Overwhelmed dying chicks

[posey]

Can anyone help?
I have been posting this week about my sick chicks. We have been running and gamet of guess what's wrong.

I lost a Silkie chick on Tuesday night. She couldn't walk and had a swollen left side of face and shut eye with clear liquid coming out of it. This chick was fine when we brought her home on June 13th. In fact they all were fine. However, this chick and one other one were smaller than the others. The Silkie died that night. I was giving her duramycin in her water and have been medicating the whole flock.

The next day I discovered another chick who walked like she was drunk.

State U saw a photo of the 2nd chick and thought she had been bitten by fire ants. I did have an ant problem in the coop but I wasn't certain it was fire ants. We got that handled. I took out two very small nests beside coop that were just getting started and I haven't seen an ant since.

My little baby that I'd been nursing since Wed (number 2), who was responding really well, died during the night.

Today I discovered an Australorp with weird eyes and walking very unsteady. I checked out her feet and don't see any ant bites. This make number 3.

The chicks are 6 weeks old today. Any guesses as to what is going on? Is it normal to loose chicks like this?

I don't know what to do next.

Help!

 

[chickenchickenbulkbulk]

I don't have a clue. I just hate it that you and your chickens are going through this. I hope you find out what is going on.

 

[Brindlebtch]

You might change antibiotic to Sulmet or stronger since the duramycin doesn't seem to be taking care of it. That is what I would do.

 

[posey]

Thanks for the posts

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
What did you use to "take out the ants"? If you used poison, perhaps some could have gotten into the coop? Hopefully someone who knows more than me about specific chicken diseases will see this and respond.

 

[posey]

ant mounds: baking soda and vinegar only, it worked great


I just discovered 3 or 4 more birds with little bubbles in their eyes and discharge from their nostrils.

How do I know if it's just a simple respiratory thing or if it is MG?

They have all been on duramycin since Tuesday afternoon.

Help!!

 

[KellyHM]

You need to put them on Tylan. Sulmet is for coccidia, not respiratory infections. It's possible that it's MG, but no way to know unless you have them tested. A lot of flocks carry it without their owners knowing b/c it doesn't show up unless the birds are really stressed. Tylan should still clear it up, but you may have to worry about carriers if that's what it is...still no way to know unless you have them tested. If they don't have it at your local feed store you can buy it at www.jefferspet.com. Good luck.

 

[posey]

Kelly:
When you say tested what exactly do you mean?

The Tylan is not available anywhere around here I live in rual america.

I looked at the website you linked to, what form should I buy? Powder, injectable? I don't know how or where to give an injection but I'm a quick learner if someone would tell me what to do.

Yes, I'm worried about MG too. What is the difference between MG and CRD?

Thanks for helping
Posey

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
The powder is the easiest. MG = CRD. You can call the state and have them test the flock for MG if you're worried about it. It's usually not a fatal disease in older birds, but any birds who overcome it have the potential to become carriers and have flare-ups when they're stressed...which is why it's called CRD.