Chickens not walking, some have respiratory issues. What's going on?

[Lyris]

Two months ago my chicks in the brooder got sick. No symptoms except sneezing. Nothing I did seemed to help. Somehow it spread to my main flock, and then spread like wildfire. Again the only symptom was sneezing. No eye swelling or discharge, no nose boogers, nothing. Ever since then one or two will randomly start breathing with their mouth open. Tiagard usually cures it, but it comes back as soon as they're off it. Now I have walking issues within the flock. The first chicken I assumed hurt herself jumping to a roosting bar. No problem, I adjusted the bars to the same level and lowered them. It took three days for her to fully recover. During that time I gave her electrolytes, baby aspirin, alternating nutri-drench and poultry cell. Two of the chickens showed up breathing through their mouths, so I added Doxy-Tyl to her syringe of medications. Yesterday a different chicken showed up hurt. Same thing. Limping, unable to stand. She also has what seems to be an eye infection. She keeps rubbing her eyes, and yesterday one was swollen. She had dirt all around it so I figured it was dirt and washed it. I have eye ointment in going to start applying to her today. I was just checking on her, and now my rooster is standing on one leg. He might also have a limp, but I can't be sure. If he does, it will take about 24 hours to really develop.

For the life of me I can't figure out what's going on. Unrelated illnesses? My neighbor fertilized their yard. Could they have possibly gotten some of the fertilizer? I think the limping started before the fertilizer, but I can't be sure. I don't know if the limping is even related to the sneezing. I don't think it is. My other flock shows no signs of lameness so far. I'm completely lost. Ideas?

 

[Barnette]

Well, I would say Mycoplasma because that causes sneezing and swelling joints, but you said they have no other symptoms, so... I really don't know, I'm sorry. How old are the chickens getting sick? What hatchery did you get them from and are they vaccinated for anything?

 

[coach723]

It does sound like a respiratory disease, and MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum) is one of the most common. It isn't curable, the birds are carriers, and it's very contagious, thus the spread of it through your flock. If you have vet care available they can test and tell you if that's what it is. You can also call your local agricultural office and ask them for resources on testing of poultry. The symptoms of MG will come and go, often recurring during times of stress. Tylosin and tetracylines can help relieve the symptoms when they occur, but don't cure it.
There are many articles, here is one:
https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/2019/05/20/mycoplasmosis-in-backyard-chicken-flocks/
Mycoplasma synoviae can also affect the joints.
Some birds can be infected with more than one virus, any of them can impact the immune system leaving them at risk of more easily contracting others. If you find out it is mycoplasma, then you should not sell or give away birds or chicks as they could infect another flock.

 

[Lyris]

Well, I would say Mycoplasma because that causes sneezing and swelling joints, but you said they have no other symptoms, so... I really don't know, I'm sorry. How old are the chickens getting sick? What hatchery did you get them from and are they vaccinated for anything?

The ones I suspect developed it first are only a few months old. I'm pretty sure it started with one of the larger chicks in the brooder. They would stick their head under the heating plate so their head was on the ground. I suspect that's what caused it, and then it spread. Those chicks came from a breeder who was very concerned about an illness in case it came from their flock. I wonder if that's what caused the partial blindness sometimes. The chick is now as tall as my full grown hens (but not as thick yet) so they've had it for quite a while. The other hens are over a year old and are all laying eggs. My rooster is maybe a few months to a year? He came from a chicken show (it was more a rescue than an adoption) I isolated him and his hen from my chickens for two weeks. It was only when they were introduced that they developed symptoms. I don't know their vaccination status. The hens were a rescue from a neglectful situation, and I didn't ask the breeders about the birds. I assume my previously healthy flock came from IFA/cal ranch.

It does sound like a respiratory disease, and MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum) is one of the most common. It isn't curable, the birds are carriers, and it's very contagious, thus the spread of it through your flock. If you have vet care available they can test and tell you if that's what it is. You can also call your local agricultural office and ask them for resources on testing of poultry. The symptoms of MG will come and go, often recurring during times of stress. Tylosin and tetracylines can help relieve the symptoms when they occur, but don't cure it.
There are many articles, here is one:
https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/2019/05/20/mycoplasmosis-in-backyard-chicken-flocks/
Mycoplasma synoviae can also affect the joints.
Some birds can be infected with more than one virus, any of them can impact the immune system leaving them at risk of more easily contracting others. If you find out it is mycoplasma, then you should not sell or give away birds or chicks as they could infect another flock.

Oh dear, that sounds bad. Can their offspring carry it as well? Should I not let them hatch babies? It's just started to get really hot here - that's when the symptoms started showing up. I would have thought it would have started with the hens who slept higher up in the coop. It would be much hotter up there. Assuming my flock is infected, does that mean I should wash my hands before handling a healthy flock? I'll see if I can find someone for testing. They don't have to kill it to find out, right?

 

[coach723]

They do not have to kill the bird to test for that. Sometimes it's a swab, sometimes it's a blood sample (PCR test). Finding out what it is will help to answer the other questions. If it turns out to be MG or MS, then yes, that can be passed to the chicks in the eggs, so they could hatch already infected. They would also be exposed to it after hatch since it would be in the flock. I would follow as much biosecurity as you can, but odds are, if that's what it is, it's already spread on your property. Some choose to cull their flock and start over after a period of time, with healthy birds. Others just choose to deal with it. But again, it's best to find out for sure rather than assuming. It's easier to make the best decisions when you are armed with the facts.
Hot weather is a stress for them, so completely understandable that it could trigger symptoms.

 

[Lyris]

They do not have to kill the bird to test for that. Sometimes it's a swab, sometimes it's a blood sample (PCR test). Finding out what it is will help to answer the other questions. If it turns out to be MG or MS, then yes, that can be passed to the chicks in the eggs, so they could hatch already infected. They would also be exposed to it after hatch since it would be in the flock. I would follow as much biosecurity as you can, but odds are, if that's what it is, it's already spread on your property. Some choose to cull their flock and start over after a period of time, with healthy birds. Others just choose to deal with it. But again, it's best to find out for sure rather than assuming. It's easier to make the best decisions when you are armed with the facts.
Hot weather is a stress for them, so completely understandable that it could trigger symptoms.

There's no way I'd cull them. That's sad though. I feel completely responsible for it. Poor girls don't deserve to suffer because I wanted funky chicks. I'll see if I can manage to locate an avian vet today. I swear this month all I do is live at the vet. I noticed today one of them had a milky white poo when they came out of the coop. I'm not sure who it was, but that's very bad, right?

For the incredibly small chance it's not incurable, do I have to haul in every single hen for antibiotics? Or can they give me something for the entire flock? I don't have enough cages to transport eleven chickens.


Another thing I noticed today when I let them out is how the ladies act around my rooster. The one who just recovered avoids him, and he went after the injured one, who is also scared of him now. Then he went and danced for everyone else and tried to jump his mated hen. He's a bantam, but the ladies aren't. Lately he's been trying to jump the larger hens since his has learned to attack him to tell him no. I wonder if maybe he tried to jump the larger ladies and hurt them. I'm in the process of dividing the yard so the bantams aren't with the bigger hens. Have you ever heard of a rooster hurting a hen to the point of lameness? The hens he's after are lower on the pecking order. He leaves the top hens alone and doesn't even try to establish his authority with them.


Sorry for all the questions. I'm pretty new to chickens. This is the first time I've had an illness within the flock.

 

[Barnette]

In my experience, the vet gave me the antibiotics to bring home and distribute, instead of doing it there. But it depends on the illness and the vet.

 

[coach723]

First thing is to get confirmation of what you are, or are not, dealing with. There are numerous respiratory illnesses, and treatment or management can be a little different depending on what it is. MG is the most common one, it's spread through their respiratory secretions, in droppings, etc. and is really easy to spread.
https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/77376/file/Mycoplasma-Brochure.pdf
For treatment, many use Tylosin, which is a powder you can mix into the drinking water. There is one source here:
https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder
Some treat only when symptoms arise, I've heard of some that just treat monthly to keep it controlled. That will be dependent on your choices and what is needed for your flock.

The poo, if it was a one time thing, may not be a worry. Can't tell without seeing it. It could be from drinking a lot of water, something they ate, or could be from whatever respiratory issue is ailing them. If you see a vet then I would mention that to them, and if you have a fresh dropping like that, take it with you for possible testing.

When any bird is separated from the flock due to illness or any other reason, reintegrating can sometimes be a challenge. The longer they are separated, the longer it can take to reintegrate. They lose their position in the flock, and are considered a "new bird" or interloper, and it can take awhile for them to be accepted again. Sometimes if it's just an overnight absense, or even just a day or two, things can go fine, but it just depends on the birds in question and the flock dynamics. When reintegrating it's best to do it gradually. You can try putting them back in directly, and see what happens, but you need to observe so that if there is an attack you can step in and prevent injury. If it doesn't go well then you have to go slower. You can use a wire crate in the run, so the bird coming back has it's own food and water, can see and be seen by everybody, and they can all get used to each other again. When the flock is paying little attention any more, there is not charging or posturing around the bird in the crate, then you can try letting it back with the flock again. You can also provide a smaller fenced off area in the run for the returning bird, to accomplish the same thing. Make sure they can't fly over. Feed both groups on their respective sides of the wire so that they are eating "together". How long it takes is pretty variable and very dependent on how long they have been apart and on the particular personalities and temperaments of the birds themselves. It can be hours, or days, there is no real way to rush it. Integrating new birds into an existing flock is best done the same way.

 

[Lyris]

First thing is to get confirmation of what you are, or are not, dealing with. There are numerous respiratory illnesses, and treatment or management can be a little different depending on what it is. MG is the most common one, it's spread through their respiratory secretions, in droppings, etc. and is really easy to spread.
https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/77376/file/Mycoplasma-Brochure.pdf
For treatment, many use Tylosin, which is a powder you can mix into the drinking water. There is one source here:
https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder
Some treat only when symptoms arise, I've heard of some that just treat monthly to keep it controlled. That will be dependent on your choices and what is needed for your flock.

The poo, if it was a one time thing, may not be a worry. Can't tell without seeing it. It could be from drinking a lot of water, something they ate, or could be from whatever respiratory issue is ailing them. If you see a vet then I would mention that to them, and if you have a fresh dropping like that, take it with you for possible testing.

When any bird is separated from the flock due to illness or any other reason, reintegrating can sometimes be a challenge. The longer they are separated, the longer it can take to reintegrate. They lose their position in the flock, and are considered a "new bird" or interloper, and it can take awhile for them to be accepted again. Sometimes if it's just an overnight absense, or even just a day or two, things can go fine, but it just depends on the birds in question and the flock dynamics. When reintegrating it's best to do it gradually. You can try putting them back in directly, and see what happens, but you need to observe so that if there is an attack you can step in and prevent injury. If it doesn't go well then you have to go slower. You can use a wire crate in the run, so the bird coming back has it's own food and water, can see and be seen by everybody, and they can all get used to each other again. When the flock is paying little attention any more, there is not charging or posturing around the bird in the crate, then you can try letting it back with the flock again. You can also provide a smaller fenced off area in the run for the returning bird, to accomplish the same thing. Make sure they can't fly over. Feed both groups on their respective sides of the wire so that they are eating "together". How long it takes is pretty variable and very dependent on how long they have been apart and on the particular personalities and temperaments of the birds themselves. It can be hours, or days, there is no real way to rush it. Integrating new birds into an existing flock is best done the same way.

Well the newly injured one's comb is starting to turn black, so I'm trying to find a chicken vet. I know black combs are very bad. She's still eating/drinking at least.

Reintroduction shouldn't be *too* difficult, I think. The flock has glued themselves to the outside of the hospital cage. Whenever I open it to tend to the hurt chicken, they all try to invite themselves in.

As much as I'd like to avoid *another* vet bill, I guess it's inevitable. Who needs money anyway. Luckily I have a pet emergency savings fund.

 

[coach723]

Can you post pictures of the comb, and of the bird with it?
A vet is never a bad idea, if you have one that see's chickens and can handle the cost.