Help! Very Sick Chicks

[countyroad1330]

Here's the major things I've noticed:

* Red color in poop
*'Bubbles' on edge of rooster's eye
*Hen is coughing/sneezing
*Hen 'squats' when eating or drinking (maybe that's normal)

These two are a rescue pair I got from a guy. The hen feels very thin when I hold her. I'm guessing they're less than 6 months old. Yesterday I found BIG mites on a feather that the hen had molted. I bought the only spray I could find to treat mites and treated everything and the birds yesterday.

Stupid me, I'm new to all of this. I brought them home thinking the separation period was so they won't fight. Since they got along I put them with my three 2 month old chickens. I'm so frustrated and feel like such an idiot

*What should I use to treat mites? I don't have much faith in that spray.

*Does the pair have parasites? What can I treat them with?

*Should I separate the pair from the others? They've all been together a week, wasn't sure if it mattered at this point.

 

[MandyH]

Sounds like infectious coryza, look it up on the net and see if the symptoms are the same. If that is what they have the best thing to do is put them ALL down. IF this is the disease they have it will never go away, there is no cure and it will spread to ALL your chickens. Also if coryza is what they have the other ones already have it, they just aren't showing the symptoms yet. Then you must sanitize everything they have been around and wait a few weeks before getting anymore chickens.

 

[silkiechicken]

Get them apart as soon as you can, if it is infectious, you may have to put down your whole flock now. Always quarentine. Red in poo reminds me of cocci too.

 

[countyroad1330]

The red isn't in the entire feces, there's just small traces. The bubbles in the rooster's eye have just appeared the past couple of days. I thought he was just getting water in it when he drank, its perfectly clear. They don't act ill, other than the hen squatting a little.

I looked up Coryza, it doesn't seem like that is what they have. I will separate them tomorrow.

*Should I give them all antibiotic?
*Any suggestions for the mites? Or do you think the spray will work?

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

What is the spray you got? I would not bother seperating now, if they all have it they do, it's too late. But for sure learn from this, seperation is a must for new stock. Yes I would treat them for cocci too, add milk powder to their feed about a cup per large grain scoop for a few days. As for worms you could take a poop sample to a vet if you want or just treat them. (same for cocci, the poop can be tested but it's cheeper to just treat them in the case of cocci)

Personally I would not move to antibiotics if they are not acting ill, support them in fighting the illness themselves for now.

 

[countyroad1330]

Are there meds specifically for coccidiosis? I know nothing about treating ill birds

When you say milk powder, do you mean human-consumption grade powdered milk?

 

[dlhunicorn]

cappillaria (worms) can cause blood in faeces ... worm them with a suitable wormer.

 

[countyroad1330]

My first thought was worms. They don't seem to have any symptoms for the more serious illnesses. I started treating them for worms today.