Bad eye and Paralyzed leg

[pogoforeman]

Hello:

I purchased a trio of 6 month old Seramas a few weeks ago for my daughter to show for 4 H and start a breeding program. My question is when I bought them the rooster had a eye that was watery and swollon but not bad. The guy I bought them from is very repitable, so he gave me some pills for 5 days to give to the rooster. I gave the rooster the medicine and his eye really never got better and then he started limping. Now it has been 3 weeks and my rooster just holds his leg out like he has nerve damage. I removed him from my other 2 hens and put him in a cage by himself. He is eating and drinking normal but his eye stays watery and swollen but not bad and his leg is defitnely paralyzed. There are no sores are swelling on his leg and he does not flinch when I move it in any kind of way. The Breeder gave my daughter the pair and I purchased the extra hen for $100. The hens are laying but I know the eggs are clear because hi started to limp around the same time they started to lay. My daughter has her first show December and she has no rooster to show and I don't want to bring the hens to the show until I find out what is going on with my rooster. I want to make sure I exhaust all my resources before contacting the breeder because I don't want him to think I am blaming him for selling me a trio with somthing wrong with the rooster it may be somthing I am doing wrong. Also I do not own any other chikens and have not had any since 2001 at my first home. My trio is in a wire cage off the ground in my garage. If anyone can help, please help. Thank you.

 

[peterlund]

Maybe he hurt his leg jumping down from a perch with bad perspective due to the sight in his bum eye? I had a featherfooted lady with a swollen eye, and she would not get better until I wiped it out with a moist paper towel, forced it open a bit so see if it was in fact still there, and smeared some (I know it is wrong, but it worked) neosporin oinment in there.... Took 1 day to come completely back to normal. I don't suggest this, as it is not what the neosporin is meant to do and it definitely says do not use in eyes.... all I am telling you is it worked for me in one dose. Good luck.

 

[pogoforeman]

Thanks for the info, but I do not have a perch in their pen. I will try to whip his eye as you did. Thanks again for the imput

 

[leadwolf1]

You can purchase antiobiotic eye ointment at most feed stores and tractor supply stores. It is quite inexpensive. Please don't use neosporin in his eye....

As for the breeder, he needs to know. If the rooster had the swollen eye when you purchased him, he needs to know that he didn't get better with the medication supplied and that he is now exhibiting other symptoms. If there is a problem, he needs to protect the rest of his flock also. JMHO

 

[chickenzoo]

I'm sorry but no GOOD breeder would sell you a sick bird, and give meds to go with him.... especially at that price, I wouldn't even give a sick bird away. It could be a very serious illness such as MG infection, which has no cure and can affect your other birds. Often MG starts with a watery swollen eye, swollen sinus and can continue to open mouth breathing and nasel discharge as it worsens. MS also goes along with MG and causes leg paralysis, then eventually wasting away and death. Birds can be carriers and show no symptoms. I would contact this so called breeder and tell him he sold you a sick bird. I personally would rather him take his birds back... all of them, even if it ment me losing my money. If you must keep them, I would have the NPIP program in your state come out and do a swab & blood sample to see what is going on and get you on a NPIP program. i would keep them away from all other birds, in an enclosed covered cage, always handle them last, change clothes before handling other birds. I am very sorry you were suckered into this, even sorrier for your daughter.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Could this be Marek's Disease in the early stage?

Marek's causes progressive paralysis, usually starting in just one limb.

It can also cause eye problems and blindness--I don't know enough about Marek's to know if a watery, swollen eye would indicate a start of such a problem.

You could research about Marek's & see if it seems your roo might have it.

Best wishes, & so sorry you are encountering challenges, especially with a bird for which you have special hopes & plans.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Quote:
I've never heard of chickens commonly getting these two diseases at the same time??

I haven't seen MS paralysis in any birds I've know that had MG, but possibly that could occur...

* * * * * * * * * *

Re. Neosporin:

The label cautions to not use in eyes, but numerous sources will tell you it is alright. A doctor told my mom it was, & she used it on the 7 kids in my family as we were growing up, & I've used it since. Seems to have only good effects.

If you do use Neosporin or another generic "triple antibiotic ointment", you may want to try to avoid one that says it "includes Pain Relief". Those often use "-caine" medicines for painkillers, & those can be quite bad for chickens.

Re. Respiratory Diseases

If the roo is regularly doing a little shake of his head (which can indicate trying to clear mucus from his throat), that could help point toward his having a respiratory disease. If the roo has a runny eye from a respiratory disease, Neosporin won't cure it. The right eye ointment would be one with Terramycin in it ($17 at feed store).

 

[pogoforeman]

Thanks for all the info, I will contact the breeder today. I will also try and post pictures today also. After dicussing what you all said my daughter and I researched MG and her rooster has the classic signs. We are still a little confussed because the two hens are fine with no type of symptoms. She was looking foward to at least showing her hens but sence it looks like MG we can not bring any to the show. I would hate to infect anyone elses birds. My next question is can MG infect my quials? I could not find anything on the web. the quial are my project that I have been working on for awhile. I have mountian quial, mearns quial, gambel quial and valley quial. I have been building these flocks for years and I don't want loose any. I have keep the three chicken seperate from all my quial because I always keep any new birds in quarantine for 6 months. I am glad that I done this with these chickens. So I guest my question do I have to worry about my quial? Thanks again.

Also How long do I have to wait before getting another trio of chickens for my daughter. I don't now what breed yet she has not decided she says she does not want seramas again. She is really upset because she loves these little characters but she is scared of the breed now. I would like to get her something for the show in December. Would this be safe? Thank you all for your imput.

 

[gamelife]

He might have something stuck in his eye. I had a rooster with the same symptoms and found a foxtail
in his eye. He clinched his foot as if he were just in pain(like a person would do with their fist). His eye was watery and only partially open. Have you opened his eye to see if there is anything in there? The fox tail in my roosters eye was really deep(ouch!). Anyways, I hope he gets better.

 

[chickenzoo]

The main problem is that the bird was sold with a problem, that makes me very very suspicious that this bird has more than just an eye irritation, especially with the foot problem.
Mareks is often misdiagnosed in older birds, when in fact it is MG along with MS.

Please tell your daughter that it is not the Serama breed it self, it's just that this person had sick birds. It is very hard to fall in love with something and have to give it back..... a horrible thing to do to a kid, that person should have known better.

MG can affect most types of birds that I know of... Chickens, turkey, pheasants, geese, ducks, quail.......