Sick Rooster? - Bad Eye / Cough

[preacher1]

I just bought a barred rock rooster Friday evening, he is supposed to be around ten months old. Didn't notice anything Friday evening but I noticed one of its eyes was closed the next morning and now it is covered whitish / yellow, he stands around a lot of the time fluffed up and makes some occasional noise, maybe a cough or sneeze. I put him with the hens yesterday morning before I realized he wasn't well, usually keep separated longer but this time I didn't. I have taken him back out this evening and have him isolated. He seems to be eating and drinking, moves around pretty good if you get around him or another chicken pecks at him. Below are a couple of photos of his eye. Any suggestions on what should be done? Should I be concerned with the hens he was with since yesterday? Thanks for your help.

 

[iwiw60]

Can you get a real closeup pic? Almost looks like it could be coryza.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, I would be concerned because he looks like he has pus in his eye. Coryza may be likely, especially if you smell a rotten odor from him, but it could be a bad strain of MG, or another bacterial infection. He brought his infection from the previous owners' place. Chickens can also get infected at poultry swaps by other people's chickens and then bring it home to your chickens.Some people will cull birds for these respiratory infections (especially coryza,) while others will medicate with Tylan 50 injectible for MG and a combination of Sulfadimethoxine or Sulmet in the water, and Tylan 50 injections or given orally, for coryza. Personally, I would send this guy off to the state vet to be put down and necropsied to see what he has exactly. Read this link on diseases for symptoms: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[preacher1]

Thanks for the responses. Should I do any preventative treatment to the others or just wait to see if any symptoms show?

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you notice a bad odor? I don't think that you can give a preventative antibiotic treatment to keep them from getting infected. I would only treat them if they have symptoms, and then I would also separate them from the others. Keeping waterers and feeders clean, and the use of probiotics may help to build up resistance and keep things from spreading, but most everything will spread in droppings. Let's hope that you don't see any more infections, though. Coryza symptoms can show up between 1 to 3 days after exposure, where MG can show up within 6-10 days of exposure. Once you have an outbreak of either of these diseases in your flock, all flock members can be carriers, so that is why a large flock owner will cull sick birds, and either incinerate them or bury them very deeply. Here are some good articles on both diseases:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/82/infectious-coryza
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...ction-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens
http://umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

 

[preacher1]

There is no odor. I just spoke with person I purchased rooster from. Said there was no other birds in the flock showing symptoms of being sick. Said this rooster had just been in a fight with other roosters and that could have hurt his eye. Could damage to an eye in fight set up an infection causing the eye to look like this?

 

[Eggcessive]

There may have been an injury with infection, but some respiratory infections look like this. If you believe an injury is the problem, then I would contact your vet to get the strongest antibiotics to treat it. But I would also keep him away from the others, and use good biosecurity measures in between him and your flock. New birds should always be in quarantine for at least a month so diseases don't spread to a healthy flock. If any others become sick, and I hope not, then I would treat for MG or cull.

 

[preacher1]

Thanks again for the responses. I'm thinking it is a respiratory problem, still making some funny noises and looks to have a runny nose. I have isolated him and started him on antibiotics, duramycin 10, today, we'll see if this helps him.. I'm hoping that he's not passed anything along to the hens, at this point they show no symptoms of being sick. I knew to keep him separated from the others until I made sure he was healthy, wouldn't you know the time I get in a hurry would be the time I get a sick one.

 

[Eggcessive]

Even if he ceases having symptoms of the respiratory disease, he will still be a carrier, so your others will be at risk. There are vaccines available for MG, but it's best to get testing done to be sure of the disease, and the strains of those diseases in your state or area. Your state vet's office may be of help. It would also be a good idea to clean his eye with saline, and remove any visible pus. Neosporin (plain) or Terramycin ointment applied to the eye twice a day may also help.

 

[Michael Apple]

Egg gave some good advice, but if you can quarantine the bird in a comfortable area away from other birds, treat him and see if there's improvement. If the person you bought him from isn't full of BS, and the bird got in a peck fight, he could have an infection due to injuries. Sulmet is an effective antibacterial that is available at most feed stores. If you treat the bird with 1 tablespoon per gallon of water, and you don't see the symptoms improve in 3 days, then it likely isn't Coryza (a symptom of Chronic respiratory Disease). Tylan soluble powder would be better than Duramycin 10 to treat for a respiratory infection. Make a fresh solution of medicated water each morning, and don't let the bird drink anything else.

If you see improvement with the use of Sulmet do a complete treatment for a total of 7 days and keep us posted on the rooster's condition. After any treatment of medication, you'll need to supplement water with vitamin-probiotic soluble powder. Vitamins,Electrolytes "Plus" and Old Stone Fort are both an excellent brand of supplements. Not all respiratory infections are viral, so don't be too quick to assume it is. Just keep the rooster quarantined and watch for any other birds that could develop symptoms which were contact with that rooster. Like I said, keep us posted and we'll help the best we can.