Did I make my chickens sick?

[egglicious]

I have three sneezing chickens, one of which had a runny nose (cleared up today). And I have one that is pretty sick, still active but with a swollen, bubbly eye. All except one are inside tonight. I'm sure whatever it is, my whole flock has been exposed.
Recently, I took in two new chickens. I normally quarantine, but didn't this time.

Won't be doing that again... It's one of the new ones that has the swollen eye.

I am leaning towards something infectious, but (it gets worse) I also forgot to change their poop trays for two weeks. I just changed them tonight and man were they full. I have 13 chickens, ten of which are bantams, but it was still a lot of poop. The weather has been freezing lately so it didn't really smell, but I'm wondering if that's the reason some of them got sick? Could it be a respitory thing from ammonia even if there was very little to no ammonia smell?

Please don't flame me. I feel really bad right now. At the moment I am working on treating them naturally but if there is no improvement by morning I am giving them meds. I know it might be Corzya (sp?) and that I will never be able to rehome a bird. I am usually pretty responsible, but I'm afraid this time I dropped the ball.

So my original question, *could* this whole thing be because I didn't change their litter tray or is it most likely a contagious thing? I know everyone is guessing but just interested in your opinions...

 

[lagunitas]

First off, sorry for your situation. We all make mistakes and at the very least, you will learn some valuable lessons.

Sounds to me that the stress of relocating the chickens brought on a bout of whatever illness they are carrying. Personally, I would bring the third one inside and start treating with meds immediately, and fog your coop and your birds with Oxine. I hope all your birds make it, but if they don't I highly recommend you look up your state agriculture lab and see if they do poultry necropsies so you will know exactly what your coop has been exposed to. One benefit with the freezing weather is that it may keep transmission down between birds, depending on the illness.

Good luck and keep us posted on how things pan out for you.

 

[ICallMyselfCherie']

Honestly, I have to say I don't think this illness has anything to do with not cleaning the trays. Sure, it's not great for the poo to build up for a long time, but mistakes happen. But it doesn't cause the symptoms that you're describing. I would definitely look at coriza or chronic respiratory disease as the cause, instead. I'm sorry you and your chickens are going through this, but hopefully you can be reassured that it's not due to the trays.

 

[egglicious]

Thank you for the replies. I was just doing some research and I'm pretty confident it is not coryza because they do not have a smell. I haven't brought in the third one because honestly I have no where to put her and I am pretty sure since they have all been drinking from the same water and eating from the same bowl they have all been exposed. She is her regular self but just started with tiny sneezes tonight. Hopefully the other two that have been brought in will be better tomorrow (they are eating, drinking, pecking around just fine) and I can trade them out for the other one if she is ill. As far as fogging the whole coop and run, the newbies have been in with the flock for over a week and it has not been freezing except the last couple of days. I was thinking everyone must have been exposed. I have been giving all of them strong probiotics and grapefruit seed extract, but I do have some sulmet. It's for coryza, though... and I don't think that is what it is...

 

[foxypoproxy]

It sound like it could be possible mycoplasma.
That could show any symptoms from bubbly eye, swollen face and eyes, nasal discharge, sneezing, breathing problems, lethargy, weight loss, etc.

Either way, it sounds like some kind of chronic respiratory disease (umbrella term for diseases like MG, MS, Coryza).
It is very highly likely it was brought in from your new birds.
It happens ALOT. The birds will often look fine until they are moved or put under some kind of stress.
Then they start showing symptoms.
Don't be to hard on your self, with something like this, even if you did quarantine, they could have still gotten sick.
Most chronic respiratory diseases are highly contagious and can travel on your clothing, skin, shoes, hair...etc.
I quarantined my new birds and they still got my flock sick

There is always a risk when you bring in new birds, that's why i only hatch out now.

You may want to get your flock tested to find out exactly what this is.
If it is a form of chronic respiratory disease, it is something they will most likely be carriers for life of and will infect other birds.
Even if you put them on meds and it looks like they get better, if they are put under any stress, the disease may show its ugly head again.

I wish you the best of luck though and I'm very sorry you are going through this

 

[egglicious]

They are all doing better today. The one still has swelling but is eating,drinking, and being herself. They have been all drinking water with grapefruitseed extract and eating food with garlic and probiotics mixed in. They are still laying (except the ones who are inside). I honestly think it may have been from not cleaning the poop trays. But I guess. I'll never know. I bought another cage today just in case I need to bring others inside. I also bought some antiobotics, which I will use if they take a bad turn.
What we do for our chickens!!

 

[chkn]

I'd treat it like an upper respiratory infection. Give them some antibiotics.