Garlic (sharing experience)

[Maiahr]

Ok, I may be reinventing the wheel, but wanted to share recent experience (may be useful for someone). I was given a young Brahma cockerel (2 months old) who had not eaten or drank water for 3 days, both eyes fully closed and breathing like Dart Vader. So I put him isolated in a 19-20C room to sleep overnight. The next morning I removed white pus the size of a bean from both of his eyes. I didn't do the saline washing as I didn't have it prepared. I put Tobramycin in his eyes - 2 drops in each eye. And gave him garlic in the beak. Fresh real garlic. Left him in the warm room. In the evening there was no change in his condition but he was making "I am hungry" movements (don't know how to describe these). So he was still blind but he drank water and I gave him more garlic in the beak. The next morning he (still both eyes closed) started eating and in the evening he opened one of his eyes. This is now day 3 of his "hospital stay", one of his eyes is still shut, but he is eating and drinking and escaping his box. His breathing has improved though he is still snoring. I will be giving him more garlic tonight and I may put some Tobramycin drops in his shut eye. So I think (I may be wrong though) garlic has played a major role in the healing process + keeping him in a warm room.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

Thanks for sharing! I hope he gets better

 

[SulkyBantam]

Great I'll keep that in mind. Glad he's better!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I was given a young Brahma cockerel (2 months old) who had not eaten or drank water for 3 days, both eyes fully closed and breathing like Dart Vader. So I put him isolated in a 19-20C room to sleep overnight. The next morning I removed white pus the size of a bean from both of his eyes. I didn't do the saline washing as I didn't have it prepared. I put Tobramycin in his eyes - 2 drops in each eye. And gave him garlic in the beak. Fresh real garlic.

Biggest possibilities for stated age and condition would be slow or sour crop or coccidiosis..

Garlic is known as a anti fungal agent.. as well as having some probiotic effect as well. While it might not do much for a healthy bird, it seems like it very well MIGHT be helping your little guy!

Hang in there, hope he recovers quickly!

 

[Maiahr]

Thank you @EggSighted4Life , I'll check his crop tomorrow morning. I didn't know coccidiosis could cause snoring breathing and pus in the eyes.. He doesn't have blood in the poops?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thank you @EggSighted4Life , I'll check his crop tomorrow morning. I didn't know coccidiosis could cause snoring breathing and pus in the eyes.. He doesn't have blood in the poops?

No, it won't cause all that. Sorry for the confusion. I meant the initial going off of food at stated age..

It's possible that you're facing more than one condition and have a perfect storm trying to take him down.

Noting only 1 of 9-11 strains of coccidia that are known effect chickens will present as blood in droppings.. The others will NEVER produce that SYMPTOM even if they are what's causing the issue.

The breathing (respiratory) condition.. is more likely either viral or bacterial.. Here is a good resource to review..
Avian Disease Manual 7th Edition

 

[Maiahr]

Thank you. He was not eating/drinking because he was blind as both of his eyes were full of that white pus which I subsequently removed. Right now he keeps one eye shut, no more white pus, the other eye is ok. Don't you think eyes could be a result of the same respiratory issue which is causing the breathing/snoring sound?
As for coccidiosis - I will have to check in the lab if they are able to identify it in the poops. Someone told me coccidiosis is a parasite living in the blood, so maybe then it won't show in the poops..?

 

[PDXJULES]

Thank you. He was not eating/drinking because he was blind as both of his eyes were full of that white pus which I subsequently removed. Right now he keeps one eye shut, no more white pus, the other eye is ok. Don't you think eyes could be a result of the same respiratory issue which is causing the breathing/snoring sound?
As for coccidiosis - I will have to check in the lab if they are able to identify it in the poops. Someone told me coccidiosis is a parasite living in the blood, so maybe then it won't show in the poops..?

Coccid lives in the digestive tract. Usually, folks say to watch for changes in behavior then check feces for bright blood. If the above poster is right that many strains don't cause symptoms but can weaken Chickens - monthly CORID treatment in water would be a good idea, especially in wet conditions. I'm going to improve my CORID routine to help reduce that possibility in my girls.

 

[aart]

Be careful, too much garlic can cause anemia.
Respiratory illness needs antibiotics to clear symptoms.

 

[Maiahr]

@aart ok, I didn't know that about garlic. I know for humans it lowers the blood pressure. Respiratory illness - at this stage I cannot differentiate between a virus (no antibiotic needed) and bacteria infection (need antibiotic), so I am trying to boost the immune system. Snoring + eyes closed+ sneezing - is this a virus or infection? If I give him antibiotic, it may weaken his immune system.