Mucus discharge and swollen eye

[batchhatchin]

I've got about 60 birds. The other day I got a really nice healthy batch of barred rock pullets and an old rir hen. The rir hen developed respiratory discharge and had to be put in quarantine. Now she's dead but my other bird are getting the same crap. Nasal discharge and eyes are swelling shut. I treated their water with sumlet and put them all on medicated feed. I've been putting the birds showing symptoms in quarantine. Thinking about giving LA 200 orally as a last ditch effort. Can anyone direct me to a diagnosis or a cure please?!?!?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I've got about 60 birds. The other day I got a really nice healthy batch of barred rock pullets and an old rir hen. The rir hen developed respiratory discharge and had to be put in quarantine. Now she's dead but my other bird are getting the same crap. Nasal discharge and eyes are swelling shut. I treated their water with sumlet and put them all on medicated feed. I've been putting the birds showing symptoms in quarantine. Thinking about giving LA 200 orally as a last ditch effort. Can anyone direct me to a diagnosis or a cure please?!?!?

By "medicated feed" - what are you referring to? The medication in most commercial feeds that are available are specific to preventing/managing coccidiosis in young birds, and is not meant for treatment of respiratory issues.
Is the discharge clear, white, green or?
You mention using quarantine - did you have the entire new group in a quarantine and are further quarantining those showing symptoms or did you integrate your existing birds with the new birds and are only now isolating symptomatic birds from the one, large group?

 

[batchhatchin]

As I don't know what else to do I'm giving them medicated feed for young birds. Thus it is for coccidiosis. I did quarantine the new birds from my existing flock for 5-6 days and had no signs of problems from any of the bird as I inspect each one before integrating them into the existing population. The original bird to show symptoms was quarantined as soon as she was noticed but the issue has grown. I've now had another bird die and two more that are one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. I really don't know what else to do. I've heard a commercial grower say iodine in the water clears up this kind of thing but I have no idea as to how or what to use other than "iodine".

 

[Eggcessive]

You could be dealing with coryza or a bad strain of MG (CRD.) Do the sick birds have a bad odor? The Sulmet will treat coryza symptoms, but nothing cures it. Tylan or the oxytetracycline in the water may help prevent secondary infections. If I were you I would send a refrigerated body into the state vet for a necropsy, or I would get 1 or 2 birds tested for MG and coryza. Here is some info on the different diseases with symptoms, and a link for the state vet:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

 

[batchhatchin]

Birds don't have an odor. I treated them with 1cc of la200 in the breast today and two of the worst ones started to turn around this afternoon. Ones eyes are swollen shut and full of pus.

 

[Eggcessive]

You may have MG. E.coli, or other respiratory diseases can sometimes be secondary infections. Your birds will be carriers, so it is necessary to close your flock to new birds or from selling them or hatching eggs. Here is a good article on MG: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps034

 

[batchhatchin]

I'll put those birds all aside in a single coop and make sure they are the last thing I handle every trip to the coops. I've put in a phone call to a friend that is a commercial broiler grower for some answer on what to do with the birds and how to sanitize the house.

 

[dawg53]

Here's another excellent link regarding MG:
http://www.gapoultrylab.org/wp-cont...coplasma handout for Backyard Flocks 4-12.pdf

 

[batchhatchin]

Thanks for the links I read the first and started on the second. I sure hope that's not what it is but if so I can handle it. I'm very used to contamination controls as I work in the nuclear industry. It a pain but possible to keep from contaminating unexposed birds or their habitat.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks for the links I read the first and started on the second. I sure hope that's not what it is but if so I can handle it. I'm very used to contamination controls as I work in the nuclear industry. It a pain but possible to keep from contaminating unexposed birds or their habitat.

I know a little about NBC from my military background. New birds should be put in quarantine for 6 weeks, away from an existing flock as incubation and course times vary among respiratory diseases. Diseases can be carried on clothing, shoes, hands etc..to your "clean" flock infecting them. The 6 week quarantine will give time for the bird to show symptoms. During quarantine, it'll give you time to visually inspect the bird for external parasites, tumors or cysts, unseen injuries etc...it'll also give you time to worm the newly acquired birds. Remember biosecurity.