Help I have a butt pecker

[Bawkbok]

I feel like I want to give up. I work so hard to research and give them the best and I keep having something happen with them.

I'm happy to hear she laid an egg.

This is a normal feeling. Many here have experienced a similar experience. Our first year with chickens was fraught with one disaster after another; one death after another and another - 10 birds in the first year - myriad of issues and illnesses including Marek's. I was going to quit because I felt like a failure for the birds and I felt I was in a constant state of grief. Just bad beginners luck I guess. Indoctrination I told myself. Keep pushing. You have what it takes. Just work through the issues one at a time and stay with it. Each incident / illness is an opportunity for you to learn; that was my approach. Better days are ahead for you and your flock. You have a strong support system here with BYC.

 

[Hannah2911]

I'm happy to hear she laid an egg.

This is a normal feeling. Many here have experienced a similar experience. Our first year with chickens was fraught with one disaster after another; one death after another and another - 10 birds in the first year - myriad of issues and illnesses including Marek's. I was going to quit because I felt like a failure for the birds and I felt I was in a constant state of grief. Just bad beginners luck I guess. Indoctrination I told myself. Keep pushing. You have what it takes. Just work through the issues one at a time and stay with it. Each incident / illness is an opportunity for you to learn; that was my approach. Better days are ahead for you and your flock. You have a strong support system here with BYC.

Thank you and everyone so much. Crying as I type. Having yall to support and help means so much! One day when I have learned as much as yall I hope to be able to help others also!

One quick question if anyone here has done this. I asked earlier about oral dosing Tiaguard but ended up putting it in water. I added apple juice for taste. I don’t know how much they are drinking. I’m going to try and watch the camera for that today while at work. The ones eye is better. Only one sounds congested. Would it be good to give her oral Tiaguard? I saw the equation said .09ml per pound. This one is 4.5 lbs. but the part I’m confused about is that straight out of the bottle or do I still mix the Tiaguard with water and then give her the .09 per lb?

 

[coach723]

If your Tiaguard is labeled to be mixed in water, then use that mixture as instructions say, and give the medicated water mixture to her several times a day orally if she isn't drinking on her own, until she starts drinking on her own. I will attach a link to an article that explains how to safely administer medications. For more accurate advice please post a picture of the medication you are giving and the instruction label so we can see it clearly. Tiaguard is often used to treat mycoplasma gallisepticum symptoms. That particular illness is chronic and the birds are carriers, so symptoms can recur periodically, usually during times of stress (which can be just about anything for a chicken). So if the medication helps with symptoms (it won't be a cure), then you may need to retreat periodically. MG is also very contagious, so any birds you bring in will be exposed to it. And no birds should leave your property (don't give away or sell them, or sell eggs to hatch). It can also be spread on clothing, equipment and shoes. Birds can be tested for it, to confirm or rule it out. MG does not affect humans.
For your hen that was having trouble laying, putting where you are located generally in the world in your profile, can help with answering some issues. How old is this hen? Did she molt this fall/winter? If a hen stops laying for a period, due to age, season (shorter daylight hours), or molt, then they can have glitches when they start up laying again. Just like with brand new layers, sometimes it can take a bit of time for their bodies to get back in the swing of it. Hopefully it will resolve, but definitely keep an eye on her. If you do have MG in your flock, that can also affect laying and egg quality.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Hannah2911]

If your Tiaguard is labeled to be mixed in water, then use that mixture as instructions say, and give the medicated water mixture to her several times a day orally if she isn't drinking on her own, until she starts drinking on her own. I will attach a link to an article that explains how to safely administer medications. For more accurate advice please post a picture of the medication you are giving and the instruction label so we can see it clearly. Tiaguard is often used to treat mycoplasma gallisepticum symptoms. That particular illness is chronic and the birds are carriers, so symptoms can recur periodically, usually during times of stress (which can be just about anything for a chicken). So if the medication helps with symptoms (it won't be a cure), then you may need to retreat periodically. MG is also very contagious, so any birds you bring in will be exposed to it. And no birds should leave your property (don't give away or sell them, or sell eggs to hatch). It can also be spread on clothing, equipment and shoes. Birds can be tested for it, to confirm or rule it out. MG does not affect humans.
For your hen that was having trouble laying, putting where you are located generally in the world in your profile, can help with answering some issues. How old is this hen? Did she molt this fall/winter? If a hen stops laying for a period, due to age, season (shorter daylight hours), or molt, then they can have glitches when they start up laying again. Just like with brand new layers, sometimes it can take a bit of time for their bodies to get back in the swing of it. Hopefully it will resolve, but definitely keep an eye on her. If you do have MG in your flock, that can also affect laying and egg quality.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

This is what I put in their water. I added apple juice. I’m not sure they drank much. I took it out and gave water with vitamins. I have one with no abnormalities. One who is laying but yesterday started sneezing and sounding congrsted and I noticed today her tongue looks whiter than normal. It doesn’t look like canker. No hunks or anything. Doesn’t smell. I have one who couldn’t walk one morning I brought her in gave her calcium citrate and she laid and egg. She is getting better daily. I have one who has always had issues with soft shells on and off. She laid soft shells back to back and nothing since. She had bubbles in her eyes but no respiratory issues. After Tiaguard was in the water for two days her eye cleared up. She has no other symptoms. The last one has never had soft shell egg lay one last night. She has no other symptoms. I didn’t know how to do the oral Tiaguard and opted for baytril. I know people will argue this for chickens. My vet said a 14-30 day egg withdrawal would be fine. I started that tonight. I honestly care more about the chicken than the eggs and she’s the only one that lays her color (pink) so I know it’s hers to pull out. I had the girls on nutrena layer feed but was told to do 20% protein all flock due to the sneezing one had been plucking out butt feathers. I have since put one feeder with that feed and one with layer. They have oyster shells in a separate feeder. Bc of all the soft shell I put a little calcium feed in their food that I got on Amazon. They have not molted and are 3 Easter eggers one buff Orpington and one barred rock. They are 10-11 months old. I live in a suburb of Dallas. They never leave their run as I am in the city. The house is 4.5 x 8 ft and their run is 12x8. They have two perches in the run. I have a few toys hanging from the hardware cloth. And a wind chime. They have a concrete block to scratch beak on if needed. Another thing to note is I’m fairly sure I found a worm in the hen house so I was worming with safeguard fenbendazole for goats .5ml per bird as per vet in case they had worms. I was told 3 days to do that. I did two and didn’t do the third as that was yesterday and the day one was so congested I didn’t want to overwhelm their system. I’ll add a photo of the worm but I think it’s earlier on in this chain. I’ll add photos of the run and hen house. It’s smaller and sucky but I didn’t know that when I got it. I built and add on the the house but there isn’t a camera on that part.

 

[Hannah2911]

I'm happy to hear she laid an egg.

This is a normal feeling. Many here have experienced a similar experience. Our first year with chickens was fraught with one disaster after another; one death after another and another - 10 birds in the first year - myriad of issues and illnesses including Marek's. I was going to quit because I felt like a failure for the birds and I felt I was in a constant state of grief. Just bad beginners luck I guess. Indoctrination I told myself. Keep pushing. You have what it takes. Just work through the issues one at a time and stay with it. Each incident / illness is an opportunity for you to learn; that was my approach. Better days are ahead for you and your flock. You have a strong support system here with BYC.

Hey there. Sorry to bug you again. I commented on someone else’s post and wanted to update you also and see if you had any advice as I don’t know if that person will answer. Something is wrong and I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know if it’s microplasm or some other respiratory infection or if it is infectious bronchitis and will just have to run its course. Daisy is the one that couldn’t walk and laid that one egg is behaviorally good. She hasn’t laid any other eggs but no bubbles in her eyes isn’t congested and is not lethargic just not laying eggs.

Here is the comment I posted.

Hi if I could ask I ordered this from jedds but just noticed it says tartrate. Is this ok. I have chickens that I can’t figure out what is going on. Two stopped laying (one had soft shells back to back before she stopped) a third is laying but has laid thin eggs and one soft. One is completely normal. One laid one soft and others are hard but paler than normal. The one that laid back to back soft shell eggs then had bubbles in her eye and no other symptoms. They were not lethargic were eating drinking and pooping. Poop is normal most times tho I have seen some green tinted. But not skinny green it’s normal consistency. I had Tiaguard in their water and put apple juice but they weren’t drinking it much. So I took it out. When I took it out the bubbles in the eye were gone and she seemed better. The next day The one that laid soft and thin was sneezing and congested. I was worried they were not going to drink the Tiaguard water so I opted to do baytril for her that I had from our vet and withhold her eggs. When I went to give her that there is white stuff on her tongue. It doesn’t look like photos I have seen of canker or anything else so I don’t know but I had metro (those meds were for a chicken we thought had canker but ended up being string on tongue infected. That chicken is the only one laying normal and doing great). I’m on day 4 of the antibiotics for the sickest one. She isn’t sneezing and doesn’t sound congested anymore but the tongue is still odd. They are all still eating and drinking. This morning the one that had bubbles who had got better has them again and does seem lethargic and the other sick one is tail up and will move and eat but I can tell she doesn’t feel good. I got tylosin from Jedds and got it in a couple days ago but just noticed it says tartrate. I’ll add a pic. If you or anyone else can give me insight on what to do or what it is I’m so overwhelmed and I have no idea how to help them. I’m chasing my tail it feels like. I also bought vet rx but haven’t used it and yesterday got poultry cell from rooster booster I was going to give them today.

 

[Exopoulterer]

Hey there. Sorry to bug you again. I commented on someone else’s post and wanted to update you also and see if you had any advice as I don’t know if that person will answer. Something is wrong and I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know if it’s microplasm or some other respiratory infection or if it is infectious bronchitis and will just have to run its course. Daisy is the one that couldn’t walk and laid that one egg is behaviorally good. She hasn’t laid any other eggs but no bubbles in her eyes isn’t congested and is not lethargic just not laying eggs.

Here is the comment I posted.

Hi if I could ask I ordered this from jedds but just noticed it says tartrate. Is this ok. I have chickens that I can’t figure out what is going on. Two stopped laying (one had soft shells back to back before she stopped) a third is laying but has laid thin eggs and one soft. One is completely normal. One laid one soft and others are hard but paler than normal. The one that laid back to back soft shell eggs then had bubbles in her eye and no other symptoms. They were not lethargic were eating drinking and pooping. Poop is normal most times tho I have seen some green tinted. But not skinny green it’s normal consistency. I had Tiaguard in their water and put apple juice but they weren’t drinking it much. So I took it out. When I took it out the bubbles in the eye were gone and she seemed better. The next day The one that laid soft and thin was sneezing and congested. I was worried they were not going to drink the Tiaguard water so I opted to do baytril for her that I had from our vet and withhold her eggs. When I went to give her that there is white stuff on her tongue. It doesn’t look like photos I have seen of canker or anything else so I don’t know but I had metro (those meds were for a chicken we thought had canker but ended up being string on tongue infected. That chicken is the only one laying normal and doing great). I’m on day 4 of the antibiotics for the sickest one. She isn’t sneezing and doesn’t sound congested anymore but the tongue is still odd. They are all still eating and drinking. This morning the one that had bubbles who had got better has them again and does seem lethargic and the other sick one is tail up and will move and eat but I can tell she doesn’t feel good. I got tylosin from Jedds and got it in a couple days ago but just noticed it says tartrate. I’ll add a pic. If you or anyone else can give me insight on what to do or what it is I’m so overwhelmed and I have no idea how to help them. I’m chasing my tail it feels like. I also bought vet rx but haven’t used it and yesterday got poultry cell from rooster booster I was going to give them today.

I know it is a hard and stressful time right now and am so sorry you and your flock are going through this.

I have gone through the ringer with my first and current flock as they came with/contracted diseases that are terrible. A visceral form of Mareks and positive for Mycoplasma synoviae. I have lost 2 of my 5 birds and didn't really notice the Mycoplasma synoviae as much more than some clear watery sniffles from every body when it got cold, and possible eggshell/production issues in one bird. MS can cause synovitis in joints but my bird's bad leg infection did not present in any way that I could tie in to the MS. The Mareks is what I can see for myself that is harming them. I am so sad and stressed with one more sick bird and it is hard but I am just doing my best to let them live out their lives.

I know that you weren't asking me this but, Tylosin tartrate is just the water soluble form of Tylosin. It is the more bioavailable form for injection or oral through water. The other form is Tylosin phosphate that is given in capsules or added to feed.

My chickens hate anything added to their water so it is hard but the easiest way for me with that drug at the moment. Maybe someone here can come up with a way to dilute it to a direct single dose and schedule if that is what you are trying to do?

I am pretty sure that Vet RX is nothing more than menthol/vicks for animals and I wouldn't use it personally as that can be irritating. People do use it and say it works but I am going on my preference there as I dislike vicks on myself and it has never helped me only bothered me more when I have used it. I could imagine it would be irritating on their face with menthol in their eyes and getting all up in thier face while trying to preen under the wings and all for when people put it under wings. Also when it is cold and they might feel colder...

Is it possible to get a photo of her tongue? I understand if restraining and stressing her further is not something you want to do but maybe someone with experience will know what it is. It could also be another clue to help tie some of your issues together and get some more answers.

 

[Hannah2911]

I know it is a hard and stressful time right now and am so sorry you and your flock are going through this.

I have gone through the ringer with my first and current flock as they came with/contracted diseases that are terrible. A visceral form of Mareks and positive for Mycoplasma synoviae. I have lost 2 of my 5 birds and didn't really notice the Mycoplasma synoviae as much more than some clear watery sniffles from every body when it got cold, and possible eggshell/production issues in one bird. MS can cause synovitis in joints but my bird's bad leg infection did not present in any way that I could tie in to the MS. The Mareks is what I can see for myself that is harming them. I am so sad and stressed with one more sick bird and it is hard but I am just doing my best to let them live out their lives.

I know that you weren't asking me this but, Tylosin tartrate is just the water soluble form of Tylosin. It is the more bioavailable form for injection or oral through water. The other form is Tylosin phosphate that is given in capsules or added to feed.

My chickens hate anything added to their water so it is hard but the easiest way for me with that drug at the moment. Maybe someone here can come up with a way to dilute it to a direct single dose and schedule if that is what you are trying to do?

I am pretty sure that Vet RX is nothing more than menthol/vicks for animals and I wouldn't use it personally as that can be irritating. People do use it and say it works but I am going on my preference there as I dislike vicks on myself and it has never helped me only bothered me more when I have used it. I could imagine it would be irritating on their face with menthol in their eyes and getting all up in thier face while trying to preen under the wings and all for when people put it under wings. Also when it is cold and they might feel colder...

Is it possible to get a photo of her tongue? I understand if restraining and stressing her further is not something you want to do but maybe someone with experience will know what it is. It could also be another clue to help tie some of your issues together and get some more answers.

I know it is a hard and stressful time right now and am so sorry you and your flock are going through this.

I have gone through the ringer with my first and current flock as they came with/contracted diseases that are terrible. A visceral form of Mareks and positive for Mycoplasma synoviae. I have lost 2 of my 5 birds and didn't really notice the Mycoplasma synoviae as much more than some clear watery sniffles from every body when it got cold, and possible eggshell/production issues in one bird. MS can cause synovitis in joints but my bird's bad leg infection did not present in any way that I could tie in to the MS. The Mareks is what I can see for myself that is harming them. I am so sad and stressed with one more sick bird and it is hard but I am just doing my best to let them live out their lives.

I know that you weren't asking me this but, Tylosin tartrate is just the water soluble form of Tylosin. It is the more bioavailable form for injection or oral through water. The other form is Tylosin phosphate that is given in capsules or added to feed.

My chickens hate anything added to their water so it is hard but the easiest way for me with that drug at the moment. Maybe someone here can come up with a way to dilute it to a direct single dose and schedule if that is what you are trying to do?

I am pretty sure that Vet RX is nothing more than menthol/vicks for animals and I wouldn't use it personally as that can be irritating. People do use it and say it works but I am going on my preference there as I dislike vicks on myself and it has never helped me only bothered me more when I have used it. I could imagine it would be irritating on their face with menthol in their eyes and getting all up in thier face while trying to preen under the wings and all for when people put it under wings. Also when it is cold and they might feel colder...

Is it possible to get a photo of her tongue? I understand if restraining and stressing her further is not something you want to do but maybe someone with experience will know what it is. It could also be another clue to help tie some of your issues together and get some more answers.

Man I’m sorry that you are going through what you are with your flock. I will pray for yall. I don’t know if you are a believer but I am and have been praying over my girls. I mean it say his eye is on the sparrow and he cares for the Lilies if the fields so I figure he cares for my chickens lol.

And I trust bokboks advice which is why I come to her but I appreciate any help from anyone who has insight or experience with things like this. So thank you for info on the tylosin and vet rx. I did add the poultry cell in the water and am sitting out here after scooping the run to see if they will drink it. They have had the vitamins and electrolytes in their water and acv on and off since babies although I haven’t used acv in months. I think the single dose to syringe either Tiaguard or tylosin would help bc I read those are bitter and even with apple juice they were not drinking the tiaguard much. Some of them are easier to look in the mouth and she fights me a bit but I can have my mom wrap her in a towel so I can get a better look and try for a photo and post it when I get that done. Iris is the one that I’ve seen bubbles in her eye and she’s not acting as lethargic now an earlier.

 

[Bawkbok]

You were given good advice by Exopoulterer.
I would not use the VetRx as it doesn't really help with respiratory infections. It has a strong smell and this may be overwhelming to the chicken if it's on their face.

One who is laying but yesterday started sneezing and sounding congrsted and I noticed today her tongue looks whiter than normal. It doesn’t look like canker. No hunks or anything. Doesn’t smell.

It is hard to say what the white stuff is on her tongue without seeing a picture.

What does her congestion sound like? Is it raspy on every breath, does she look labored when breathing?

The Tylosin I've used is Doxy-Tyl which is 40g Tylosin and 10g Doxycyline. The measurement is 1 teaspoon per 1 gallon of water for 5-7 consecutive days with this being the only water source. It is used to treat upper and lower respiratory infections and mycoplasma. Tylosin without Doxy is good also so don't feel like you need to purchase anything else.

If you don't want to treat with water - as you would be treating the whole flock but everyone is exposed anyway, to treat only her, then you can try the Doxycycline tablets. Treatment is 1/2 pill to 1 whole pill per day depending on the weight of the bird for 5-7 days. With a respiratory infection, there is usually consistent and persistent coughing and sneezing with general malaise.

Unless they present with obvious respiratory symptoms, I would refrain from treating with too many antibiotics as this could lower their natural resistance. I understand you want to treat symptoms early if you do think they have a virus.

Sometimes if their environment is dusty depending on the substrate, this could cause sneezing or it could be something else in the environment, such as if you live near large farming operations where field work could be creating higher dust in the environment.

I didn't see any bubbles in the left eye in the video but it does look like it might be a little swollen; almost like there may be a bite or minor injury near the corner of her eye on the lower lid? It could have been the lighting in the video, it was hard to tell. If it looks to you like a bug bite or minor scratch injury, you can apply plain triple antibiotic (without pain relief) or plain neosporin to the eye.

Probiotics and electrolytes in the water after completing a round of meds to help restore the flora in their gut.

I'm new at this chicken thing too and still learning myself so I'm going to ask for a sanity check from @coach723 to validate my response and solicit additional input.