Coryza... Do I have to kill my whole flock?!

[rosath]

Hello guys,

I've had my flock since 3 months and took well care of them. I pet them everyday for hours at a time. They're basically my flock of cats to me.

I brought a newcommer home yesterday. I made a big mistake. I was trusting the raiser and I didn't know about infectious chicken diseases.

Turns out the newcommer has coryza. She has every symptoms she's supposed to have.

The raiser knew... she told me her flock had a ''cold'' but that she thought this one was fine so she didn't tell me anything.

She slept all night with my flock, on top of them.

I quarantined her and did everything I could to sanitize the coop abd water source.

How infectious is coryza? Im so worried... i don't want to put down my babies. But I do want more chicks in the future and neighbors have chicks...

Please help

 

[cavemanrich]

You may just have to deal with it and cure your birds if they develop it. Here is a link to some information that may be helpful. I never had that disease in my flock in 20 years chicken keeping.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/82/infectious-coryza/

 

[Eggcessive]

You should take her back or put her down. She will always be a carrier her whole life (if she has coryza.) Or you could spend the money to have her sent to the state vet for a necropsy to confirm the disease, or ease your mind if it is not. Exposure to infectious coryza can cause symptoms to show up within just a few days. If she did not share water and food, or pass droppings all over, they possibly could be safe. I would clean the droppings if any, and disinfect the feeders and waterers. That is a big problem to those who want certain breeds, or to expand their flock. I have only done that once or twice, and was lucky. So many people can bring in diseases by buying started or adult birds.

 

[rosath]

You may just have to deal with it and cure your birds if they develop it. Here is a link to some information that may be helpful. I never had that disease in my flock in 20 years chicken keeping.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/82/infectious-coryza/

They say it can't cured though, and chickens will be carrier for life :'( I don't want all my chickens to be sick, forever...

Thank you for your link.

You should take her back or put her down. She will always be a carrier her whole life (if she has coryza.) Or you could spend the money to have her sent to the state vet for a necropsy to confirm the disease, or ease your mind if it is not. Exposure to infectious coryza can cause symptoms to show up within just a few days. If she did not share water and food, or pass droppings all over, they possibly could be safe. I would clean the droppings if any, and disinfect the feeders and waterers. That is a big problem to those who want certain breeds, or to expand their flock. I have only done that once or twice, and was lucky. So many people can bring in diseases by buying started or adult birds.

I'm taking the poor thing back tomorrow. I just pray that the other ones won't get it. They were in exposure for 24 hours. Feeders, waters and feces altogether. Even the damn house cat got in contact with her.

I had to go to work and didn't get the time to even properly disinfect yet.

I can't believe I was such a fool! I'm so mad at myself.

So I guess there's no other way than disinfecting and hoping, uh?

How bad is it if I keep them and add flocks over the time? I don't plan on selling chickens, but I do plan to eat eggs. And do you guys think I have to medicate them often? Will they have higher chances of deaths? Really, how bad is it?

I love them but don't want to spoil the future of the other generations.

 

[ChuSayBok]

I found myself in a similar situation under similar circumstances. The guy I got the sick bird from told me he would hit his whole flock with Tylan 50, which was little consolation. Apparently he had seen this before and still sold me exposed birds, which I will not do, but I don't have the heart to cull, at least not yet. It's been a painful learning experience. Coryza bacteria does not pass through the eggs, I am told.

Here is my story for what it's worth: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/surviving-infectious-coryza.1187396/

I wish you the best, love to hear how it goes.