Mucous in the beak - general question

[Maiahr]

In one of the flocks I am looking after, I had a young chicken (3 months old) die within several hours. He was perfectly fine in the evening, went to sleep happy, next morning his legs were paralyzed and his beak was full of mucous. I assumed some kind of yeast (we are in fall and very wet season here) and gave him Nystatine. It didn't help, he became more and more paralyzed and died within a few hours. Today I noticed a hen in the same flock, who wasn't drinking water, I checked her and she had mucous in the beak. Is this yeast or what else should I look for?

 

[Eggcessive]

Mucus in the throat is probably from a respiratory disease. In some of your other threads, there have been other symptoms of respiratory diseases, and possibly some Mareks disease symptoms. Respiratory diseases and Mareks are both very contagious and can be spread easily from flock to flock by going between those flocks. Other birds in the flock become carriers when they are around the sick birds.

I would not be using so many antibiotic drugs without proper diagnosis. I realize you are trying to help others with their chickens without a proper poultry vet, but culling the sick birds or at least separating the sick birds far away, is the best way to deal with these. Respiratory disease is never cured. Symptoms may disappear with antibiotics, but the disease is still in the body and air sacs.

Sorry that you are seeing so much illness in your neighbor’s flocks, but you could actually be helping to spread diseases from flock to flock unless you use extreme biosecurity. Wearing shoes from one flock to another can spread things.

 

[Maiahr]

Thank you. I am not using that many antibiotics actually. I prefer natural remedies, so I usually give them vitamins, garlic, etc. In terms of diagnosis, that's what I am trying to get to. I have sent stools of this particular hen to a (human) lab. Results will come on Thursday. Meanwhile I am trying to diagnose myself.. without being a vet... I have found a poultry lab in the UK, will check if they will accept samples for Marek tests.