[hillfooter]

Yes as you now no doubt know this is a respiratory infection probably a mycoplasma gallescepticum infection (Chronic Respiratory Disease) and nothing to do with dusty straw.  Chx don't have the common cold and I've never heard of hay fever in chickens.  MG is a chronic disease which your birds will be carriers of and you shouldn't breed from them.  This disease is also known as stress disease because it is brought on by stress, moving birds. moulting, heat or maybe even dusty straw can cause an outbreak of the infection which they are carrying.  You will need to manage them well to reduce stress but expect that there will be future outbreaks.  The antibiotics will only help control the outbreak symptoms but won't cure the disease.  If you have any birds left with rattley breathing after they have been treated with Baytril it might be best to cull them as they will be a source of future problems.  Don't mix such birds with healthy stock.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you can also ask your vet for advice on future care too.

HF

[Sooz]

They went down with it last Thursday - 5 out of 6 of my original birds.
The Saturday prior to this, we bought two new POL birds from a reputable seller.  He only sells chickens and has a wonderful set up.  I noticed in the Tuesday that one of the newbies had a bit of a sneeze, but put it down to the stress of the move.  The newbies have been kept separate from the oldies, but in a run within the main chicken area, so they can see one another.  The idea was to integrate them in a few weeks.
I think now that they caught something from the newbie.  However newbie is not actually poorly at all.  What do you think?

[hillfooter]

I think the new birds are carriers and the stress of the move has brought on the symptoms.  They can be carriers without showing any signs of the disease but once they start showing symptoms they will start to become infectious.

It's possible that your breeder would not have even known they were infected and they may never have shown any symptoms when with him.  Particularly if he (she) bought the stock in rather than breeding it.

You should have quarentined any new birds for about 3 weeks before exposing them to your existing birds.  However it's easily done and I've done it myself when I was a new inexperienced keeper and introduced this disease causing me to lose some of my old birds before I identified the culprit and culled her.

Best of luck
HF

[Sooz]

The supplier is the breeder.  He did check each bird over before selling them to us.
Ha!  The voice of experience - we thought keeping them there and in a seperate coop (a large converted rabbit hutch) who be suffice.  

The good news is - they all came running out this morning when I let them out.  That's the first time since this all began.
I gave Rosie a neat dose of Baytril yesterday, syringed into her mouth.  I think that has done the trick.  Just need to get them laying again - Yodina & Ginge did give it a try yesterday - they were sitting side by side in the nesting box - but nothing.

Gladys has gone into full moult.  She was eggbound about 5 weeks ago and was proper poorly.  Gunk from her rear end for days! She was hospitalised in my kitchen and a seperate run for days.  I thought she was a gonna - but she pulled through.  Then this!
I'm not surprised she has now decided to moult!!