Chickens with the sign of Coryza!!!!please help

[BuffOrpington22]

Hello poultry peeps!!!
I have a few chickens that have a sign of coryza and believe me its not a pretty sight to see at all. They have really swollen eyes and have small bubbles on the side of the eye. I didn't take a chance so I separated them as soon as I notice something wasn't right. I have been giving them Dimethox that was recommended. They have a weird sound to them as well like they are trying to clear their throats like a weezing sound. I always wonder how people do it like how do they keep their poultry so darn healthy. My birds are free range and I give a mixture of egg maker and chicken scratch and of course I give them the veggies and other scraps containing mostly vegetables and fruits. Is there something I should be doing to keep them more healthy. Some kind of vaccine to prevent this if so do tell me. I make sure the coop are kept clean. Is there something I'm missing that I'm not doing right. Please poultry lovers do be brutally honest what can I do more???? Thanks

 

[ChicKat]

BuffOrpington22--

So sorry to hear about illness in your flock.

It has been difficult to find much internet information on coryza. Here are some things that I recall (hopefully correctly) from internet reading.

It can be very serious and contageous.

Another symptom I have heard is the chickens breath smells like something is rotted. Was the Dimethox a vet recommendation? If that is the case, then you should follow your vet's instructions.

Sulfa based drugs are reported to work the best, but they are hard on the chicken.

If it helps, I have heard that birds can survive coryza, and it is one of the diseases that is not passed through eggs. A survivor does become a 'carrier'. I have not found information if that means that any bird that comes near the carrier WILL be infected, or MAY be infected. I have heard that the cure period is quite a long time-- perhaps 6-weeks or more.

There is a vaccine for Coryza but I believe it needs to be administered at an early age and frequently on subsequent occasions. So, like any vaccine, once the bird has the disease the vaccine won't 'prevent' it.

I believe that the infectious organisms can be carried on clothing, implements, and through common sources of drinking water. It soiunds like you are taking this very seriously, as you should. Please post back when you have gotten more information. Hopefully others here will provide more than I can put here, and you get a solution to your problem.

If I can find a good link, I will be back with an edit.

Here is the Merk Vet manual link:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/206600.htm&word=coryza

 

[dawg53]

You can use sulmet to treat coryza. If there's a foul odor about the head are as previously mentioned, it coryza. It would be best to cull. Here's a link to vaccinations:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps030
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm062