Whole Flock Sick, May Need to Start Over -- Advice Needed

[Sparrow-Song]

So, recently in this thread I made a post about one of our roosters, Cheeto, who was exhibiting symptoms of a respiratory illness. Well, we took him to the vet, and they said it was likely CRD. This was really heartbreaking, as he's one of my very favorites, a sweet and very handsome boy. But it wasn't all. We'd been worried for some time about the rest of his hens, as well, and for all of the hens in our various flocks, because they had barely been laying. Combined with Cheeto's symptoms, it seems pretty likely that everyone has CRD.

We're not strictly a commercial flock, but we do have a small egg laying business, and we can't really afford this many chickens without the money from selling eggs. We now have more than 30 chickens and get about 5 eggs a day.

I don't know what to do, because I really don't want to get rid of any of them. Especially Cheeto's flock, as his hens are my favorites and two of them have occasionally laid green eggs with brown AND BLUE speckles. I have never seen or heard of anything like that and I was really hoping to get some chicks with those genes. But CRD can be passed down to chicks.

Not to mention the idea that we might have to get rid of all of our chickens entirely. I've raised most of them and our flocks have been with us for years. Plus we currently have 4 chicks that were hatched this summer in various stages of growth, including Sesame, who is only a few weeks old. It would be awful especially for them.

But I can't think of anything else to do. It isn't responsible to keep them if they are sick; we have raptors that live in our area and wild birds passing through when the chickens free range, not to mention our neighbor who also owns chickens. They won't ever fully get better and will always be carriers. I am at a loss here and I was hoping someone might have some advice or at least be able to commiserate about this kind of situation.

Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

What are all of the symptoms you have seen in your sick birds? Did your vet check for any specific disease? Getting a culture on a bird with symptoms, or sacrificing a sick bird to let your state vet do a necropsy and testing, then you would know which disease you are seeing. There are several chronic respiratory diseases including MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum,) infectious bronchitis, coryza and ILT. Are you treating with an antibiotic that treats MG, such as Tylsoin/Tylan, oxytetracycline or Denagard? In a flock with MG, you may see some sick birds, but not all are going to show symptoms. I would close the flock to new birds, and not ever rehome or sell birds or hatching eggs. Many backyard flocks may have been exposed to a respiratory disease by bringing in a carrier or by wild birds visiting the feeders and waterers. It is not the end of the world, and once the symptoms go away, they may lay good eggs for years to com.

 

[2 Acres]

What are all of the symptoms you have seen in your sick birds? Did your vet check for any specific disease? Getting a culture on a bird with symptoms, or sacrificing a sick bird to let your state vet do a necropsy and testing, then you would know which disease you are seeing. There are several chronic respiratory diseases including MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum,) infectious bronchitis, coryza and ILT. Are you treating with an antibiotic that treats MG, such as Tylsoin/Tylan, oxytetracycline or Denagard? In a flock with MG, you may see some sick birds, but not all are going to show symptoms. I would close the flock to new birds, and not ever rehome or sell birds or hatching eggs. Many backyard flocks may have been exposed to a respiratory disease by bringing in a carrier or by wild birds visiting the feeders and waterers. It is not the end of the world, and once the symptoms go away, they may lay good eggs for years to com.

You don't say where you are from (Unless I missed it). I believe H5N1 is very prevalent in the Midwest... around and West of the Mississippi river

There are several hatcheries that are working on vaccinations with European drug countries. MERK (spelling) is one of them.

And yes... wild "bird flu" causes contamination when common birds become carriers, and the droppings fall in the chickens drinking water.

I'm lucky to have my flock after last winter, because 30-40 sparrows tried to overwinter in my coop last year.

 

[Sparrow-Song]

What are all of the symptoms you have seen in your sick birds? Did your vet check for any specific disease? Getting a culture on a bird with symptoms, or sacrificing a sick bird to let your state vet do a necropsy and testing, then you would know which disease you are seeing. There are several chronic respiratory diseases including MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum,) infectious bronchitis, coryza and ILT. Are you treating with an antibiotic that treats MG, such as Tylsoin/Tylan, oxytetracycline or Denagard? In a flock with MG, you may see some sick birds, but not all are going to show symptoms. I would close the flock to new birds, and not ever rehome or sell birds or hatching eggs. Many backyard flocks may have been exposed to a respiratory disease by bringing in a carrier or by wild birds visiting the feeders and waterers. It is not the end of the world, and once the symptoms go away, they may lay good eggs for years to com.

Thank you for your reply!
They believe it is MG. I am not using an antibiotic as I don't know for sure without testing and I am against antibiotic use without that to prevent antibiotic resistance. Unfortunately none of the birds displaying symptoms are ones I'd be willing to sacrifice to a necropsy. Only Cheeto is really showing it. We definitely don't plan to introduce anyone new or to sell chickens knowing this.
Actually we believe it was introducing new chickens that caused the symptoms. I'm worried about infecting wild birds in the area causing us to have a cycle of infection.

The real problem is that the symptoms are prevalent in every single chicken. As I mentioned we have 30 chickens and get around 3-5 eggs a day. It has been a couple months since they stopped laying, though it's dropped even more dramatically lately.

Do you think the antibiotic would fix that? And would it be worth having chickens that could be carriers if it could lead to wild birds getting it and then giving it back?

 

[Sparrow-Song]

You don't say where you are from (Unless I missed it). I believe H5N1 is very prevalent in the Midwest... around and West of the Mississippi river

There are several hatcheries that are working on vaccinations with European drug countries. MERK (spelling) is one of them.

And yes... wild "bird flu" causes contamination when common birds become carriers, and the droppings fall in the chickens drinking water.

I'm lucky to have my flock after last winter, because 30-40 sparrows tried to overwinter in my coop last year.

I'm glad your flock is okay! We're based in NC. The vet thinks it may be MG but we are getting him tested soon so I'll have a more concrete response then.

 

[fowltemptress]

Unfortunately none of the birds displaying symptoms are ones I'd be willing to sacrifice to a necropsy.

The real problem is that the symptoms are prevalent in every single chicken.

I'm confused by these two disparate statements. Unless you mean you're not willing to sacrifice any of your birds?

 

[Eggcessive]

Again, can you describe the symptoms in your sick birds? Most of the time, all of the birds will not be showing symptoms, unless it is the virus, infectious bronchitis. But if they have swollen eyelids or bubbles/foam in one eye, that can be MG. Infectious bronchitis usually affects everyone over a few weeks with sneezing and mild congestion. The good thing about that one versus, MG, is that IB lasts several weeks and is gone. Chickens may be carriers for 5 months or so. Now, it is possible to have more than one disease at a time.

 

[Sparrow-Song]

I'm confused by these two disparate statements. Unless you mean you're not willing to sacrifice any of your birds?

Ah, sorry! That is confusing. Only Cheeto has been showing any respiratory symptoms, (though we have some others with poopy butts, which is why I'd initially used a plural, I think that's something else entirely and am treating with ACV), but all the hens in all flocks are barely laying at all. I had assumed it was snakes, but even the 6 foot long ones could not be eating that many; we'd been getting a dozen a day and now we get five. I had a chicken who had been isolated because she'd recently hatched some eggs. She'd begun laying again, about an egg a day. I reintroduced her before the rooster I mentioned started showing symptoms, and within a few days she stopped laying. I haven't gotten an egg from her in at least 5 days. So I know it's something like that. But none of them are showing symptoms like Cheeto.

 

[Sparrow-Song]

Again, can you describe the symptoms in your sick birds? Most of the time, all of the birds will not be showing symptoms, unless it is the virus, infectious bronchitis. But if they have swollen eyelids or bubbles/foam in one eye, that can be MG. Infectious bronchitis usually affects everyone over a few weeks with sneezing and mild congestion. The good thing about that one versus, MG, is that IB lasts several weeks and is gone. Chickens may be carriers for 5 months or so. Now, it is possible to have more than one disease at a time.

Symptoms for Cheeto have so far been wet/croaky breathing, though recently he's begun having raspy/wheezing moments. I noticed at one point some bubbles at the edge of his eye, but the next day they were gone, which is confusing and I don't really know what to make of it. He's still eating and drinking that I can tell, and still able to get up to his roost at night. He is molting most heavily out of our roosters, which is why I think the stress may have triggered him to show symptoms when no one else is. Rest of everyone is fine (noticed recently that two flocks have birds with poop on their butts but I do think that's unrelated and am treating with ACV) except the dramatic lack of egg laying. Our turkey, George, does pant to breathe a lot, but it's been hot and I'm at least 50% sure he has anxiety, so I wouldn't bank on him.
Thank you so much for your continued attention.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I had the same problem in my flock last year: most hens stopped laying before summer and a few were very sick but others are symptom free just not laying. I think it was LPAI. Luckily, every chicken survived and they are completely fine and lay well this year. I do have MG in my flock too, but it rarely causes any problem other than some sneezing. Antibiotics work great for treating MG, but nothing can really treat LPAI.