molting ameraucana has a puffy eye on one side, no other symptoms. Need help I have Pics.

[Simon Sd]

Just noticed this today on my ameraucana I think shes a few years old. This is def not her first molt but she is molting so that explains the way she looks. However the eye thing I am sure is not normal. Its puffy right in the red around the eye on the chickens right side. I have Duramycin on hand from curing a small chick. I am not sure if its ok to use while she is molting? Also I have 2 others in the big coop at the moment and they are free range. Should I lock them all down for a weeks treatment of the Dura? Is this something that Dura cant deal with? Is this something that I should just watch and see if it heals on its own?? Or another way to treat this? Here are the pics. ANY info is welcomed and appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

The spot on her eyelid looks a little like fowl pox. I might watch that eyelid for a day or so, if it gets any more swollen, then I would start the Duramycin. If you have had any respiratory disease in the flock before, I would go ahead and treat her.

 

[Simon Sd]

O wow. I had no idea. Thx for pointing that out. Come to find that these lil bumps/pox have been popping up on the combs and waddles of my other birds. Thought they were some scars from ruff playing. So dura treat the whole flock then eh?

 

[Simon Sd]

Sad she has to deal with this while mid molt. Is a full treatment of antibiotics ok while she molts? seems the dura wont do anything for the pox but will keep secondary infections from taking them in a weekend state. I keep trying to give the flock extra treats. Yogurt, mealyworms, crushed up cat food( heard it was good during a molt) shes kinda skittish and flighty more so during her molt so the other birds tend to swoop up all the good stuff quick. maybe I should feed her while she is seperated from the rest. poor girl.

 

[Eggcessive]

I wouldn't treat the others unless they come down with respiratory symptoms or symptoms of wet pox inside their beaks or throats. You could hold off on treating your girl a day or two. Molting is hard on them, but if she is getting CRD, she should be treated. Tylan Soulble Powder might be a better antibiotic if you don't get results from Duramycin, since some diseases have developed resistance.

 

[Simon Sd]

sorry but what is CRD? Chronic Respiratory Disease? I think they have actually had these dots for a few weeks. I have noticed a few coughs, sneezes here and there. caught one bird doing the gasping looking movements a few days ago. Looks like a good eye and some love is all I can really offer them atm. Id really rather not poison my egg supply if i can avoid it. Is the vaccine for this Pox something a vet would have to prescribe or could i pick it up at a feed store?

 

[Eggcessive]

sorry but what is CRD? Chronic Respiratory Disease? I think they have actually had these dots for a few weeks. I have noticed a few coughs, sneezes here and there. caught one bird doing the gasping looking movements a few days ago. Looks like a good eye and some love is all I can really offer them atm. Id really rather not poison my egg supply if i can avoid it. Is the vaccine for this Pox something a vet would have to prescribe or could i pick it up at a feed store?

Yes CRD is chronic respratory disease, also known as mycoplasma gallisepticum. Infectious bronchitis is similar to what you are seeing, too. The pox vaccine is available through jefferspet.com online. One kind is for giving new hatched chicks, and the other is for birds 3 months and older. Actually, there is a longer egg withdrawal time from Duramycin(3 weeksafter last dose) than Tylan (1 day) and treatment is only 5 days versus 7-14 days. If it would be IB, antibiotics wouldn't help anyway since it is a virus. You might need them for complications though. Good luck with the chickens. Here is a list of those common diseases--make a copy of it so you can look at it for symptoms: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044