Need help fast! WWYD for fungal infect. while waiting for Oxine?

[accidentalchick]

I lost a hen last week that had struggled with random symptoms for a couple of months. I'm still not sure exactly what was wrong with her, but now I'm pretty sure I have a couple that are sick with fungal infections, specifically respiratory. I noticed one or two gurgling with a slight bit of droppings on their rears (not too bad but there), so I started looking for more answers around the coop and online. When I found a fairly significant mold growth that I somehow hadn't noticed before, I became fairly sure about the fungal diagnosis and ordered some Oxine and stripped my coop bedding. Tonight I found a third hen with a clear mucous dripping from the end of her beak when I went to shut them in for the night further confirming.

For now, I've left the bedding stripped to work on drying things out really well. We have had bad storms pretty much daily lately and with the coop opened up for summer ventilation and the torrential downpours and wind I can't keep the rain 100% out, and on top of that, the floors are concrete and sweating due to the heat and humidity, which is what caused the original mold I suspect. I have a box fan set up to blow out one window and try to bring more air flow into the coop. I'm giving them all plain yogurt 1x/day to try to give them some probiotics.

Once the Oxine arrives, we'll spray down the coop, dry it out (maybe use lime?) and add new bedding. I'm wondering if I should invest in an ultrasonic humidifier to set under the roost for all of them to breathe it in at night, but then that seems counter productive too because of the humidity. Thoughts?

What else can/should I do for them, especially the three that are showing active symptoms until the Oxine arrives? It's estimated delivery date isn't until 6/4-6/7 (I really hope it'll get here faster). Please, please, please someone have some ideas or encouragement for me here...I'm honestly getting so frustrated that I'm ready to stop keeping hens. We've worked so hard to fix up our coop, get a decent flock going, and I don't want to lose them all now.

 

[accidentalchick]

BTW, these are all fully grown hens and roos with a combination of breeds (white leghorn, RIR, wyandotte, etc.) and a combination of bantys and full sized.

 

[accidentalchick]

Anyone have any luck using copper sulfate? I'm a little nervous about trying it because it can be toxic, but I'm also worried that the Oxine may be too little too late by the time it gets here. Where did you buy it? Is it the algae/pond version, the gardening kind? Please, please, please...I'm getting desperate. One of them doesn't look good this morning at all.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I bleach my moldy coops. You have to be very very careful though, as ammonia fumes and bleach fumes are fatal when mixed. So I make sure ALL the poo is out of the coop first. Also I do it in the morning so it can air out all day, and rinse it off with a hose after it sets for 10 minutes or so (I spray the bleach on the walls with a spray bottle. I wear a mask AND hold my breath, running in and out of the coop. This regimen is not for the weary. This kills the mold since I have a metal coop and a plastic coop. If you are spraying wood it won't kill it, as the mold filaments get right down into the wood.

I have to do this every year, as we get a LOT of mold in the coop. I wouldn't use a humidifier.

If you are seeing a clear discharge and gurgling, I'd think that you might have some kind of other problem (other than aspergillosis). See here:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
diagnosis charts at bottom

Your hens may be reacting to a large amount of ammonia in the coop, or have a respiratory disease- but I don't know - sorry I can't offer more advice. Keep their food dry. If you can't keep it dry they may die (happened to me). It is best to dump food in the feeder every day when it is the rainy season instead of leaving a lot of food over several days.

I hope this helps you somehow....

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/chicken-fungal-infections
this site is good

Also I have switched to sand in the floor of the coop (washed play sand) and LOVE it. I use a kitty litter scoop and plastic rake every other day to get the poo out. This helps prevent mold.

 

[accidentalchick]

Thanks for the suggestion of sand...I hadn't ever thought of that, but it's a great idea and would probably work well in my coop. The food does stay dry. The floor just has gotten wet about 1/2 way back to the back wall and all the way across. My coop is pretty large (maybe 12' D x 25' W) It doesn't tend to get wet with normal rains, but the last several weeks have just been one nasty thunderstorm after another with lots of wind. It blows the rain right through the windows and doors. Aside from putting all my storm windows back up that I use for winterizing, I don't know what I can do to stop it, but hopefully we have better weather coming soon. We've also had fairly warm weather, so I feel like they need the ventilation both for the heat and to help dry everything out...So, yeah...Pretty much perfect weather for mold.

Thank you so much for replying too. I was starting to think that I was going it alone, and I just don't have that much experience with my chickens yet. I've read and read and read old threads on here and whatever else I can dig up online, but sometimes you just need a bit of helpful advice about your specific circumstances. Thanks again!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/using-sand-in-your-chicken-coop

I use a very thin layer of sand. The more sand there is on the floor, the more sifting that must be done and the more dust you inhale (wear a mask). If I dump a whole bag of sand on the floor, I am regretting it until it is used up (one bag per month).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/444759/got-sand-you-should
a 60 page thread on sand

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks for the suggestion of sand...I hadn't ever thought of that, but it's a great idea and would probably work well in my coop. The food does stay dry. The floor just has gotten wet about 1/2 way back to the back wall and all the way across. My coop is pretty large (maybe 12' D x 25' W) It doesn't tend to get wet with normal rains, but the last several weeks have just been one nasty thunderstorm after another with lots of wind. It blows the rain right through the windows and doors. Aside from putting all my storm windows back up that I use for winterizing, I don't know what I can do to stop it, but hopefully we have better weather coming soon. We've also had fairly warm weather, so I feel like they need the ventilation both for the heat and to help dry everything out...So, yeah...Pretty much perfect weather for mold.

Thank you so much for replying too. I was starting to think that I was going it alone, and I just don't have that much experience with my chickens yet. I've read and read and read old threads on here and whatever else I can dig up online, but sometimes you just need a bit of helpful advice about your specific circumstances. Thanks again!

You are welcome!