Birds with foamy eyes and gurgling breath

[ChickieBooBoo]

1) What type of bird , age and weight. Mixed and pure breeds, standard size hens and roos
2) What is the behavior, exactly. When they breath you can sometimes hear gurgling in their chests like there is fluid it their lungs. Some of them have foamy eyes and some are worse then others. They act normal and go outside to free-range everyday
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? A few weeks at least, I treated with tetracyline (sp?) because that was all I had on hand but it hasn't been working
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? Pretty much the whole flock of about 30
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. I might have brought in a new bird that was carrying something, I always quarenteen though so if thats the case then they must have just been a carrier
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. I feed whole oats, water and some layer ration. They free range though so they eat a bit of everything outside
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. So far normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Tetracyline (sp?)
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? Vet definantly not possible
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. Tomorrow I will take pics
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use Straw

Does this sound like a respitory disease? I really don't want to cull the whole flock...

 

[Judy]

We have a local ag college and I know there is a state vet's office which I believe will test birds. I also know my vet knows how all this works and would help me find what I needed. Do you know what resources are available to you?

It does sound like it's respiratory or at least likely so. I would say you need to find out for sure.

I guess you could just keep a closed flock, no birds or hatching eggs leave the property.

Do you have any material on the possibilities? http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[dawg53]

Sounds like a CRD to me. Tylan 50 may help if it's not viral.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
We have a vet in the town I go to school in, I could always go in and ask if they would test the bird and how muc it would cost.

 

[chickengrl]

Unfortunately, that does sound like a respiratory infection. That's the bad thing about buying adult birds. They can look perfectly healthy and pass through quarantine and still end up being a carrier. I don't think you will be able to get Tylan for your birds if you are in Canada. Seems like folks there have not had luck with buying it anywhere. Baytril from a veterinarian will often help too as long as it isn't a virus. Good luck!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I think you can get it here its just super expensive. If it is a respitory infection then I will have to cull, I would like to sell chicks and mature birds and I certainly don't want to be passing this stuff around

 

[chickengrl]

Quote:
Honestly, this is the only way you can be sure you no longer have it in your flock. IMHO, it is the most responsible thing you can do if you want to sell your birds. It is certainly heartbreaking. I had a problem in my flock and have made it a policy to never buy adult or started birds again. Your safest bet is day old chicks from reputable hatcheries or breeders, or hatch your own birds with purchased eggs. much less likely to bring home an infection along with your new bird. Sorry you have to deal with this.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Yes, and the worst part is that I don't get anything for them. I spent an arm and a leg to get all them and I can't even sell them

Before I do anything I want to be completely sure, I'll take some pics of the worst birds and post them.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIUQgw9wpnc

Here she is, ignore the silly guinea in the background

 

[chickengrl]

Sorry, that looks exactly like my birds who were diagnosed with ILT. It could be any other respiratory thing, but for sure it's her lungs and trachea full of mucous. Have you seen any blood splatter around the birds? That would indicate ILT. Some of ours actually recovered, some died from it. We did not cull, but are keeping a closed flock. No bird leaves from here. We do add birds, but they are kept in the basement until old enough to vaccinate. Sorry you have to deal with this mess.