Coryza, mycoplasma, or something else?

Faithjo

Songster
Mar 2, 2023
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Wild and Wonderful West Virginia
Anyone who has had experience with respiratory illness in chickens, does this look like a respiratory disease? Would it be more likely Coryza or a different one? The first chicken I noticed just looked kinda puffy and sickish in her face, no horrible swelling. About a week later I noticed one of my hens had an eye matted and swollen shut, next day another one had a badly swollen eye. I think their breathing may be affected slightly but I just noticed that today. It also looks like they have stuff on their beaks as well coming from their nostrils. I quarantined another one with the that sounded a little weird with breathing and had some very small like bubbles in their eye.
 

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Is there a bad odor from the face? Both MG and coryza can cause swollen eyelids or faces, eye drainage, and respiratory sinus infections. Coryza is said to cause a bad odor. MG is treated with Tylosin, Denagard, or tetracyclines. Coryza may be treated with sulfadimethoxine. They are chronic respiratory diseases for life.
 
Eye bubbles, facial swelling, and labored breathing are all signs of mycoplasma I believe. I have never treated it- @azygous @Eggcessive and @Wyorp Rock might know what to do.
Wyorp rock has been helping me on another thread!! It is so good to be able to talk to people who have dealt with such things as I have never had to before. I was leaning toward mycoplasma as well, but it also looked like some of the photos I saw of Coryza when I first noticed it
 
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Is there a bad odor from the face? Both MG and coryza can cause swollen eyelids or faces, eye drainage, and respiratory sinus infections. Coryza is said to cause a bad odor. MG is treated with Tylosin, Denagard, or tetracyclines. Coryza may be treated with sulfadimethoxine. They are chronic respiratory diseases for life.
I haven’t noticed any, 2 of the chickens were worse before, it seems that the swelling is going down. Should I treat my whole flock with antibiotics? They have all been exposed but I do have the sick hens away for now.
 
I usually only recommend treating a chicken if they have the symptoms. It sounds more like MG. Here is some reading about it:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2022-04/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf
Thank you!! I agree with you on thinking it’s MG, I’m treating with Vetrx and plan to start antibiotics. I hope I managed to get the sick ones away from the others in time but honestly I doubt it at the rate they are getting sick. I appreciate the help!
 
Would it be more likely Coryza or a different one? The first chicken I noticed just looked kinda puffy and sickish in her face, no horrible swelling. About a week later I noticed one of my hens had an eye matted and swollen shut, next day another one had a badly swollen eye. I think their breathing may be affected slightly but I just noticed that today. It also looks like they have stuff on their beaks as well coming from their nostrils. I quarantined another one with the that sounded a little weird with breathing and had some very small like bubbles in their eye.

Thank you!! I agree with you on thinking it’s MG, I’m treating with Vetrx and plan to start antibiotics. I hope I managed to get the sick ones away from the others in time but honestly I doubt it at the rate they are getting sick. I appreciate the help!
I'd treat only the ones showing symptoms.
As mentioned on another thread you were on, bubbles in the eyes can often indicate Mycoplasma.
You have Tylosin on the way, so I'd use that to treat the birds that have symptoms.
Do flush out eyes, press out any pus and put Terramycin in the eyes as mentioned previously.

What are you trying to treat?
Doxy-Tyl is normally used to treat symptoms of respiratory illness like Mycoplasma.

Rule of thumb would be to throw away eggs for at least 14days after the last dose if administering Doxycycline, but it's always a good idea to research withdrawal periods on your own to double check.

Have you brought in new birds recently?

Photos of the hens/eyes?

Bubbles in the eyes accompanied by other respiratory symptoms can often indicate Mycoplasma. Tylosin or the Doxy-Tyl can both be used to treat symptoms. Tylosin has a 1 day withdrawal period, but a comb with Doxy you would want to observe the longer 2 week period.

For eyes, it's best to flush with saline, push out any pus that may be causing swelling, then put an ointment in the eye like Terramycin. This would be in addition to any oral medications that you may administer.

Yes, sometimes only one eye can be affected.
It does sound like you are dealing with respiratory illness. Hopefully the Tylosin will come fairly quickly, you never know with Christmas next week.

Any that are showing symptoms around the eyes, I'd clean eyes (saline) and put ointment in the eyes to help with infection.
 
I'd treat only the ones showing symptoms.
As mentioned on another thread you were on, bubbles in the eyes can often indicate Mycoplasma.
You have Tylosin on the way, so I'd use that to treat the birds that have symptoms.
Do flush out eyes, press out any pus and put Terramycin in the eyes as mentioned previously.
Thanks so much! I’m keeping an eye out for other sick ones, it seems to be spreading fast. I appreciate all the help very much!!
 

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