Abnormal Poop?

[jenn-]

Barred Rock approximately 16wk pullet weighing in at a little more then 1 kilogram.  She has been treated with Safeguard at .5 mL for 5 days and Corid at the same time.  She has gone completely blind in the last week.  Her eyes were looking normal but closed until yesterday when I noticed they are starting to swell.  She has no congestion sounds or appearance (no runny nose).  She has had to be tube fed since last Friday.  She just deposited this lovely poop on the middle of my living room floor.  She is inside, but goes out for physical therapy and it is obvious that she is getting stronger from when I first brought her in.  Tips and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she blind becauseof the swelling in her eyes, or because of something else. Where did she come from, and have you added other chickens recently. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? Is she having noisy breathing or rattles, eye or nasal drainage, or sneezing/coughing/gasping?

 

[jenn-]

Is she blind becauseof the swelling in her eyes, or because of something else. Where did she come from, and have you added other chickens recently. Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? Is she having noisy breathing or rattles, eye or nasal drainage, or sneezing/coughing/gasping?

She was from a private breeder that says she is NPIP certified and vaccinates for Mareks. Although we haven't added any new birds, I have visited another chicken farm recently and my biosecurity was compromised when I stupidly walked into my coop with my sandals instead of my crocs (my only shoes allowed in) and I know better.

There is no sign of noisy breathing, eye or nasal drainage, or sneezing/coughing/gasping.

She was blind before her eyes started to swell. I missed the symptoms of her losing eyesight probably starting last Wednesday when she wasn't beating everyone to the tossed blueberries and that is unheard of. Thursday she was away from the flock, but she is bottom of the totem pole so I didn't think much of it. She did seem sleepier that day, but by Friday there was no doubt that she was sick. She wouldn't open her eyes and just wanted to sleep constantly. I started tube feeding that day and was able to start the Corid that day and the deworming the next. It was obvious by Monday that her sight was completely gone. It took all weekend for her to feel well enough to even attempt to walk around and she was bumping straight into stuff. The eyes have only started to swell in the last couple of days.

I am now wondering if most of her symptoms aren't directly related to her loss of vision. Dark= sleepy time in chicken world. When you can't find your food, you get weak. She has slowly started to learn that dark doesn't mean she has to sleep all the time. She will roam the yard with a bit of prodding to get moving. She will flop down and sun herself in sunny patches and stand up and seek out shade when she gets hot. It takes a bit of going in circles before she finds the shade, but she gets there. I keep hoping that she will follow the voice of the other chickens stuck in the coop, but so far she will respond to them from across the yard, but doesn't head towards them. I think they are jealous because she is the only one that gets to free range (with constant supervision and she isn't eating anything out there).

 

[Eggcessive]

Eye infection, injuries, cataracts, and vitamin deficiency can all cause eye disorders. Avian encphalomyelitis as a young chick can cause cataracts later, and vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness. A vet may be able to prescribe some good antibiotic eye drops on the level as Baytril. Feed stores stcok Terramycin eye ointment and some use plain Neosporin in the eyes. With Mareks disease there can be a change in pupil shape and a color change to gray. Here are some links to read about eye disorders:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps031
http://www.joneshamiltonag.com/jh/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PLT_Poultry-Eye-Disorders.pdf

 

[jenn-]

Eye infection, injuries, cataracts, and vitamin deficiency can all cause eye disorders. Avian encphalomyelitis as a young chick can cause cataracts later, and vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness. A vet may be able to prescribe some good antibiotic eye drops on the level as Baytril. Feed stores stcok Terramycin eye ointment and some use plain Neosporin in the eyes. With Mareks disease there can be a change in pupil shape and a color change to gray. Here are some links to read about eye disorders:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps031
http://www.joneshamiltonag.com/jh/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PLT_Poultry-Eye-Disorders.pdf

Thank you for the links. I wish chickens (well all animals) had little pop up signs that said "this is what I have wrong" so that we could figure out how to treat them. I hate not knowing what is causing the blindness. I'm not as concerned about the one that is already blind, but rather the health of the rest of the flock. Obviously something like Marek's is different then a mold exposure that she might be the only one that got into it. I have a couple of roos that are going to have to find a new home soon and now I am paranoid about giving them away.

 

[jenn-]

And now we have sneezing and runny nose.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would get some Tylan 50 injectable, 5- 3 cc syringes and 22 gauge needles. Give 1 ml for 5lb of weight daily either orally or as an injection into the breast muscle 1/4 inch, alternating sides daily. Give orally for 5 days, or as a shot for 3 days. Dosage is 1/2 ml if under 5 lb, and 1/4 ml for a bantam. Oxytetracycline or Gallimycin in the water are also good for respiratory diseases.

 

[jenn-]

I would get some Tylan 50 injectable, 5- 3 cc syringes and 22 gauge needles. Give 1 ml for 5lb of weight daily either orally or as an injection into the breast muscle 1/4 inch, alternating sides daily. Give orally for 5 days, or as a shot for 3 days. Dosage is 1/2 ml if under 5 lb, and 1/4 ml for a bantam. Oxytetracycline or Gallimycin in the water are also good for respiratory diseases.

I'm confused. Is it either a .5ml shot OR a .5ml oral with the amount of days being different? I'm not sure I could do a needle stick. I had considered getting it last time I was a TSC but I wasn't sure it would work.

 

[Eggcessive]

It's the same dose orally or as an injection. The injection is the more quickly absorbed and effective method, and is only necessary for 3 days. Orally, I would treat for 5 days. If giving orally, you can even give that dose twice a day if you can manage that. There is also a Tylan Soluble Powder for use in the water. Here is some info on that:
http://www.elanco.us/products-services/poultry/water-soluble-crd-control.aspx
http://www.drugs.com/vet/tylan-soluble.html

 

[jenn-]

It's the same dose orally or as an injection. The injection is the more quickly absorbed and effective method, and is only necessary for 3 days. Orally, I would treat for 5 days. If giving orally, you can even give that dose twice a day if you can manage that. There is also a Tylan Soluble Powder for use in the water. Here is some info on that:
http://www.elanco.us/products-services/poultry/water-soluble-crd-control.aspx
http://www.drugs.com/vet/tylan-soluble.html

I went to both the local TSC and both were completely out of the Tylan. I ended up with Duramycin 72-200 instead. I think I have figured the dose to be 0.25ml (injected in the breast) for my 2lb chicken, but I don't know how often or how long to give it to her.