Help please I have a hen that can't hold her head up and head keeps twitching to one side

I have been dealing with some kind of respiratory issue in my flock for two weeks now. 8 birds have come down with different symptoms such as labored breathing, swollen eyes and face,discharge from nostrils and very lethargic. I have taken multiple samples from my vet to the local poultry commission and they keep telling my what it isn't but still no word what my birds do have. Friday my 9th bird came down sick and she is the only one with the head cocked to one side and twitching. I have 3 possibilities and I just really need to get some feed back and a direction to start SOME kind of treatment. First it could be an inner ear infection or bad sinus infection caused by whatever illness I have going on. If it is that how to I treat it?
Second I sprayed Vikron S in the coop 2 days ago to try and disinfect my coop so no more chickens would get sick. So do it need to treat her for possible provisioning? Third neurological effects from some disease that is going through my flock?
All my birds have been on Tylan to prevent a secondary infection. This bird with the head issue has been on it now for 2 days.
I would really appreciate any advise. So far none of my birds have died and I really don't want this one to die. THANK YOU!!!!

My goodness, this sounds like a really serious strain of respiratory disease with the wry neck symptoms. I'm pretty sure that MG, coryza, fowl cholera, ILT, and of course, avian influenza can cause those symptoms and wry neck. Exotic Newcastles disease is supposedly not present in the US, but it can cause this also, except you would probably be seeing a lot of deaths. As you probably know these diseases are all chronic, and every member of the flock will be carriers. You must close your flock to any new birds, and not sell or give away birds or hatching eggs in the future. Culling really would be the best thing, but please get one of your birds necropsied by the state vet to find out if they have one or maybe even two different diseases which is common. I would bet if you mentioned to the state vet that you suspect avian influenza, they would test your birds for free. Here is a contact number for your state vet and a link about the diseases: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/states/arkansas.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

I have been dealing with the Arkansas poultry commission for 2 weeks now. The have tested for avian influenza, Laryngotracheitis, fowl cholera, MG, MS , coryza and infectious bronchitis and all have tested negative. So they have told me everything it isn't but not what it is. I have not been able to visit with them about the new bird and the head issue. Plan on doing that Monday. Just wish I could do something for her now

On the closed flock, most of my chickens are almost 5 years old except for the ones I have hatched out over the years. I have not added any new birds. I do not sell birds or hatching eggs. I have my flock simply as pets? I am really big on bio security and i do not have anyone that comes around my birds that has other birds. That's why I'm really confused where this has come from. The only thing I have problems with is the wild birds coming in and eating my chickens food. Maybe that is where this respiratory thing has come from.

This might help it's by global herbs

arkansaschicks said:

I have been dealing with the Arkansas poultry commission for 2 weeks now. The have tested for avian influenza, Laryngotracheitis, fowl cholera, MG, MS , coryza and infectious bronchitis and all have tested negative. So they have told me everything it isn't but not what it is. I have not been able to visit with them about the new bird and the head issue. Plan on doing that Monday. Just wish I could do something for her now

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arkansaschicks said:

On the closed flock, most of my chickens are almost 5 years old except for the ones I have hatched out over the years. I have not added any new birds. I do not sell birds or hatching eggs. I have my flock simply as pets? I am really big on bio security and i do not have anyone that comes around my birds that has other birds. That's why I'm really confused where this has come from. The only thing I have problems with is the wild birds coming in and eating my chickens food. Maybe that is where this respiratory thing has come from.

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When they were tested, had you treated any of them with antibiotics beforehand, which could have affected the results? It sounds like you have really been through a lot. I think that I might sacrifice one of the sickest birds to send in for a necropsy by the state vet, and maybe then you would get an answer.

The tests were run on the first and the third chicken that came down sick. Both were NOT on antibiotics when they were tested.

If your birds have been tested and results are negative,then you have to start ruling out other causes. Have you switched feed or bedding,have you given any new food/herbs/etc. Reason i am asking about these items is in dogs/cats/etc allergic reactions present with respiratory symptoms/wheezing/inflamed ears/ear infections/skin issues/etc.


Basically have you added or done anything different in the last month with your birds.

Have they been eating/drinking,what does their poop look like? Have they been checked for mites/lice/worms/poultry ticks(i have have been seeing many issues with poultry ticks recently)you have to rule out everything. Have you used any pesticides/sprayed plants/grass/etc with any products?

So sorry that you are dealing with this. It sounds like you have done everything right to get testing, and Tylan is one of the best drugs to treat MG. Sulfadimethoxine (Albon, Di-Methox, or Sulfamed-G) is a sulfa/antibiotic that treats coryza along with intestinal diseases. I haven't dealt with these diseases before other than reading about them, but I know they can come back again and again. Culling is sometimes the best way to get rid of disease, and waiting for a couple of months after disinfection and cleaning of the coop, to get more healthy chickens. It's tough when you can't get a diagnosis, though. Could mold be a problem? Aspergillosis can cause a lot of problems. I wish that I could help you more. Maybe someone else will have a suggestion.

Ten chicks- allergies was what I thought at first. My first chicken to get sick was in a brooder area of my coop with 4 2week old chicks. Her first symptom was one side of her face was swollen up. I thought she was having a reaction to the pine shavings. That's when the runny nose and labored breathing started and the chicks all got it minus the swollen face. I knew I was dealing with a virus when every day a new adult chicken came down sick. I haven't changed anything from the normal routine for years. Everyone gets dusted regularly for mites and wormed every 6 months. My chickens free range on about 3 acres. I have 3 different coops that are completely separate. Not a single one of my other chickens in the other two areas have come down sick. Also no one else in the one coop has come down sick since I sprayed the Vikron S on Friday. The poultry commission wants me to get the last chicken to get sick swabbed and they want to run the tests again. So maybe this time we might figure something out.

I just really wish I could help the chicken with the head issue. I just keep thinking it's an inner ear infection. I had a cat that got an inner ear infection and she was fine and the next minute her head was hanging to one side and she was spinning in circles. I am going to the vet in a couple of hours so hopefully I'll have some answers.