3 sick hens need advice

[CubbieFan88]

Hello, BYC!

So we have 10 hens and 3 of our girls are feeling a little under the weather. We just had some rare super cold temperatures for Houston with ice and snow for several days. Their heated coop is kept clean, water changed out, bedding replaced regularly, and they get no contact with any outside other critters. So I am at a loss where (besides the weather) they could have gotten sick. Autumn (speckled sussex), Plum (lavender orpington), and Marshmallow (Delaware) are all our sick ones. Marshmallow has one eye completely swollen shut with an occasional tear-drop like discharge (no smell), Plum has one cheek all sorts of puffy, and Autumn has no visible signs of anything wrong with her but was just generally sleepy and chill today. Marshmallow and Plum both yesterday had that same sleepy air about them, but today Plum's attitude was completely better despite same puffy cheek. Marshmallow's attitude was a little better but still kinda aloof. The other hens appear perfectly fine with nothing so far. I looked in our area for a veterinarian, but none of them take them. This is only day 2 of them being sick and as lame as this probably sounds I'm a little worried for our girls. We've been lucky so far and never had any chicken illnesses, so I am kind at a loss of what to do. We don't have a place we can quarantine them too. I'm wondering if this is anything serious or whatnot. They all three are still eating and drinking normally. I'm at a loss at what it could be. The more I read on the internet it seems it's either something light and will pass or as serious as our entire flock is about to be wiped out. Any insight or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kumquat]

Sorry to hear about your three hens I'd say its not lame at all to be concerned- it means you are an attentive and quickly recognize when something is amiss. Quick response can make all the difference in successful treatment.

I am a total novice, but I think there are a few things you can add to your post that will help those with more experience to assist you. 1) Please post current (since they have been sick) photos of the 3 hens. Close ups of effected areas (eyes and cheeks) as well as whole body profile shots that show how they are standing. 2) What do you feed: fed, treats, grit, oyster shells?

Take a look at the articles linked to this page- perhaps you will spot something that matches your chickens' symptoms. Also a symptom checker might be informative.
http://www.durhamhens.co.uk/Hen Health.html
http://www.poultrydvm.com/symptoms

Have you looked into Sinus Infections, Infectious Coryza and Coccidiosis? I could be totally off the mark, but these were the first ideas that sprung to mind based on your description.

 

[kumquat]

How are your hens doing today?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

one eye completely swollen shut with an occasional tear-drop like discharge...one cheek all sorts of puffy,...just generally sleepy and chill today...Their heated coop is kept clean, water changed out, bedding replaced regularly, and they get no contact with any outside other critters.

@kumquat has asked some great questions - along with answering those and some photos we may be able to give you better suggestions.

How long have you had these 3?
Have you added any new chickens within the last 30days?

Since you have 3 that are not feeling well - 1 swollen eye with discharge, one with facial swelling and another that is "off" - I would be inclined to think you are dealing with a respiratory illness. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

A few other things come to mind would be what type of heat are you using in the coop (lamp - what type of bulb), how much ventilation is in your coop -do you have the coop shut up tightly? Do the girls go outside into a run or outside enclosure?

 

[CubbieFan88]

How are your hens doing today?

Thanks for asking! The girls who were sick have started to improve mood & temperment-wise. We have a few new sick ones, but with the improvement of the other girls we are less nervous now. I have added apple cider vinegar & vitamins electrolytes to their water. And tomorrow we plan on doing a massive deep disinfect clean of their coop while all them get a sudsy Epsom salt bath to help clear it out. The more I research & look the most likely seems to be sinus infection.

 

[CubbieFan88]

@kumquat has asked some great questions - along with answering those and some photos we may be able to give you better suggestions.

How long have you had these 3?
Have you added any new chickens within the last 30days?

Since you have 3 that are not feeling well - 1 swollen eye with discharge, one with facial swelling and another that is "off" - I would be inclined to think you are dealing with a respiratory illness. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

A few other things come to mind would be what type of heat are you using in the coop (lamp - what type of bulb), how much ventilation is in your coop -do you have the coop shut up tightly? Do the girls go outside into a run or outside enclosure?

They have slits along the top walls by the roof as well as an always open door as ventilation. Their heat lamp is a standard heat lamp bulb like what you would put in a brooder. We've had these chickens since April when we got them in the mail as day old chicks. All of them are from the same batch. The more research I do the more it does point to sinus infection. I really feel I was all this cold weather we had because our girls dont get locked up in bad weather. We let them in & out as they please. Which I am regretting now because they spent those snowy wet days outside staying cold & damp. We do not have a poultry vet near us so we have to home treat. Any ideas on if it is sinus infection or respiratory how to treat at home?

 

[CubbieFan88]

Let me clarify, I do not normally bath my chickens. Never done it before but I saw a woman online in her blog suggest it as a way to help under the weather chickens. So I thought to give it a try.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We have a few new sick ones, but with the improvement of the other girls we are less nervous now. I have added apple cider vinegar & vitamins electrolytes to their water. And tomorrow we plan on doing a massive deep disinfect clean of their coop while all them get a sudsy Epsom salt bath to help clear it out....I really feel I was all this cold weather..Let me clarify, I do not normally bath my chickens. Never done it before but I saw a woman online in her blog suggest it as a way to help under the weather chickens. So I thought to give it a try.

You mention that you have a few new sick ones? If the symptoms are slowly moving through the flock (you're seeing more with swollen eyes/discharge, etc.) then most likely you are dealing with a respiratory illness, unless something in their environment like mold is the cause. Some common respiratory illnesses are Mycoplasma, Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Coryza and ILT - these are spread from bird to bird from mucous/discharge, dust dander, being housed together, etc. Birds that have recovered and been exposed will be carriers of the illness moving forward.

Since they seem to be getting better on their own? I would just keep watch on them, make sure they are eating/drinking well. Provide a good poultry vitamin and extra protein for a few days to give them a boost.

Do you have a link to the bathing sick chickens we can look at. Generally a chicken with respiratory illness should not be bathed. Save the epsom salts baths for when a hen is egg bound, has a prolapse or is having reproductive problems.

A chicken that is stressed can become symptomatic of respiratory illness, so I suppose cold weather could be a trigger, but they would have already been carriers of the illness in the first place. Getting cold/wet does not make a chicken sick in itself unless they have a predisposed condition or illness.

If the eyes are still closed and have a discharge, then clean them saline and apply an ophthalmic ointment like Vetericyn or Terramycin. You can also try something like VetRx to see if that helps give them some relief. If symptoms worsen then you may want to seek vet care. Some respiratory illnesses like Mycoplasma respond to antibiotics like Tylan50.

 

[CubbieFan88]

Update: So 8 out 10 chickens sick, but good news is 7 out of 8 are healing nicely and really shaping up well (including Marshmallow & Plum the original 2 to get sick). We disinfected their coop and run. Flushed all swollen eyes. Kept beaks and faces clean of any mucus like discharge. Alas our Autumn just isn't showing any signs of perking up. Which is baffling because she has no coughing, no dripping, no swelling. Nothing but the lethargy. Tried forcing her to eat and drink but she just wants to sleep. Hoping she takes a better turn soon. One of the only 2 to NOT get sick at all is my husband's favorite (Cleopatra the Egyptian Fayoumi)...which he claims is sheer spite and boss attitude on her part. I suspect it is because raptors can't get chicken diseases

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Autumn just isn't showing any signs of perking up. Which is baffling because she has no coughing, no dripping, no swelling. Nothing but the lethargy. Tried forcing her to eat and drink but she just wants to sleep.

I'm glad to hear that most are improving on their own. Most likely you are dealing with Infectious Bronchitis, but without testing there is no way to really know. Infectious Bronchitis is viral and can take several weeks to improve, unless complicated by infection. The virus does linger and can make the flock carriers of the illness for up to a year, so you will want to keep watch on any newbies that come into the flock - it's possible they could become symptomatic as well. If it happens to be mycoplasma, then the flock would be carriers for life.

It's concerning that Autumn is not getting well. What does her poop look like?
Sometimes being ill allows for other things to take hold as well. Is there any way for you to get a fecal float to see if there is a Coccidiosis or worm overload that could be dragging her down further?