I have a BC Marans pullet who is roughly 15 weeks old. She shows no indication of sexual maturity, neither do her broodmates. This morning I didn't notice anything amiss when I let her out to the run. This afternoon she was standing with her head retracted and one eye persistently closed. About an hour later, I noticed she looked like she was dozing off periodically, too. I separated her from the flock and administered 3 drops of poly-vi-sol, a bit of water(she wasn't finding what I put out for her and wormed with 1/4 cc Eprinex. Her condition really resembled a parasitic infestation until a couple of hours ago when I realized that both eyes are shut, even when she's awaking and complaining. She does open them rarely and they look clear and appropriately dilated (no sign of conjunctivitis). It's apparent that she can see out of them, because she panicked when she saw the dog approaching. She's mostly sleeping, except the occasional growl. Her hackles keep lifting in the back of her neck, not all the way, but in a pulsating manner, like she's experiencing discomfort. Other than the sleepiness, the persistently closed eyes (photosensitivity) and the behaviours that indicate some kind of discomfort, she's in great condition. No feather ruffling, no weight loss, crop feels empty (I don't think she's been eating). She has not had a bowel movement since she's been inside.
I have been battling with scaly leg mites, so I know she has some parasites. Hopefully, the Eprinex will clear that up. Her irises are not grey and her pupils are dilated, so I doubt it's Marek's. I have been to another farm with poultry recently. There was no indication of illness there other than a CRD carrier. What I'm looking at here in no way resembles CRD, no discharge or watering of the eyes and no respiratory symptoms. I did spray my boots with bleach and change clothes when I got home, but I also brought home a dog who wasn't groomed for a day and a half. She really didn't go near the coop, but I did pet her on my way out. All in all, I'm not leaning toward infection from that route. I did leave a feeder out last night by mistake. There are a lot of large chicken farms around here, so wild birds are definitely suspect. Also possibly pertinent is whitewash. I dropped some in the run yesterday and the day before. She may have eaten some of it. It contained salt, water and hydrated lime (accepted as a safe insecticide in the coop, also found a study confirming it as a feed deterrent for avians). I think that about covers it. If you've made it this far, please feel free to contribute anything you got.
I have been battling with scaly leg mites, so I know she has some parasites. Hopefully, the Eprinex will clear that up. Her irises are not grey and her pupils are dilated, so I doubt it's Marek's. I have been to another farm with poultry recently. There was no indication of illness there other than a CRD carrier. What I'm looking at here in no way resembles CRD, no discharge or watering of the eyes and no respiratory symptoms. I did spray my boots with bleach and change clothes when I got home, but I also brought home a dog who wasn't groomed for a day and a half. She really didn't go near the coop, but I did pet her on my way out. All in all, I'm not leaning toward infection from that route. I did leave a feeder out last night by mistake. There are a lot of large chicken farms around here, so wild birds are definitely suspect. Also possibly pertinent is whitewash. I dropped some in the run yesterday and the day before. She may have eaten some of it. It contained salt, water and hydrated lime (accepted as a safe insecticide in the coop, also found a study confirming it as a feed deterrent for avians). I think that about covers it. If you've made it this far, please feel free to contribute anything you got.
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