Entire flock sick, please help!

[crystalchik]

Within about 3 days my entire flock of young marans and silkies came down with an upper resperitory tract infection, or so it seems. They have chest congestion, some nasal discharge, and their eyes start to get glassy, and swell shut with a crusty goo. They are coughing and sneezing, and almost seem like they have a cheesey looking gunk in thier throat. They dont have pox, I have delt with that before and know what it looks like. I have already had one die, and another looks like it has a stiff neck and trouble standing. Anyone have any idea what this is? I have pigeons in with them (no new ones have been introduced) and they are all fine.

I am giving them all injections of Oxytetracycline (Duramycin) by weight today, and I am going to see if I can get some antibiotic water to give them. Is there anything else I can do for them?

Please help, I dont know what to do for them, this came on so quickly.

 

[RM44]

I am so sorry to hear this. Do the birds "stink" at all? If there is a smell, particularly around their heads/nostrils, it might be infectious coryza. If no smell, research MG or MS (I can't spell them but it's something like "mycoplasma gillepsum(sp?)" and "micoplasma synovae(sp?)". I'll try to look up the real spelling if you can't find it using those close spellings.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Is there proper ventilation in your coop? That could be an issue. They could have contracted something from wild birds as well. Sorry I do not know what else to tell you. I have never had this experience. Someone will happen along that can tell you how to save them or if they can be saved. Sorry about your flock being ill!!!!!

 

[RM44]

Oh, I should add - have you noticed any weight loss? My flock contracted MG last year, and they "wasted away" with cold-like symptoms for several weeks before the first death. I think the infectious coryza takes them faster than the MG or MS does.

 

[pips&peeps]

It could be lots of things. The best thing to do is to get a throat swab from one of them and send it to a chicken diagnostic lab.............


Yep, your looking at:

MS
MG
Coryza
Infectious Bronchitis
Infectious Laryngotracheitis
Pox

Have you purchased any new birds from up this direction????

 

[RM44]

I'm still looking for my "favorite" poultry disease reference, but this is my second favorite (it's just not as easy to navigate).

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/

ETA:

ah, here's my favorite one.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Good luck and I hope you get it figured out.