What would you do in this situation? (Canker in new chicken)

[OwO]

Hello, a friend of a friend is moving and they only had one chicken left they were desperately trying to get a home for. I didn't want a new chicken because of bird flu risks etc, but I gave in after asking them to make sure she isn't ill, and am now keeping her isolated.

However the moment they dropped her off I could instantly smell her breath. How they didn't notice it I have no clue and I am quite annoyed about it because it means she has been drinking from the same water as probably pigeons as I noticed canker at the back of her throat, which smells horrible. I really wish I just told them I can't take in a sick chicken, but now I have her in isolation. She is acting normal but has difficulty swallowing food.

I do really like her but I both don't want to introduce her to the others while she has canker since it can spread, and I also don't want to keep her separated for her whole life (especially since I already have a sick elderly chicken isolated). I have found conflicting information about canker online so I would like to ask a few questions:

1. If it is successfully treated do they carry it for life? Can they always spread it even after completely successful treatment over a number of months?
2. If they do carry it for life, can this be suppressed by adding something like ACV to the water to stop it from having any negative effects?
3. I have heard of Acidified Copper Sulphate being a way to treat canker, but I cannot find any online where I am. Is anyone able to link me to some in the UK?
4. Does anyone have experience with Copper Sulphate for canker, and was it successful? Can it still spread afterwards?

I don't want to have to get rid of her but I don't want my other chickens to get canker from her. Thanks for reading

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Sorry you got a sick chicken dumped on you, but thanks for taking care of her.

First thing I'll say it that while it does sound like canker there are other things that can cause yellow lesions in the mouth like wet fowl pox and some other infections. To treat for suspected canker I'd use metronidazole (https://jedds.com/products/metronidazole-20). I think you can get acidified copper sulfate on the same site to help keep it at bay in the future (added to the water a few days a month). Once infected birds are considered carriers for life. Unfortunately I don't know how likely or unlikely it is that it will spread to the rest of your flock if you get her asymptomatic and treat monthly with acidified copper sulfate... Maybe @azygous or @Eggcessive has an idea?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

1. If it is successfully treated do they carry it for life? Can they always spread it even after completely successful treatment over a number of months?
2. If they do carry it for life, can this be suppressed by adding something like ACV to the water to stop it from having any negative effects?
3. I have heard of Acidified Copper Sulphate being a way to treat canker, but I cannot find any online where I am. Is anyone able to link me to some in the UK?
4. Does anyone have experience with Copper Sulphate for canker, and was it successful? Can it still spread afterwards?

I don't want to have to get rid of her but I don't want my other chickens to get canker from her. Thanks for reading

Do your research, but my understanding is she would be a carrier for life, so there's the possibility of the other chickens contracting canker, even if you are successful in treating the infection.

ACV will not suppress protozoa, it would be nice. Some folks add Acidified Copper Sulfate to their flock's water for 3 days each month to potentially help control outbreaks.

@dawg53 may want to chime in here too.

Ultimately, it's your decision how to treat her, whether you want to eventually introduce her to your existing flock and how much risk you want to take.
It's a decision you will have to make, no one can tell you which way to go.

That said, Personally, I would not bring in a bird with Canker and add them to my flock. Though very sad, I would cull. And while I'm at it, being the cautious/suspicious type of person I tend to be. I'd be wondering how my friend just ended up with this particular hen left - presumably from your post, there were more than one, so why were the others taken and this one left?

Horrible Smell = very much likely Canker and not Fowl Pox, Thrush, etc. A vet can do a culture to be sure.

 

[dawg53]

Hello, a friend of a friend is moving and they only had one chicken left they were desperately trying to get a home for. I didn't want a new chicken because of bird flu risks etc, but I gave in after asking them to make sure she isn't ill, and am now keeping her isolated.

However the moment they dropped her off I could instantly smell her breath. How they didn't notice it I have no clue and I am quite annoyed about it because it means she has been drinking from the same water as probably pigeons as I noticed canker at the back of her throat, which smells horrible. I really wish I just told them I can't take in a sick chicken, but now I have her in isolation. She is acting normal but has difficulty swallowing food.

I do really like her but I both don't want to introduce her to the others while she has canker since it can spread, and I also don't want to keep her separated for her whole life (especially since I already have a sick elderly chicken isolated). I have found conflicting information about canker online so I would like to ask a few questions:

1. If it is successfully treated do they carry it for life? Can they always spread it even after completely successful treatment over a number of months?
2. If they do carry it for life, can this be suppressed by adding something like ACV to the water to stop it from having any negative effects?
3. I have heard of Acidified Copper Sulphate being a way to treat canker, but I cannot find any online where I am. Is anyone able to link me to some in the UK?
4. Does anyone have experience with Copper Sulphate for canker, and was it successful? Can it still spread afterwards?

I don't want to have to get rid of her but I don't want my other chickens to get canker from her. Thanks for reading

In addition to what @Wyorp Rock stated; practice strict biosecurity. Do NOT introduce a bird with canker into your existing flock.
It would be best to cull and bury the bird deep, far from your flock. You do NOT want to deal with canker.

 

[OwO]

Thank you all for the replies... I am leaning towards getting rid of her even though I don't want to. I wish I didn't give in in the first place because I hate getting chickens put down.

Can canker spread through the air or anything other than just drinking water? I have had some of my flock for 1/4 of my life and I really don't want them getting sick

Is there absolutely nothing else I can do? She is so lively and seems so well otherwise it makes me really sad to have this be my most likely option

I feel like I messed up really bad not pressing for more information from the previous owner. I noticed she sneezes/coughs every few minutes and when I asked the owner about it he said "She has always sneezed"... like are you SERIOUS why would you not TELL ME THIS??? I am so angry and upset about this now my entire flock is at risk. I have literally had some of these birds since I was a kid. She is relatively nearby them because I simply don't have enough space to isolate her anywhere else since I already have one of my old girls being isolated in the house. I am going to look for people on facebook who might want to take her in because I know there are people out there who would want to care for a sick chicken rather than having her put down but I will make sure they know about all this first I'm really hoping the sneezing/coughing is just irritation from the canker and nothing my birds can actually catch

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can canker spread through the air or anything other than just drinking water? I have had some of my flock for 1/4 of my life and I really don't want them getting sick

Is there absolutely nothing else I can do? She is so lively and seems so well otherwise it makes me really sad to have this be my most likely option

I noticed she sneezes/coughs every few minutes and when I asked the owner about it he said "She has always sneezed"... like are you SERIOUS why would you not TELL ME THIS???

Can you get photos of the inside of her beak and a video of her sneezing/coughing?

Sneezing and coughing every few minutes does not sound very good, imho.
This may be due to the material that is in the beak causing difficulty breathing or blocking sinus and airway. OR it could be respiratory illness. Hard to say unless you have a vet that can access her.

I don't know if the protozoa from Canker can spread through the air or not. All I've ever found is that it's spread through shared feed/water, but I would say, that you could inadvertently cross contaminate if you are not careful with biosecurity.

I'm very sorry that you face this. I know that you've had your hands full taking care of your older ailing hen, now you have some tough decisions to make for this one.

Your friend may be like a lot of people; they just are not aware of illnesses that chickens can have and may not have even recognized that what they saw and heard could be something to potentially infect someone else's flock.

Personally, I would not re-home her.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Can canker spread through the air or anything other than just drinking water? I have had some of my flock for 1/4 of my life and I really don't want them getting sick

I've read that it is spread through shared waterers and can also be shed in droppings, but that it doesn't last a long time outside a host (hours usually, less if it dries out). I don't think your flock is at risk just being nearby. If you are really concerned I would use a different pair of shoes and clothes when dealing with the sick bird so you don't accidentally carry any infected poop or dander over to your flock.

The lesions can build up to a point where they're fatal so the sooner you start treatment the better if you want to try and save her. I hope you can find someone nearby who wants to keep her. I do understand why people don't want to risk bringing a sick bird into their flock, but as far as diseases go I don't think of canker as being that bad--at least there is an easy treatment and you know what to keep an eye out for. If you think about it, all the other birds your friend rehomed have been exposed to the sick hen and probably have asymptomatic infections. Not great, but not the end of the world imo.

 

[OwO]

Thank you guys, since I posted I was in contact with a chicken vet who visited me yesterday, and she said this chicken had a very bad case of canker. She was surprised she's still able to breathe. She mentioned there's nothing she's allowed to prescribe and highly recommended euthanasia. Because of the recommendations here and how bad it was, I opted to go for it.

Your friend may be like a lot of people; they just are not aware of illnesses that chickens can have and may not have even recognized that what they saw and heard could be something to potentially infect someone else's flock.

I completely agree. I feel bad for the previous owner (who was a mutual friend btw, so I didn't know them) because they were so grateful to me for taking her in. They offered to pay for the vet bills and everything

If you think about it, all the other birds your friend rehomed have been exposed to the sick hen and probably have asymptomatic infections. Not great, but not the end of the world imo.

Unfortunately she was actually the only chicken they had left surviving, I assume all the others had died over the years, possibly of canker.

 

[coach723]

I think you made the right decision. I'm sorry you had to.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about the hen.

Still a hard decision to make, but it's good that you were able to consult the vet and learn more.