Another sick chicken

[Sarahxamelia]

This is the second time within the past 2 months or so that I am posting on here, not sure if where I live is bad luck or what.
I have a chicken whos eye (just one of them) is swollen and watery looking the other eye so far is fine. She has been sleeping a lot lately. I have had her for 2-3 years already. I am not sure whats wrong with her eye and I dont have the money to take her to a vet I cant even take myself to the doctor. She has not laid eggs in awhile I think she stopped awhile now I dont eat them anyway or sell them. What could be worng with her and what should I do? I have nutri drench not sure if that will help but it is her eye that is not looking good and again she has been sleepin g alot
Thanks!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Was the other bird showing similar symptoms? Did that bird recover? Have you recently added any birds to your flock?

 

[Eggcessive]

Your chicken may have a sinus infection from a possible respiratory disease, especially if you are seeing a swollen eye with drainage or nasal secretions? Mycoplasma and coryza can both cause that. Also, she could have been pecked or gotten something in her eye to cause an infection. I would go to the feed store and buy some injectable Tylan 50 with several 3 ml syringes with needles. This can be given orally by taking the needle off. Dosage is 1 ml twice a day for 5 days for a 5 pound hen. Clean any eye drainage with a warm wet compress or some saline. Remove any pus or crust. Terramycin ointment or Vetericyn eye gel can be used in the eye twice a day.

 

[Sarahxamelia]

No the other chicken is fine and no I did not add any birds.

 

[Sarahxamelia]

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Sarahxamelia]

I forgot to ask can I put it in their water so they can drink it? I don't want to give them an injection and I don't think I'll be able to put it in their mouth orally. This one doesn't like to touched or held whenever I try to pet her etc.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can put medicine in her food, but it is much more accurate to give it orally. I will give medicine in some egg mixed with a little yogurt. To give it orally, you could get her off the roost at night in the dark and again the next morning before daylight. They are easier to catch and medicate when they are sleeping or roosting. Don't treat other birds unless they get the same symptoms.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You can put medicine in her food, but it is much more accurate to give it orally. I will give medicine in some egg mixed with a little yogurt. To give it orally, you could get her off the roost at night in the dark and again the next morning before daylight. They are easier to catch and medicate when they are sleeping or roosting. Don't treat other birds unless they get the same symptoms.

X 2 - treat only the bird in question (if separated from the flock than you *could* use indirect dosing such as mixing with food, don't dilute in water, but this is an unreliable way of dosing, imo). As noted above, the easiest way to treat a bird is to catch them off the roost - there is no need to chase the bird to catch them (which is distressing to them) and they are easy to handle.

 

[petra56]

My polish has been on duromycin 10 for 9 days now and is still making respiratory noises. She is so light from not eating enough. I've tried eggs, oatmeal, wet her feed. She weighs Maybe a pound. She is approx 4 1/2 months old. Should I go ahead and change to the Tylan 50. I want to give it to her orally but on one of the posts it shows 1 ml for a 5 pound hen. I gave her 3 days of probiotics last week and am going to start adding them to her antibiotic water again. Any suggestions?

 

[Eggcessive]

My polish has been on duromycin 10 for 9 days now and is still making respiratory noises. She is so light from not eating enough. I've tried eggs, oatmeal, wet her feed. She weighs Maybe a pound. She is approx 4 1/2 months old. Should I go ahead and change to the Tylan 50. I want to give it to her orally but on one of the posts it shows 1 ml for a 5 pound hen. I gave her 3 days of probiotics last week and am going to start adding them to her antibiotic water again. Any suggestions?

It can be confusing if you don't start another thread of your own. You can do that here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/threads/add/forumId/10

You also might tell what all symptoms you are seeing as well. You could give her 1/2 ml of Tylan50 twice a day for 5 days by mouth or as an injection into her breast muscle.

Here are some common respiratory diseases, and antibiotics will really only affect the bacterial ones such as MG and coryza:

Infectious Bronchitis

Synonyms: IB, bronchitis, cold
Species affected: Infectious bronchitis is a disease of chickens only. A similar disease occurs in bobwhite quail (quail bronchitis), but it is caused by a different virus.
Clinical signs: The severity of infectious bronchitis infection is influenced by the age and immune status of the flock, by environmental conditions, and by the presence of other diseases. Feed and water consumption declines. Affected chickens will be chirping, with a watery discharge from the eyes and nostrils, and labored breathing with some gasping in young chickens. Breathing noises are more noticeable at night while the birds rest. Egg production drops dramatically. Production will recover in 5 or 6 weeks, but at a lower rate. The infectious bronchitis virus infects many tissues of the body, including the reproductive tract (see Table 1). Eggshells become rough and the egg white becomes watery. (See publication PS-24, Egg Quality, for other causes of poor egg quality.)
Transmission: Infectious bronchitis is a very contagious poultry disease. It is spread by air, feed bags, infected dead birds, infected houses, and rodents. The virus can be egg-transmitted, however, affected embryos usually will not hatch.
Treatment: There is no specific treatment for infectious bronchitis. Antibiotics for 3–5 days may aid in combating secondary bacterial infections. Raise the room temperature 5°F for brooding-age chickens until symptoms subside. Baby chicks can be encouraged to eat by using a warm, moist mash.
Prevention: Establish and enforce a biosecurity program. Vaccinations are available.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Synonyms: MG, chronic respiratory disease (CRD), infectious sinusitis, mycoplasmosis
Species affected: chickens, turkeys, pigeons, ducks, peafowl, and passerine birds.
Clinical signs: Clinical symptoms vary slightly between species. Infected adult chickens may show no outward signs if infection is uncomplicated. However, sticky, serous exudate from nostrils, foamy exudate in eyes, and swollen sinuses can occur, especially in broilers. The air sacs may become infected. Infected birds can develop respiratory rales and sneeze. Affected birds are often stunted and unthrifty (see Table 1).
There are two forms of this disease in the turkey. With the "upper form" the birds have watery eyes and nostrils, the infraorbitals (just below the eye) become swollen, and the exudate becomes caseous and firm. The birds have respiratory rales and show unthriftiness.
With the "lower form", infected turkeys develop airsacculitis. As with chickens, birds can show no outward signs if the infection is uncomplicated. Thus, the condition may go unnoticed until the birds are slaughtered and the typical legions are seen. Birds with airsacculitis are condemned.
MG in chicken embryos can cause dwarfing, airsacculitis, and death.
Transmission: MG can be spread to offspring through the egg. Most commercial breeding flocks, however, are MG-free. Introduction of infected replacement birds can introduce the disease to MG-negative flocks. MG can also be spread by using MG-contaminated equipment.
Treatment: Outbreaks of MG can be controlled with the use of antibiotics. Erythromycin, tylosin, spectinomycin, and lincomycin all exhibit anti-mycoplasma activity and have given good results. Administration of most of these antibiotics can be by feed, water or injection. These are effective in reducing clinical disease. However, birds remain carriers for life.

Infectious Coryza

Synonyms: roup, cold, coryza
Species affected: chickens, pheasants, and guinea fowl. Common in game chicken flocks.
Clinical signs: Swelling around the face, foul smelling, thick, sticky discharge from the nostrils and eyes, labored breathing, and rales (rattles—an abnormal breathing sound) are common clinical signs. The eyelids are irritated and may stick together. The birds may have diarrhea and growing birds may become stunted (see Table 1).
Mortality from coryza is usually low, but infections can decrease egg production and increase the incidence and/or severity of other diseases. Mortality can be as high as 50 percent, but is usually no more than 20 percent. The clinical disease can last from a few days to 2–3 months, depending on the virulence of the pathogen and the existence of other infections such as mycoplasmosis.
Transmission: Coryza is primarily transmitted by direct bird-to-bird contact. This can be from infected birds brought into the flock as well as from birds which recover from the disease which remain carriers of the organism and may shed intermittently throughout their lives. Birds risk exposure at poultry shows, bird swaps, and live-bird sales. Inapparent infected adult birds added into a flock are a common source for outbreaks. Within a flock, inhalation of airborne respiratory droplets, and contamination of feed and/or water are common modes of spread.
Treatment: Water soluble antibiotics or antibacterials can be used. Sulfadimethoxine (Albon

, Di-Methox

) is the preferred treatment. If it is not available, or not effective, sulfamethazine (Sulfa-Max

, SulfaSure

), erythromycin (gallimycin

), or tetracycline (Aureomycin

) can be used as alternative treatments. Sulfa drugs are not FDA approved for pullets older than 14 weeks of age or for commercial layer hens. While antibiotics can be effective in reducing clinical disease, they do not eliminate carrier birds.
Prevention: Good management and sanitation are the best ways to avoid infectious coryza. Most outbreaks occur as a result of mixing flocks. All replacement birds on "coryza-endemic" farms should be vaccinated. The vaccine (Coryza-Vac) is administered subcutaneously (under the skin) on the back of the neck. Each chicken should be vaccinated four times, starting at 5 weeks of age with at least 4 weeks between injections. Vaccinate again at 10 months of age and twice yearly thereafter.