Did the impossible

[cldineley]

Two weeks ago I bought 2 4 1/2 month old BR hens. During the trip back one got poked in the eye. I started washing the eye out and putting neosporin on it, but it kept getting worse. Then I notice they had lice and mice and treated them for that and it worked. Then both hens started to get bubbles in their eye and wheezing , so I cleaned the eyes out everyday and still they got worse. I then started them on duramycin and still got worse. Today I decided it was enough and had my husband put them down. I'm sad. This is my first attempt at raising chickens. I have a BR roo and some kind of game hen and hope they don't get what the others had. They are not showing any signs, and they were not housed together and I know that is no guarantee they wont get it. I don't know their history since they adopted my yard during the winter. I only wanted a couple more hens for pets and of course their eggs. Will this cause problems in the future if I decide to get more hens? I only have the 2 chickens and would like to add 2 more.

 

[Chickengal505]

Wow okay so the weazing and bubbles in the eye could be one of two thing a respetory infection or a nasal cavaty deforomaty (Nasal deformaltys are very rare and unlikeley, I have a rooster with a deformaly but he also has an eye deformaty and is blind in one eye) I dont think that this will effect any future hens

probibly they had this problem before you got them.

 

[cldineley]

They both looked fine when I got them, but went downhill fast within a couple of days. I called the woman I got them from and she said she has had no problems with the eyes or wheezing and no lice or mites in her flock. I don't think they got anything from my chickens since they have had no signs of illness and no lice or mites, because I cheeked them right after I found them on the new ones, and treated them at the same time as the others. I know I will not be buying any more chickens from her. I'm not getting anymore hens for a little while. The one hen I have is a game hen and read that they are very broody and her eggs are fertile from my roo, so I hope when it gets warmer that maybe she'll decide to hatch some so I can get some that way. My husband will not let me have an incubator and says the only way I'm going to hatch eggs is if she does it herself .

 

[Chickengal505]

Ya sorry there where a lot of spelling errors in my other post. How where the hens transported? They could have been allegic to somthing in pen/transport device. There is no way two hens contracted mites this quickly and the former owner said none of the others had them. She's lying. And resptory things dont come on this quickly ether.

 

[honeydoll]

I agree with chicken gal. If they were infested with lice then they had them when you got them. It sounds like you were given two already unhealthy birds. In transport they can be nervous and you may not have noticed any signs of illness then, or it could have been brewing but not noticable yet. There is the possibility the owner was unaware of the problem. I have read many posts on here where chickens are infested before people notice the lice problem. Anyway, it will probably be ok for future hens, I would wait two weeks to make sure your other two are not sick and then I would get more. Just do a thorough check for lice next time. Look under wings and by vent area. As for as the bubbly eyes and nose, that can be a very serious illness to a mild one gone on too long. Without testing you will never really know. Probably a wise decision to cull them and keep your others healthy. Just give it 2-3 weeks and see if your others are sick, if not I would get more. That way if it is a serious illness your new chickens won't get it and keep passing it around, which can become a nightmare very fast. Having chickens is lots of fun so just play it safe and you will be able to enjoy them so much more. Good luck!

 

[cldineley]

They were transported in a cardboard box. My chickens still don't have any lice or mites but I've treated them just to make sure and no signs of illness. That was my first time buying chickens and I guess we all make mistakes. I just didn't expect them to get sick like that and that nothing I did helped them. I have learned a lot reading other peoples post here and I'm glad I found this place. I am going to wait awhile before I even think about getting anymore. I don't know if that lady was lying or not but I wont buy from here again. I told her that the chickens were sick so now she can do what ever she wants with that information.

 

[ChickyLaura]

Oh no! So sorry that you're first experience buying chickens was so bad! But I do agree, I'm sure the lice were there before you bought them. What a shame, but you did get a crash course on nursing chickens... I just had an experience myself that didn't turn out so well with one of my own sick hens. It sounds like you did everything you could to help them, but at the same time you didn't let them suffer and did what needed to be done.

Could you buy some chicks from a local feed store or Tractor Supply? The minimum you can buy is 6, at least where I live. I've had good luck with the chicks that I bought there.

 

[radiodog]

The lice & mites...the bubbly eyes & wheezing did not suddenly pop up due to transport or from a cardboard box. No way; no how. I bet the woman you purchased the hens from is scrambling to treat her birds..if she cares at all.

The hens probably had chronic respiratory disease that takes a long time to get rid of, but never truly goes away; the hens would have been carriers for life - infecting any new birds you brought into your flock. The stress of transport & a new home brought it to the surface, but the birds had it when you purchased them. You had a choice..to continue to treat the birds & hope for the best or to do what you did and start over. It's a hard decision. I know cause I've been there.

Don't purchase birds from just anybody...try to find someone that has a nice set up. Clean coops, waterers & feeders clean..birds that look lively and happy. Birds just don't just sit around...they are busy, curious critters.

New birds should be in qt or separate from your home birds for several weeks...any illnesses should surface in the first few weeks due to the stress of rehoming. To be absolutely safe, purchase chicks from a farm store...its fun to raise chicks...messy but fun.

Good luck!