Chickens LOSING eyes!? help!

[ryanadam22]

Hi everyone, Im a new member.
I have had chickens for about a year and a half now and have had no problems up in till I purchased 4 chickens from a breeder in Victoria, Australia.

We purchased 2 light sussex and 2 grey ameracaurnas. We noticed 3 of them had very snotty nostrils and a foul smell to their feathers. At first we thought it was the change of season, but it got worse. The smallest sussex didnt grow as it seemed her growth was stunted and she became lethargic and very skinny, would gasp for air regularly,sneeze and cough. We were in regular contact with the breeder and were told we could swap her for another, but by this stage we were already attached to her. She never got better so we had to put her to sleep. 3 months went by and all of the others were in great health but suddenly their symptoms came back but worse, especially the foul smell and gasping for air. We bathed them daily with betadine,cleaned the dried snot off their nostrils with vinegar, tried them on tylan, gave them collodial silver, garlic in their drinker water, they all free range on about 3 acres, wormed them, made sure they were warm at night.. but nothing seemed to work! We took them to the vet and was told that he was unsure what it could be, but guessed it was some form of respiratory infection and was prescribed Psittavet 100G. The Psittavet worked as the snot and foul smell has gone and has been gone for about a month, but we woke up last week to find the remaining white sussex had an eye infection. We bathed her eye and gave her anitbacterial eye onitment for one week but her eye just got worse and worse! After spending so much money on them with vet bills we decided not to take her to the vet. She has lost her eye but is in quite good conidtion considering. But now one of the ameracaurna is showing the same symptoms with her eye too! We also have 6 other chickens, varying ages but none have picked up any of the symptoms from the new lot.After notifying the breeders and asking them for help on what the causes of this could be, they have decided to ignore my emails. It is very frustrating. Will definately not be purhcasing any chickens from them again!

Does anyone know what this is caused from and what I can do?

Your help would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you!!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

it almost sounds like what i was dealing with, coryza. it usually needs sulfa antibiotics and they remain carriers passing on to the next chicken in line. i dont know that for sure though. maybe you can check it out.

 

[TOP KNOT]

look up infectious coryza. hope this helps

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i forgot. welcome to BYC

 

[ryanadam22]

Thanks Granny Hatchet, what were the result of your chickens dealing with it?
The girl that lost her eye is much better but she has no confidence at the moment so we have segregated her with the other chicken. Its quite sad as the girl who is having eye troubles now was the other ones guide, she would follow her around and look out for each other, but now shes losing hers too!
And thanks TOP KNOT, I have checked it out and decided to take them to the vet again( so expensive) and they still cant come up with a direct answer. Just have to see how they go I guess!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i went through a lot of different meds. until i got the right one thanks to a member on here named two crows and the last chicken has 3 days of it left. they are doing great but, it is a closed flock now. no in and none out. that sucks because i like to collect . but the eggs are still hatchable.there is a vaccine for them too but i will keep them apart and see what happens because i had a hatch on the way already. i had a great hatch too! i will put my plans on hold for a few yrs. then i will have to cull them all and disinfect, wait a few months and start over. and make sure i dont put mixed flocks in there. one from here, one from the farmer down the road. not sure where i picked it up at.

 

[TOP KNOT]

Thanks Granny Hatchet, what were the result of your chickens dealing with it?
The girl that lost her eye is much better but she has no confidence at the moment so we have segregated her with the other chicken. Its quite sad as the girl who is having eye troubles now was the other ones guide, she would follow her around and look out for each other, but now shes losing hers too!
And thanks TOP KNOT, I have checked it out and decided to take them to the vet again( so expensive) and they still cant come up with a direct answer. Just have to see how they go I guess!

You may want to find a different vet who is educated on poultry, many vets are not. So it would be like asking someone off the street for an answer and giving them money for their guess.