Nasal infection from gnats...spreading to eye infection. Help its kill

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

My birds have been attacked by these stupid gnats. I have sprayed what I can thats safe around and in the coop. A few of them have clogged noses from a bug flying in there. It turnd infectious and they have nasty snot running down their faces. Afew cases the infection has spread to the eye adn the eye ousses and swells shut. I have used my cat's eye infection medocine on them and washed their faces in antbacterial sop. I put garlic in their water and doesd them with the cocci mediccine that I have since it says it also works for resperatory disease. Any other Ideas? I lost my little seabright roo. I have 3 in quarantine that are really bad and their face smells like infection. Its pretty nasty. Is there anything else I can do for them and since it has become an infection caan the other birds catch it? I have been out there several times a day with qtips and an infant snot sucker trying to clean em out. Please give me some advice!

 

[Dodgegal79]

Nnot sure whats going on but try using some Oil of Oregano. You can get it at your local health food store or supplement store usually. My sister has been using it and it is great for fungal, viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. It is also safe for animals. It cleared up her sinus infection in no time and the only thing the doctors had left to do was remove them. I'm not sure how you would give it to them, you can add it to water and stuff, but it is very smelly, like mint. You may have to use the dropper and individually give it to them, a very small amount. Good luck

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

I'll try to get some of that as soon as I get some money, this divorce has totally cleaned me out.

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

Lost 10 birds yesterday. Piling up suffocating hidin g from the gnats. Pecking to get rid of the gnats. Gnats in the nose...Have 5 others quarantines. This is so awful

 

[Katy]

Are you sure it's the gnats causing the infection...or are they being drawn to an infection that's already there?

 

[speckledhen]

I agree with Katy. If the discharge smells bad, they could have infectious Coryza and the gnats are just drawn to the infection. Honestly, I've never heard of a chicken being killed by gnats. Did you buy any birds lately that you didnt quarantine?

Read this article on Infectious Coryza and see if symptoms fit. The main one is the smell of the discharge and you said it smells bad.
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page22.htm

 

[Pine Grove]

It must be buffalo Gnats, They can and will kill chickens and their bites can cause allergic reactions..They are nasty here this time of year

 

[speckledhen]

Never heard of Buffalo Gnats, must be a south Ga thing. I dont know that she'd have those in Indiana. I'll have to look those up.

I looked it up-they're the same thing as black flies? Didnt think we had those in the south, do we? Here's the link: http://entoplp.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/blackflies.htm

And this one, too. http://www.sj-r.com/homepage/x1867426792/Second-summer-of-batting-at-gnats-on-the-way

I stand corrected! Never encountered those myself and I was raised in Georgia and lived in Ohio for 12 years, plus Colorado and Utah. Is this a new thing?

 

[hdchic]

We have the Buffalo Gnats here in IL as well...they are awful, but their 'season' doesn't usually last long. When they are out, its horrendous. They seem to swarm anything and everything they can. I spray Bronco Cintrinella on my dogs, and it helps, but can't spray it on the chickens. The only thing I could do was crank the fans on HIGH and hope for the best. They ate up my MIL last year..she had bites all over her arms and neck, it was awful.

 

[MissPrissy]

I agree with Katy and Cyn. I would look into IC - infectious Coryza.

Infectious Coryza (IC) is an infectious contagious respiratory bacterial disease of several avian species. The disease is acute to subacute at onset but progresses to a chronic state as the disease works through the flock. Common names for the disease are roup, cold and Coryza. Coryza is characterized by nasal discharge, facial swelling, sneezing, labored breathing and fetid odor of the exudates. Coryza is a disease of the upper respiratory tract--trachea, sinuses and air passages of the head.

Gnats would be attracted to the stench of the discharge.

Chronically ill or inapparent healthy carrier birds are the reservoir of infection. The source of the disease is often the addition of carrier birds to the flock. Recovered birds remain carriers and shedders for life. Transmission occurs by direct bird to bird contact, inhalation of infectious aerosols coughed into the air, or through ingestion of contaminated feed and water. The organism can be transferred on contaminated clothing, equipment and fomites. Incubation is 1 to 3 days with duration of the disease 14 days in the infected individual bird. The slow spread extends the period of sick birds within the flock to several weeks. The presence of other respiratory infections as mycoplasma will increase the duration and severity of illness of sick birds and impact on flock growth and production. Once a flock has been infected, it is a constant threat to other clean flocks. The clinical signs are those of an upper respiratory disease--sneezing, lacrimation, swollen face, and nasal exudates. The nasal exudates are thick clear sticky in texture with a fetid or rotten odor. Sick birds become lethargic, will sit humped, have ruffled feathers, go off feed and water and have swollen faces. Some birds also have sinusitis. The facial swelling is primarily around the eye and not always involving the infra-orbital sinus. Mortality can be as high as 50 percent but usually no more than 20 percent. The course and mortality of the disease correlate with the virulence of the pathogen, treatment, and concomitant infections.

How many swaps have you been to lately? How many new birds have you brought in to your flock in the last 6 weeks? You can suspect new birds in the last 6 - 8 weeks to be a carrier.

Prevention requires eradication of the disease (depopulation if necessary), good husbandry, strict biosecurity, all in-all out program, raise own breeder replacement, and do not mix ages or species. Most outbreaks occur as a result of mixing flocks. If you have an outbreak, segregate birds by age, etc., properly dispose of dead birds, medicate to stop the spread of the disease and initiate eradication procedures. Do not save recovered birds for breeder replacements. Premises should be vacant for 30 to 60 days after cleaning and disinfecting before repopulating or onset of the new season. Breeders should be replaced from a Coryza-clean source.

Put your flock in quarrentine. Don't go near another flock or bird unless your clothing is free of contact from your birds.

You need a necropsy done fast.

Remember if it is IC and they recover they are carriers and the flock should be closed. No new birds in and no birds out for any reason.

Hope things work out for you.​