who keeps their sick chickens?

[key west chick]

Recently it appears lots of posting about respiratory illnesses and treatment. I understand that in many, if not most, resp illnesses that recovered birds remain carriers. I recently purchased 2 birds that during quarantine, showed signs of illness. Luckly for those birds, I mentioned having sick birds and not knowing what I was gonna do with them to a friend and she offered to take them. I explained that even if they recovered, they would still infect others. Her reply was she already had chickens that had been sick and that all her chickens ran together, sick or not. Basically, at any given time, she has sick birds running around. She doesnt treat them, she says they just get over it. She doesn't sell any, or give any away, she just enjoys them. So, I gave her my chickens. My question is, how many of you keep sick chickens? Meaning, if your flock develops a resp disease, do you just deal with it even if it means never having a healthy flock again? She seemed happy with her choice in keeping sick birds.

 

[Mesa]

Oh gosh, thats my worst nightmare. If that happens I would have to cull every bird. I dont want my birds to be carriers that infect every bird I hatch.
Nope.. I guess I'd have to cull them.

 

[chickensioux]

Many people will argue with this but I had 2 hens that were sneezing and wheezing. I treated them with antibiotics and kept them seperated from the others for about a month. They fully recovered and I have not had any others ill or any signs or symptoms from anyone else. I never got mine tested at the vet to see what exactly was going on but that was 2 years ago and all is well.
I feel if you can pinpoint exactly what the problem is, it depends on that to decide what to do with them as far as keeping or culling and it's a personal choice. I have never culled. I might just have been very lucky.
I have since brought in new babies to the flock this spring and all is well still.
Depending on the illness I guess is my point. I can't see culling after every sneeze. That's just me and my personal choice.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I put sick chickens down on the spot and disinfect everything immediatly. We burn the dead chicken as well and quarentine any chicken he was in contact with - if they start to show illness, they are put down too.

I have alot of chickens here and some I have a lot of money invested in. Also, I am a wildlife rehabber and I just can't take any chances of having a sick bird here.

We are lucky that we haven't had a sick chicken in about 7 years.