ChuSayBok
Songster
I'm new to this and there are tons of threads on coryza; please excuse if I've overlooked, but I've combed them for a time; didn't find anything on a search paired with survival. I'm writing because I noticed other people who are in the same quandary as myself and it's hard to get detailed information for people who are committed to fighting this illness because of the long term effects and because it is so contagious and deadly, not to mention, disgusting, demoralizing, and difficult to deal with. Here is a rather lengthy synopsis of my struggle. Please feel free to post links to success stories; I saw one where a person used oregano oil successfully en totale. This person was most likely more vigilant and consistent than I was able to be. For those that question the validity of whether it was actually coryza caused by the bacteria Haemophilus paragallinarum, all the symptoms were present at some time, including the odor, though I have not validated this with a lab test. From what I've read, the symptoms are pretty conclusive, especially the smell.
After over 2 years of keeping free rangers (most of which I hatched myself or my hens hatched,) I got my first coryza infected bird from someone who was a trusted friend of a trusted friend...
By the time I knew what I was dealing with, much of my flock had already been exposed. I put acv and oregano oil in their water and that seemed to keep it from spreading originally. I had some success with oregano oil, but at this point I have over 50 birds in 3 groups: my newest babies that are totally separate from everyone and kept in a coop that I move regularly and don't let out yet (which are totally clean so far,) the group close to the house I raised that are young (which is where I put the new birds, b/c they were similar in age,) and the group further away with a mixed bunch; 9 of which go into the woods everyday in a feral fashion and only return for lunch and bed. The interesting thing is that while I'm fighting this horrible condition (since I was too stubborn to follow the excellent but fatal advice of those who advocate culling because most of these are my babies,) I've found that certain birds seem to have an ironclad resistance to it.
I have an egger hen (my oldest bird actually) that I adopted from a feednseed as a week old chick. She has shown no symptoms and continued laying in spite of being in close proximity to (including lodging,) eating, and drinking after her infected companions. None of her daughters have shown symptoms either, and all have continued to lay. One other unrelated hen had symptoms (rasping only) and I treated her with oregano oil only. She promptly was symptom free and started laying again right after she was done w her chicks (none of whom have shown symptoms either.) This hen was also completely exposed. There were a couple of other hens who have had wheezing only that are part of this group (which eats off the land more) that I tx'ed w oregano oil only also, and they recovered, but haven't started laying, but one was broody and had her eggs stolen, the other still has chicks in tow.
The 9 semi-feral young chickens which are about 4 months old at this point have shared living quarters with these plus 2 roos that caught it: one was recovering after taking heroic measures by using oregano oil, only to fall to a predator; the other I shot with Tylan 50 because I was too exhausted to fight him and force the oil on him day after day. Anyway, the 9 have not developed any symptoms, even after sharing food, water, and sleeping space with infected chickens sneezing in close proximity.
The ones who have had the most difficulty have been those that I housed the original new chickens with. There were 6 new ones. Out of those, one was possibly already sick and barely showed symptoms, but was light and listless and died within a couple of weeks after I discovered the malady. The one who originally brought it in that had the necrotic tell-tale coryza smell never showed any other symptoms and doesn't have the smell much anymore, but still has some mucus discharge, it appears. One other developed a nasal discharge only. The other 3 show no signs.
Of my own that I boarded them with, several have had symptoms ranging from wheeze/rattles to eyes swollen shut. I've seen sites saying babies don't get it, but I had some 6 week old chicks in another part of that coop that have shown symptoms; 2/8 have died, I gave Tylan 50 shots to 3 or 4 and they have recovered if I caught it in time. Of the larger, I used either acv/oregano oil/colloidal silver only, Tylan 50 only, or in one case, a combination of the 2. The major difference between the two groups is that the ones that got sick first, got the sickest, and have taken the longest to recover are the ones that stay closest to home, eat mostly corn, and tend to lounge in the shade of the house and automobiles rather than venture off in search of forage. I've ended up having to use the Tylan on at least 3 of these that I had tried treating with oregano oil (but ran out of patience, because the chu are not on board with that method at all. They will take the silver more willingly, but the oil seems more effective than the silver. The ones I used silver only on I ended up having to give shots to.
The Tylan 50 is clearly the more effective remedy short term. As much as I despise having to use commercial antibiotics, it's easy to understand now why large scale livestock producers use them prophylactically. The acv/oregano oil and/or colloidal silver is fine if you are dealing with a couple of babies and committed to cuddling them and watching their progress several times a day, but it doesn't eliminate the spread completely the way I was doing it, letting them out and allowing them to put themselves to bed in the evening, having to go to work, etc.. However, I can see that if you are committed to sticking to it, it is very effective for keeping the disease from progressing to the point where the eyes puff and crust over, the nose cheese runs, and the final collapse if left untreated. Being able to free range over a wooded area, while fraught with peril on account of predators, seems to make a huge difference in the ability to resist and recover.
Time will tell what its effectiveness is overall. I will purchase some lime as soon as I am able to put down around their night coops and inside. I understand that most people that write on the subject don't believe this is curable and that all my survivors will be carriers. Since I've learned from experience that most people don't write from their own experience what the facts are, but rather what they have read or been told, I have to find out for myself whether or not this is true. I may end up eating crow, and have had my fair share of it already, but please don't wag a finger at me over not killing off my flock, because they are not in danger of spreading it, and from the number of people that write in about it, there is sufficient prevalence that if you get chickens from anywhere that gets chickens from anywhere else, you run a risk of encountering this. With that being said, I hope there are a few people out there that have found doing this the hard way can be successful and I hope to hear from you.
After over 2 years of keeping free rangers (most of which I hatched myself or my hens hatched,) I got my first coryza infected bird from someone who was a trusted friend of a trusted friend...
By the time I knew what I was dealing with, much of my flock had already been exposed. I put acv and oregano oil in their water and that seemed to keep it from spreading originally. I had some success with oregano oil, but at this point I have over 50 birds in 3 groups: my newest babies that are totally separate from everyone and kept in a coop that I move regularly and don't let out yet (which are totally clean so far,) the group close to the house I raised that are young (which is where I put the new birds, b/c they were similar in age,) and the group further away with a mixed bunch; 9 of which go into the woods everyday in a feral fashion and only return for lunch and bed. The interesting thing is that while I'm fighting this horrible condition (since I was too stubborn to follow the excellent but fatal advice of those who advocate culling because most of these are my babies,) I've found that certain birds seem to have an ironclad resistance to it.
I have an egger hen (my oldest bird actually) that I adopted from a feednseed as a week old chick. She has shown no symptoms and continued laying in spite of being in close proximity to (including lodging,) eating, and drinking after her infected companions. None of her daughters have shown symptoms either, and all have continued to lay. One other unrelated hen had symptoms (rasping only) and I treated her with oregano oil only. She promptly was symptom free and started laying again right after she was done w her chicks (none of whom have shown symptoms either.) This hen was also completely exposed. There were a couple of other hens who have had wheezing only that are part of this group (which eats off the land more) that I tx'ed w oregano oil only also, and they recovered, but haven't started laying, but one was broody and had her eggs stolen, the other still has chicks in tow.
The 9 semi-feral young chickens which are about 4 months old at this point have shared living quarters with these plus 2 roos that caught it: one was recovering after taking heroic measures by using oregano oil, only to fall to a predator; the other I shot with Tylan 50 because I was too exhausted to fight him and force the oil on him day after day. Anyway, the 9 have not developed any symptoms, even after sharing food, water, and sleeping space with infected chickens sneezing in close proximity.
The ones who have had the most difficulty have been those that I housed the original new chickens with. There were 6 new ones. Out of those, one was possibly already sick and barely showed symptoms, but was light and listless and died within a couple of weeks after I discovered the malady. The one who originally brought it in that had the necrotic tell-tale coryza smell never showed any other symptoms and doesn't have the smell much anymore, but still has some mucus discharge, it appears. One other developed a nasal discharge only. The other 3 show no signs.
Of my own that I boarded them with, several have had symptoms ranging from wheeze/rattles to eyes swollen shut. I've seen sites saying babies don't get it, but I had some 6 week old chicks in another part of that coop that have shown symptoms; 2/8 have died, I gave Tylan 50 shots to 3 or 4 and they have recovered if I caught it in time. Of the larger, I used either acv/oregano oil/colloidal silver only, Tylan 50 only, or in one case, a combination of the 2. The major difference between the two groups is that the ones that got sick first, got the sickest, and have taken the longest to recover are the ones that stay closest to home, eat mostly corn, and tend to lounge in the shade of the house and automobiles rather than venture off in search of forage. I've ended up having to use the Tylan on at least 3 of these that I had tried treating with oregano oil (but ran out of patience, because the chu are not on board with that method at all. They will take the silver more willingly, but the oil seems more effective than the silver. The ones I used silver only on I ended up having to give shots to.
The Tylan 50 is clearly the more effective remedy short term. As much as I despise having to use commercial antibiotics, it's easy to understand now why large scale livestock producers use them prophylactically. The acv/oregano oil and/or colloidal silver is fine if you are dealing with a couple of babies and committed to cuddling them and watching their progress several times a day, but it doesn't eliminate the spread completely the way I was doing it, letting them out and allowing them to put themselves to bed in the evening, having to go to work, etc.. However, I can see that if you are committed to sticking to it, it is very effective for keeping the disease from progressing to the point where the eyes puff and crust over, the nose cheese runs, and the final collapse if left untreated. Being able to free range over a wooded area, while fraught with peril on account of predators, seems to make a huge difference in the ability to resist and recover.
Time will tell what its effectiveness is overall. I will purchase some lime as soon as I am able to put down around their night coops and inside. I understand that most people that write on the subject don't believe this is curable and that all my survivors will be carriers. Since I've learned from experience that most people don't write from their own experience what the facts are, but rather what they have read or been told, I have to find out for myself whether or not this is true. I may end up eating crow, and have had my fair share of it already, but please don't wag a finger at me over not killing off my flock, because they are not in danger of spreading it, and from the number of people that write in about it, there is sufficient prevalence that if you get chickens from anywhere that gets chickens from anywhere else, you run a risk of encountering this. With that being said, I hope there are a few people out there that have found doing this the hard way can be successful and I hope to hear from you.
Good luck.
