortunate to have had no types of illness to speak of. I've lost three hens (not including this one) in 4 years. Two--at different times were just dead when I went in to feed in the morning, they died a few months apart--no symptoms no signs of illness--just died. Another girl had just gotten mopy and wasn't herself...no coughing, no knarly poo, no nothing...just wouldn't eat. I nursed her for a few days and she just died. Haven't had a death in a year or more. Several of my hens, plus my roo are about 4 1/2 years old...the little girl that I just lost was that age.

I keep a clean coop and take good care of my chickens, we do have lots of wild birds around and they free range. Wondering if she picked up something from a wild bird. Hmmm....don't know. Just want the rest of my flock to stay healthy and well like they appear to be right now.

Thank you again...really appreciate it. If I lose anymore, I will do what you suggest and have necropsy done.

 

[casportpony]

Just remember that a sick chicken needs to be kept warm and properly hydrated. It's usually not the disease that kills them, but dehydration, hypothermia and starvation.

Supportive Care
SICK-BIRD ENCLOSURES
Sick birds are often hypothermic and should be placed
in heated (brooder-type) enclosures


b (Fig 7.7) in a quiet
environment (see Chapter 1, Clinical Practice). A temperature
of 85° F (29° C) with 70% humidity is desirable
for most sick birds. If brooders are not equipped with a
humidity source, placing a small dish of water in the
enclosure will often supply adequate humidity. A moist
towel that is heated and placed on the bottom of a cage
or incubator rapidly humidifies the environment, as indicated​

by the fogging of the acrylic cage front.

FLUID THERAPY
Oral Administration
Oral administration is the ideal method of giving fluids.
This method is more commonly used in mildly dehydrated
birds or in conjunction with subcutaneous (SC)
or intravenous (IV) therapy. Oral rehydration (30 ml/kg
PO q 6-8 h) also may be used in larger birds (eg, waterfowl)
that are difficult to restrain for parenteral fluid
therapy.
Subcutaneous Administration
Subcutaneous fluid therapy is probably the most common
method of administration, although administration
in very critical patients must be done judiciously. With
experience, warm fluids can be given over the dorsum in
very depressed birds without restraint or altering of the
bird’s position within its incubator. Studies have shown
that adding hyaluronidase


e to fluids (150 IU/L fluids)
greatly facilitates the absorption of these fluids.


17 Subcutaneous
fluids are most commonly given in the intrascapular​

area, the flank, and the area over the pectoral muscles

or the axilla. Maintaining fluids on a heating pad or in an
incubator, so they are available at the correct temperature
for emergencies, is important. Warm fluids are both
an adjuvant treatment for hypothermia and less painful
on administration. However, as in mammals, a severely​

debilitated or dehydrated bird will not absorb SC fluids.

From:
[URL]http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam/07_emergency_and_critical_care.pdf[/URL]
[URL]http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/avmed/cam.html[/URL]

 

[peepinator]

Thanks for that. You know, I had my girl inside the house but didn't have it extra warm, I probably should have had it warmer in my bathroom for her. This is good information. It was definitely warmer in my house than in the coop outside, but most definitely not warm enough according to this information you sent me. I will keep this information handy.

Thank you...

 

[dawg53]

Not knowing what disease it is as Greenfamilyfarms mentioned, would be tough to nail down what disease you are dealing with...without a necropsy.
You've lost 4 birds over a 4 year period and mentioned that there hasnt been any illnesses to speak of. Consider worming your birds.

 

[casportpony]

Not knowing what disease it is as Greenfamilyfarms mentioned, would be tough to nail down what disease you are dealing with...without a necropsy.
You've lost 4 birds over a 4 year period and mentioned that there hasnt been any illnesses to speak of. Consider worming your birds.

Yes, that's good advice! Worm your birds with either Valbazen (albendazole) or Safeguard for Goats/Cattle (fenbendazole) and dust them and their coop with something other than DE, like poultry dust.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I like using the Valbazen. I use it on everything but pregnant critters since it could cause birth defects at the beginning of pregnancy.

The dosage for Valbazen and Safeguard can be found online. I can't remember exactly the dose I used last or I would post it.

 

[casportpony]

My avian vet said to give Safeguard at 50mg/kg ( .5cc/kg) by mouth and repeat in ten days. It is at the high end of the dosing listed in Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, but I have had no problems using it on birds of all ages, sizes and types. Just wormed two today, Old English Banty got .3cc (600 grams) and the Cochin Banty got .5cc (1kg). My big 33 pound (15kg) turkey gets 7.5cc's.

 

[peepinator]

Hello again,

I haven't been on here in awhile. Yes, I have wormed with Valbazen. Did about a year ago...and just used ivomec/eprinex for worms and external parasites this week. I've never used that before but read god things about it. I dust my coop, nests, roosts and run regularly with poultry dust. Thank you all for your reply's. Sorry I am so late to respond, I'm not on here much