Chickens having troubles breathing and swollen eyes

[Blackslate]

Please help me help my chickens!

I have had a lovely healthy flock for three years and I went to the local chicken sale and bought two splash orpingtons about 6 weeks ago. My daughter had her heart set on them. They looked a bit rough in that they had no feathers on their backs from the roosters (I was told). Upon coming home they both developed diarrhea and swollen leaky eyes. I bought tetracycline 250 and put it in their water every day for seven days. One improved greatly and moulted but the other never properly recovered, she still hasn't moulted and she prefers not to go outside.

I went out to the coop today (we have had a turn towards winter here, it was -22 with the windchill) and I noticed that the splash is having trouble breathing. No discharge but her eyes are slightly swollen. To my dismay I noticed one of my beautiful marans's eyes in the corners are very swollen. She is not opening one of them. I don't see any discharge but she is not opening one eye anyways.

My chickens are in an 8x10 insulated heated chicken coop.

I really would appreciate any advice. The Internet is overwhelming me.

Thanks
Holly

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Sorry about your ill birds. Any new chickens added to your flock should be quarantined at least a month or more to watch for signs of disease or parasites. The new birds were carriers of a chronic respiratory disease such as MG or coryza. There can also be secondary infections with respiratory diseases that can complicate them. You should consider your whole flock as carriers now, and close the flock to new birds, or from selling or giving away birds ever. If I were you, I would contact your state vet, and ask questions about testing or a necropsy on the other sick orpington. Then I would have them euthanize her and test her so that you know what you are treating. Tylan 50 injections are very good for sick birds since they may not drink enough of the medicated water. You can also give it orally directly to the bird if you don't want to give injections, but the injections work best. If you notice a very bad odor around the sick hens it could be coryza. Here is a link about the common respiratory diseases:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Blackslate]

Thanks for your response. Hind sight is 20/20 and I realize I should have quarantined the new birds but there is nothing I can do about it now.

What makes you say that the new birds have MG or Choryza? There are so many illnesses on the net with such similar symptoms that I cannot figure out what they have and the more I read the more overwhelming it is.

I am in Canada so Tylan doesn't seem to be easy for me to find. Do you have any other suggestions to try? Also I am uncomfortable giving them injections.

Thanks
Holly

 

[Blackslate]

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[Blackslate]

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[Eggcessive]

The common chronic respiratory diseases are infectious bronchitis, MG, coryza, ILT, and aspergillosis. Coryza almost always includes swollen faces or eyes, and may include puss. MG can be very mild causing very few symptoms, or it can cause eye bubbles and swollen eyes which are due to sinus swelling. Oxytetracycline or erythromycin can also be given in the water. Here is some of the link I posted in #2:

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).

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.