Hello All:
I posted this earlier, but did not have a response. Some good advice on another thread, but I am still seeking assistance.
Here is the story:
We had one minorca this morning with swollen eyes and a runny nose. Of course I checked here first and found the following possible causes: IB, ILT and coryza. As all these are very serious, we called our vet, isolated the hen, and then bleached all our water and feed containers. Now the tips of my fingers hurt while typing, I was in such a panic I did not remember gloves. ouch.
So, we went to the vet. I prepared my daughters for the possibility that our vet would request we put the bird down and test what could be the cause. The vet looked at our bird, said he felt it was eye irritation from allergies and dust gone to infection, he then gave her an antibiotic shot. His concern was only that we did not eat the bird (which was not going to happen in any event, we really like our hens too much) and not eat the eggs after the shot. So, we did isolate her per the vet's suggestion, but only to be sure we know which are her eggs and do not eat them.
All of our birds are hatchery chicks. One bird came from a neighbor about a year ago, but she is as plucky as ever. Can I rest and be relieved yet? After reading other posts here, I worry our vet is maybe not concerned enough? Then, that seems disrespectful of a professional who took care of my animals even when I was a kid. All our other 49+ chickens show no symtpoms and appear bright eyed and busy tailed (feathered?).
Can anyone give me some advice, have I done the right thing? I would have culled and sent for testing, but the vet was certainly not so concerned.
What I have done since:
1.) washed eyes out with saline squirt. Her eyes are open, but swollen all around.
2.) put antibiotic ointment in both eyes.
3.) told her she is a pretty girl and to be well (please) in the morning.
She is outside, isolated in a very secure cage that is up against two tall stucco walls, so the cage has two walls of sorts. I have a rug hanging on the one open end and the front of the cage faces the side of a huge stone fireplace. It is in the upper 50's here...she is alone and not with her sisters to roost. Is she too exposed to heal properly?
Also, she did smell yucky this morning and I mentioned this twice to the vet (as an earlier post cited that symptom as the horrid coryza). Our vet told us that any infection can be stinky. The smell does seem to be gone this afternoon. She got her shot at 11:30 am. I washed with saline at 6:00pm, and put in the ointment at 8:00pm. I don't want to mess with her too much and stress the poor girl out.
Is there any input out there I need to know? I have bleached the roosting bars on the coop where she used to sit and the walls. I had JUST completely swept the coop and composted the shavings Sunday (yesterday). No mold in the coop, no rodents (super tight little house of a coop)...lots of poop, of course. But, it was clean yesterday at about 7:00pm.
Please help if you can. No one else in flock showing any signs of a similar problem. How long should I watch? When can I feel my flock is safe again?
Thanks so much.
I posted this earlier, but did not have a response. Some good advice on another thread, but I am still seeking assistance.
Here is the story:
We had one minorca this morning with swollen eyes and a runny nose. Of course I checked here first and found the following possible causes: IB, ILT and coryza. As all these are very serious, we called our vet, isolated the hen, and then bleached all our water and feed containers. Now the tips of my fingers hurt while typing, I was in such a panic I did not remember gloves. ouch.
So, we went to the vet. I prepared my daughters for the possibility that our vet would request we put the bird down and test what could be the cause. The vet looked at our bird, said he felt it was eye irritation from allergies and dust gone to infection, he then gave her an antibiotic shot. His concern was only that we did not eat the bird (which was not going to happen in any event, we really like our hens too much) and not eat the eggs after the shot. So, we did isolate her per the vet's suggestion, but only to be sure we know which are her eggs and do not eat them.
All of our birds are hatchery chicks. One bird came from a neighbor about a year ago, but she is as plucky as ever. Can I rest and be relieved yet? After reading other posts here, I worry our vet is maybe not concerned enough? Then, that seems disrespectful of a professional who took care of my animals even when I was a kid. All our other 49+ chickens show no symtpoms and appear bright eyed and busy tailed (feathered?).
Can anyone give me some advice, have I done the right thing? I would have culled and sent for testing, but the vet was certainly not so concerned.
What I have done since:
1.) washed eyes out with saline squirt. Her eyes are open, but swollen all around.
2.) put antibiotic ointment in both eyes.
3.) told her she is a pretty girl and to be well (please) in the morning.
She is outside, isolated in a very secure cage that is up against two tall stucco walls, so the cage has two walls of sorts. I have a rug hanging on the one open end and the front of the cage faces the side of a huge stone fireplace. It is in the upper 50's here...she is alone and not with her sisters to roost. Is she too exposed to heal properly?
Also, she did smell yucky this morning and I mentioned this twice to the vet (as an earlier post cited that symptom as the horrid coryza). Our vet told us that any infection can be stinky. The smell does seem to be gone this afternoon. She got her shot at 11:30 am. I washed with saline at 6:00pm, and put in the ointment at 8:00pm. I don't want to mess with her too much and stress the poor girl out.
Is there any input out there I need to know? I have bleached the roosting bars on the coop where she used to sit and the walls. I had JUST completely swept the coop and composted the shavings Sunday (yesterday). No mold in the coop, no rodents (super tight little house of a coop)...lots of poop, of course. But, it was clean yesterday at about 7:00pm.
Please help if you can. No one else in flock showing any signs of a similar problem. How long should I watch? When can I feel my flock is safe again?
Thanks so much.
