Hens and rooster sick sealed eyes and sneezing

[Karinspinn]

So I just bought for new hens from a poultry store. I'm new at keeping chickens so I guess I didn't know what to look for if they were sick or not, as soon as I got home and let them out they couldn't really walk and one it's bone is sticking out from it's wing. The next day I noticed that one of the girls was sneezing and had mucus dripping out of her nostrils. They have been separated from my original clock but my original flock is free range so my rooster picked it up now. I separated the worst hen from the other hens I bought and now her eye is swollen and she still has mucus. My rooster now has a sealed eye and has no interest in food or water. Please help I have no idea what I should do or what is going on with the poor baby's. I purchase vetrx and gave them some yogurt today and it doesn't really seem to be helping. Should I purchase an antibiotic now?

 

[theuglychick]

Can you post a pic? Did the eyes seem like they had tiny bubbles in them?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How long have you had them?

Photos of the bone sticking out from the wing would be helpful. If you have it - a video of the walking as well.

How old are they?

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble. It sounds like you are dealing with a contagious respiratory disease. Separate your rooster, but it sounds like your whole flock has been exposed to whatever you have - so technically you would want to consider all of the birds you have as carriers. If possible have some testing done - it may be best to sacrifice the sickest "new hen" and send her for necropsy/testing at your state lab.

Infectious Bronchitis, Mycoplasma, Infectious Coryza and ILT are some of the most common illnesses. The not being able to walk is very concerning - you may be dealing with Marek's along with a secondary respiratory illness.

See that they are drinking well, add vitamins to their water. You can try using injectable Tylan50 to help with secondary infections, it won't cure what you have but may lessen some of the symptoms. Injectable Tylan50 can be given orally or by injection at 1cc or ml per 5lbs of weight - give it 2x a day for 5days.

BTW - I'm sorry you had to join under these circumstances.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Have you contacted the store to report the sick chickens? It always can be a risk buying started pullets, since they can have been exposed to chronic respiratory diseases from carrier birds. I prefer to buy day old chicks from a hatchery where chances of bringing home diseases is less.

Many people would return the birds or cull any sick ones. It is possible to get testing to identify the disease, or have the state vet do a necropsy (autopsy) to find out what has been brought into your flock. Antibiotics such as Tylan 50 injectable is available to treat symptoms of bacterial or mycoplasma disease. Viral diseases do not respond to antibiotics. But nothing cures the disease, and all chickens in a flock should be considered carriers. Chronic diseases can come back whenever the chicken is stressed.

Google "common poultry diseases" and read the first link from University of Florida. Look for mycoplasma (MG,) infectious bronchitis, infectious coryza, and ILT which are common respiratory diseases, and compare the symptoms with what you are seeing.

 

[Karinspinn]

Thank you all for your replies. I just started them with injecting the Tylan 50. I've been giving them half CC once a day. I looked up on YouTube how to do it and it said to do a whole CC for 8lb and none of them are 8 pounds really. Do you think that I've been giving them enough or should I up it to twice a day? My rooster is now the worst symptom wise. Both of his eyes are sealed shut now. When I noticed the hens I bought where sick I took the sickest one out and her I was starting to Bubble and then her eyes shut but the next day it was open but just swollen. And my rooster now his both his eyes are completely shut and his one eye has been shut for 2 days now. The hens are actually walking okay now they're still a little wobbly but much better. I called the poultry store I got the girls from and told the owner and he acted like he was so surprised and he never even offered me medicine or nothing so I'm contemplating reporting him. I should not have bought these hens when I saw one of those girls in the cage had a big wound on her back. But I am brand new to this chicken thing so now I guess I know but it's probably going to cost me my flock. I am just super upset over my rooster and my original girls being sick now. And also the one hand who was the sickest that I separated her bone of her Wing was sticking out and I sprayed some blue kote on it. I'm not sure what else I can really do for it. Could someone please tell me if they think I'm going to lose my rooster and my original girls? It's crazy because the hens I just got they look to be getting better and now my original flock is just really bad. How should I go about feeding and giving my rooster water throughout the day also since he cannot see? I just gave him his shot and made him drink a little bit but he just will not eat so I don't really know what to do. Thank you so much for your replies it really helps knowing that there are people out there who can support other flock lovers!

 

[Karinspinn]

Can you post a pic? Did the eyes seem like they had tiny bubbles in them?

Yes the girl who was the sickest started with bubbles like that and her eyes shut overnight but it opened the next day and it was swollen but now my rooster Mister Dopey both of his eyes are completely sealed now and the one this is the second day it's been completely shut.

 

[Karinspinn]

And also when I got them their vent were nasty and kinda bare. But they smelt so bad and they were just dirty. I have thia man at the poultry store my 2 roosters I had because they were fighting with mister dopey a lot. This guy told me they were really beautiful show winners and he had a few hens with ribbons he had just won at a fair. So I am just so mad that I have thia guy 2 beautiful roosters and I for these sickly hens who have infected my original flock. Should I report this guy? I don't want anyone else to lose their flock because of him and his sick chickens he sells. Ugh I am just fuming mad!

 

[theuglychick]

We can't say for sure if they'll pull through. All birds respond differently to the disease and then meds.

The bubble in the eyes make me think its mycoplasma gallisepticum. Some birds get over it but will be carriers for life, and can infect other healthy birds. They also have lower fertiltiy, hatch rates, and chick viability.

I lost a lot of birds to MG before I understood what it was. I tried treating it, some birds responded but most didn't. I ended up culling the entire infected and exposed flock. It was a very tough decision but treating and keeping infected birds that could infect other birds and have low hatch rates kind of went against my goals and the purpose of having chickens.

The bone needs to be covered, or she's going to get an infection. I personally would amputate at the joint between the wound and the body IF she isn't infected with the respiratory illness, if she is, I would cull.

I'm so very sorry this happened. I personally would do what I can.... reporting, etc, to ensure sick birds aren't unleashed into the community and that others won't have to go through what you did. It's traumatic.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give each chicken 1 ml or cc twice a day of the Tylan, whether you give it orally or by shot. The others if more than 5 pounds, may need 1 1/2 ml. Mix a little plain yogurt such as Chobani into their feed for probiotics. Your rooster might eat some wet chicken feed moistened with a lot of water and some egg in it.

It is a shame that this person sells chickens that may be carrying diseases. Your older chickens became sick because they only have to be exposed to MG or coryza for a day or two before becoming infected. Taking chickens to shows or fairs is a good way to expose them to respiratory diseases and parasites.

As said before testing could be done to get a name of which disease, or get a necropsy (autopsy) by the state vet on one that dies. The body must be refrigerated right away, and shipped or taken on ice packs as soon as possible the next business day. They can give you info. I hope that you can help them through this illness, but please remember to close your flock to new birds to keep the disease from spreading.

 

[Karinspinn]

We can't say for sure if they'll pull through. All birds respond differently to the disease and then meds.

The bubble in the eyes make me think its mycoplasma gallisepticum. Some birds get over it but will be carriers for life, and can infect other healthy birds. They also have lower fertiltiy, hatch rates, and chick viability.

I lost a lot of birds to MG before I understood what it was. I tried treating it, some birds responded but most didn't. I ended up culling the entire infected and exposed flock. It was a very tough decision but treating and keeping infected birds that could infect other birds and have low hatch rates kind of went against my goals and the purpose of having chickens.

The bone needs to be covered, or she's going to get an infection. I personally would amputate at the joint between the wound and the body IF she isn't infected with the respiratory illness, if she is, I would cull.

I'm so very sorry this happened. I personally would do what I can.... reporting, etc, to ensure sick birds aren't unleashed into the community and that others won't have to go through what you did. It's traumatic.

Omg this is just awful! I am so upset about all of this.

We can't say for sure if they'll pull through. All birds respond differently to the disease and then meds.

The bubble in the eyes make me think its mycoplasma gallisepticum. Some birds get over it but will be carriers for life, and can infect other healthy birds. They also have lower fertiltiy, hatch rates, and chick viability.

I lost a lot of birds to MG before I understood what it was. I tried treating it, some birds responded but most didn't. I ended up culling the entire infected and exposed flock. It was a very tough decision but treating and keeping infected birds that could infect other birds and have low hatch rates kind of went against my goals and the purpose of having chickens.

The bone needs to be covered, or she's going to get an infection. I personally would amputate at the joint between the wound and the body IF she isn't infected with the respiratory illness, if she is, I would cull.

I'm so very sorry this happened. I personally would do what I can.... reporting, etc, to ensure sick birds aren't unleashed into the community and that others won't have to go through what you did. It's traumatic.

This is just awful. I can't believe that I made such a huge mistake and bought those hens. I do t even know how to cull them. Where do I report this guy and his store? I am calling hum again and give this guy a real piece of my mind. I am just sick to.my stomach over it all. But thank you very much h for your feedback. I appreciate it tremendously!