Expect to kill my flock! :((

[ESofVA]

My chickens have Infectious Bronchitis and from what I have read, I am expectiong to have to kill any birds that I need for laying eggs, roosters that I need for reproduction. Some have been worse than others, I lost quite a few to begin with (Ithought at first they had colds) and some have never shown any symptoms. Any new chicks coming in and those I already have in the garage will be vaccinated as I know it is highly contagious.
I am keeping 4 bantams already out as I am not really concerned about eggs or chicks from them and figure if my new ones are vaccinated, the bantams can't pass it on.
What I really need to know is that would it do any good to vaccinate any birds in the flock that have shown no symptoms or not take the chance??? If all of the new chicks coming in are vaccinated, how long should I wait before turning them in to the pen where the others have been? How ell does the vaccination work? I had planned on only keeping 3 from the main flock anyway. I have younger ones that are about that are 2 months old (the oldest ones are 4 months old) and had planned to keep 6 of those. So, although it is a loss, it could have been worse.
Thanks!!
debbie

 

[cubalaya]

where did the birds come from? a chicken swap?

 

[FlyHigher]

I am a newbie, but I would try to answer some of your questions.

What I really need to know is that would it do any good to vaccinate any birds in the flock that have shown no symptoms or not take the chance???

-- Yes, I'm pretty sure it would work.

If all of the new chicks coming in are vaccinated, how long should I wait before turning them in to the pen where the others have been?

-- at least a week AFAIK

How ell does the vaccination work?

-- From my experience, IB vaccine works pretty well.

Hope someone here can come up with much better ideas.

 

[ESofVA]

where did the birds come from? a chicken swap?

My first ones I bought at various farm stores but they were fine. The last ones I bought from Cackleberry and those were fine. The ones infected...a few from the oldest to the newest (this is not counting the ones in my garage)...came from a local man at his house that I thought was raising his own. I found out the the last time I got chicks from him that he had gotten them at an auction in Delaware. Those that I got from him the last time he had JUST gotten for me in PA. Of course those came in with coccidiosis that showed up 5 days later and infected all of my chicks in the garage. I lost 5 of the 8 chicks of the last ones I got from him. BUT...at least I can treat that and they will be clean. The ones in there now are on the mend.
Now I am afraid of getting almost anything other from a hatchery and I would like to replace a few that I am losing with a bit better than hatchery quality. So NOW here to get chicks!!!
Certainly no more from him and what about all of those people that buy LOTS of chicks from him. Every time I have been to his house he has 3-4 3x4 tubs full of new babies and no telling how many he is buying and selling in between!
Note that my babies in the garage have not been exposed to the ones outside in the pen.


PS...He gets almost ALL of them from there!!!

 

[cubalaya]

i always quarantine new birds away from my flock

 

[ESofVA]

i always quarantine new birds away from my flock

I did with the last set that are in my garage and at the time I bought the the older ones and got them home and settled and then started showing signs, I just thought they had colds. I know LOTS about small mammals (MS and research studies in those)...but when it comes to other animals, I just don't know that much. Getting them as chicks I didn't think of quarentine. I haven't had chickens in about 35 years and we never worried then, no problems. I did think of it with the last chicks. Now I worry about where to get new chicks to replace the ones I would like to. I want chicks better than hatchery but not necessarily show quality because I have no desire to show. In other words, if it is supposed to have 5 toes, I want them all there!! If they are supposed to have pea combs, I don't ones with single ones!! I have had nothing but worries since I got chickens again!!
We built a new house and out buildings on 6 1/2 acres and moved in last November. We built everything new or had the building shipped in....like Amish built ones. My husband built the chicken coup himself, and now it is of course infected!!
Just lots of frustration!!! As well as being upset!!
debbie

 

[NovaAman]

Oh gracious! Seems like this guy really did you raw didn't he. So sorry! Do you really have to kill off the birds? I mean, I honestly do not know or I wouldn't ask. Is it like MG where they are carriers for life if you don't cull them?

 

[ESofVA]

From what I have read, they will be carriers for life. The virus not only causes cold like symptoms but damages internal organs...like reproductive organs...which is something I had never dreamed of.

This is one of the sites where I found a picture:

http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2010/05/11/painful-chicken-lesson/

and the picture that is on that web page. This is NOT my picture.

 

[NovaAman]

Oh that is just awful. So very sorry for you.

 

[Roxannemc]

I am a newbie, but I would try to answer some of your questions.

What I really need to know is that would it do any good to vaccinate any birds in the flock that have shown no symptoms or not take the chance???

-- Yes, I'm pretty sure it would work.

If all of the new chicks coming in are vaccinated, how long should I wait before turning them in to the pen where the others have been?

-- at least a week AFAIK

How ell does the vaccination work?

-- From my experience, IB vaccine works pretty well.

Hope someone here can come up with much better ideas.

Dont know about birds but i assume its the same......Most ppl type vaccines dont take effect right away .Takes 2 weeks
Body has to put out antibodies to build up to resist to the germ.
So older ones you vaccinate i would keep them apart from the others new ones for at least 2 weeks.That is my guess..... ONLY a guess.
I dont know about this bird disease per se but If it were me .I would call a vet and see how long to keep them separated until it takes effect. Why take a chance
.AND the well looking older ones could still be incubating the diease too and still get it...so i would for sure wait to put them together for a while.
GOOD LUCK,