Chicken with a cold

[JRSherlock]

Hot-Lips was standing up on her own this morning so that is a good sign. She still can't see as her eyes are filled with puss that we drain every few hours by applying slight pressure with a warm towel.

It is heartbreaking to see her like this. We have a very small flock and they are our pets. We love them all dearly.

The woman we purchased them from is taking no responsibility for spreading this disease even though she will acknowledge that a few of her chickens have been ill lately, but no big deal.

I feel like I should call the department of Agro or something and report her. She sells hundreds of birds a year from her hatchery and they are probably all carriers at this point. What should I do?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hot-Lips was standing up on her own this morning so that is a good sign. She still can't see as her eyes are filled with puss that we drain every few hours by applying slight pressure with a warm towel.

It is heartbreaking to see her like this. We have a very small flock and they are our pets. We love them all dearly.

The woman we purchased them from is taking no responsibility for spreading this disease even though she will acknowledge that a few of her chickens have been ill lately, but no big deal.

I feel like I should call the department of Agro or something and report her. She sells hundreds of birds a year from her hatchery and they are probably all carriers at this point. What should I do?

Glad to hear she is standing up on her own

Continue to clean the eyes out like you have been doing. After you clean the eyes you can apply some Vetericyn Eye Gel or Terramycin Eye Ointment in the eyes. This may help with the infection in the eyes.

Call your local Ag Agent or County Extension office and see what they advise.

 

[JRSherlock]

Thanks guys! I think we are over the worst! She is eating again and the swelling around her eyes has gone down. She still looks terrible and will remain in intensive care for now, but looks like we are over the worst of it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks guys! I think we are over the worst! She is eating again and the swelling around her eyes has gone down. She still looks terrible and will remain in intensive care for now, but looks like we are over the worst of it.

This sounds encouraging!

I hope she continues to improve.

Keep us posted on her progress.

 

[JRSherlock]

She continues to improve. She is eating and drinking and standing. Face is still slightly swollen but far less then before. She attempted to open her eyes tonight. Poor thing, they were just goopy little slits, but at least she opened them a smidgen.

I gave some Tylan to 2 others in the flock today. One had a runny nose and the other had some goop in his eye.

 

[JRSherlock]

I am reporting the hatchery we got them from to the State agro agency. It's just not right that this lady is selling birds that are infected. Every time I think about how much Hot-Lips has suffered this week I get angry. So needless.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She continues to improve. She is eating and drinking and standing. Face is still slightly swollen but far less then before. She attempted to open her eyes tonight. Poor thing, they were just goopy little slits, but at least she opened them a smidgen.

I gave some Tylan to 2 others in the flock today. One had a runny nose and the other had some goop in his eye.

Quote: I'm sorry you are having so much trouble.

For the goopy eyes, they will most likely need to be cleaned out. The goop/mucous can form into a hardened cottage cheese type pus that can cause more problems.
Flush the eyes with saline and use some Vetericyn eye gel or Terramycin eye ointment in the eyes. Usually you can find one of these at the feed store.

Keep us posted.

 

[JRSherlock]

I will flush tomorrow with saline and let you guys know how she is. We are using eye ointment now and it seems to help.

 

[chicknmania]

If you warm the saline container first in very warm water so it is more or less your body temperature, the bird will not object as much when you flush her eyes with the saline. It does just sound like your flock has CRD (chronic respiratory disease) if they are improving with the antibiotic. It can be a common thing for chickens to get. Glad that she is doing better. Also, it's a little far into the game, but something you can get that is a powerful disinfectant is Oxine. Available on line, www.firststatevetsupply is one source. . We mix like a quarter cup to a gallon of water, put in a spray bottle, and spray everything. You can even mist the birds with it, and put a couple of drops in their drinking water. It is pretty expensive but a lot more powerful than bleach. If nothing else. disinfect the flock's feeders and waterers with bleach at least, if you are not already doing that. And anything else you can. obviously, don't mist the birds with bleach though, or put in their water.

 

[JRSherlock]

Hot-Lips is much better!! Almost back to 100%.... However, we decided to let her play outside in a small pen today about 100 yards away from the flock so she could hear them and not be so lonely. She escaped the pen and tried to rejoin the group. She was chased into a brush area behind the coop and we can't find her. I hope she is in a safe location until morning. It's just one thing after an other with this little hen. We have had a lot of construction going on this summer behind our property and thus far have not seen any fox or other predators unlike in past years. I will get up at sunrise and wait for her to come out of hiding. Fingers crossed please!