Thank you everyone for the very helpful advise. My flock had the infectious bronchitis about 6 months ago and they all recovered OK. The rooster has not got those symptoms. I just researched the Coryze disease and that says there is mucus and a bad smell. He does not have them either.
I think he must have an allergy to something. Its been over 3 weeks now and his only symptom is the very watery eyes. Poor fella.
I will give him another week with the apple cider vinegar and then put him back with the other chickens. He hates being separated. I will take him to the vet also and ask them to give him a shot of broad spectrum antibiotic to see if that helps (but that all)
I got conned by a vet before. He thought if I was stupid enough to take a bird to him, then I am stupid enough to keep paying for endless medicines that do not work. After a few treatment I was angry and then the vet admitted (with my doves) that he knew the disease but the treatment could only be bough in bulk and that was too expensive just to use on one dove so he would not order it!!!!!!! - he knew all along and just kept 'trying' things that cost me money. ARRRHHH. I won't make that mistake again.
The good news is that, logically, there is no reason to visit your vet -- most especially if you know your vet to be a thief (which is what one is, if they charge for what they know to not be an effective treatment/cure ~'-)
The bad new is that, although they seem to get over IBV, they really don't ... well ... not completely. The following quotes from AvianWeb, Merck Vet Manual and ... some other:
"The highly contagious virus is spread by airborne droplets, ingestion of contaminated feed and water, and contaminated equipment and clothng of caretakers. Naturally infected chickens and those vaccinated with live IBV may intermittently shed virus for many weeks or even months. Virus infection in layers and breeders occurs cyclically as immunity declines or on exposure to different serotypes."
"No specific treatment is available, but
antibiotics can be used to prevent secondary infections.
Vaccines are available (
ATCvet codes:
QI01AA03 for the inactivated vaccine,
QI01AD07 for the live vaccine; plus various combinations).
Biosecurity protocols including adequate
isolation,
disinfection are important in controlling the spread of the disease."
"The virus is highly variable and new serotypes continue to appear. The virus dies quickly outside of the host but can spread through the air and can travel considerable distances during an active outbreak. It can also be spread by mechanical means such as on clothing, poultry crates and equipment. The disease is not egg transmitted and the virus will survive for probably no more than one week in the house when poultry are not present. It is easily destroyed by heat and ordinary disinfectants."
As you can see? The virus work similarly to our own flu virus, in that it changes, and it goes from one to another. And, similarly, there is no antibiotic that's gonna stop IBV. There are vaccines, but they work only on the strain they're based upon. One they've had it, they won't display nearly so severe of symptoms, but -- they'll still have it. You can make efforts to prevent it's spread, and kill it outside of the birds, but, 'til you have no birds for it it live in? You'll never completely rid your location of it.
So, I'd suggest setting aside every penny you woulda spent on the vet, and visit at least that one no more. You can use antibiotics if they get secondary infections, but ... I'd just wait it out, and I would add no new birds. There will be a time when you can start fresh, after thoroughly sanitizing the property, and restricting where your new birds can go, and others from ever reaching them.
