New Hen has crusy beak, runny nose, keeps closing eyes - first chicken

[newarkmattshep]

I've had two hens for about 2 weeks, they have been fine and laying earlier than I though (they're about 19 weeks), but today I went out to feed them and noticed one laid down, i took a closer look and noticed she had a very "gooey" dishcarge hanging from her lower beak and she had a lot of rubbish stuck to her beak from where she had been scratching about. I've cleaned her beak a few times and I've noticed that it is very crusty looking - especially around the nose - and dirty in comparison to other hen. I also noticed an egg without a shell in the run area, the droppings also seem very loose. I've been feeding them on a mix of grain and layer feed (it was originally just grain, on advice from someone who keeps chickens, but I've since read that this isn't particularly good, so I'm moving them over to layer feed). Tonight she seems very lethargic with the nose running and eyes constantly closing, she's had the odd peck at food, but nothing in comparison to the other hen.

To look at her, she does look relatively healthy, as in she has a very red comb and looks a good weight etc, but generally she doesn't seem herself.

I have two hens housed in a smallish ark, with an extended run, i use straw for bedding and have been getting one egg a day on average, since they arrived. It has been rather hot these past few days in the UK, although I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it.

I would be grateful for any advice as I'm a little concerned.

Many thanks

Matt

 

[thebritt]

I would isolate her asap. Sounds like it could be a number of things. I'd suggest using the "symptoms" link and take it from there. Maybe someone else has more ideas, but I'm pretty sure you don't want your other hen to catch whatever it is! Good luck.

 

[California Ducken]

You need to get electrolytes and vitamins in her water ASAP! She needs to keep hydrated with those to start. Get some hard boiled egg (even if it's her own) and feed it to her. Have you started the layer feed yet? You need to get her system in balance again....at the same time treat your other hen with the same food and water (with vitamins and electrolytes). Her immune system might be down due to lack of proper diet with vitamins for egg production.
The system that produces the egg will suck all her calcium and vitamins from her to make the eggs. She will be left with nothing.
About the gooey drainage do what "thebritt" said so you can get that taken care of too. I cannot help with that one. Sorry.
Good Luck with your chickie!

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

I think you need to get hold of a vet if possible and get something for
respiratory disease

such as
it is surely contagious

and you must spray your shoes after taking care of them in clorox like put the clorox in a flat tray and step into it

also do not wear the clothes you do their chores in to take care of them in

also DO THEIR CHORES LAST

try and get some neomycin and put it in the water
and make a wet mash probiotic with the neomycin in it

1 qt of dry chicken crumbles
2 qts of water
in the water put 1 tsp of the neomycin in it
feed this twice the first day and the 2nd day
and in the water also

watch how the others act they may come down with it daily

generally there is no end to the out come
it is very stressful and the birds will probably remain carriers even when they get over it

try and be objective that you will save some of them

email me with any questions and do seperate all the sickly one

BUT DO MEDICATE EVERY CHICKEN WITH NEOMYCIN ASAP

it is the time of yr that the wild birds are stoping by and defecating and the chickens eat that manure and it has the MG or CRD or roup disease germs in it

also warm days and cold nites bring this on and YES IT IS CATCHINGalso I would get Vetrx and run all the sick birds heads with vetrx and under their wings put vetrx and down the throat 1/2 tsp per day till coughing and sneezing quits
in the water with the neomycin put 1 tsp of Vetrx to the gallon

ALSO SOME INFORMATION IS



Poultry
Bacterial diseases


Mycoplasmosis (CRD, Air sac, Sinusitis)
Organisms in the genus Mycoplasma are a significant cause of respiratory disease in poultry. Of the numerous species of Mycoplasma that have been isolated from domestic poultry, three are of known significance. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is associated with chronic respiratory disease (CRD)/air sac syndrome in chickens and turkeys and infectious sinusitis of turkeys; Mycoplasma meleagridis is associated with airsacculitis in turkeys; and Mycoplasma synoviae is the cause of infectious synovitis in chickens and turkeys.

Chronic respiratory disease (CRD), air sac syndrome and infectious sinusitis of turkeys have a common cause. CRD was first recognized as a chronic but mild respiratory disease of adult chickens. It reduced egg production but caused little or no mortality. Afterward, a condition known as "air sac disease" became a problem in young birds. It caused high mortality in some flocks. Many birds became stunted, feed efficiency was reduced, and many fowl were rejected as unfit for human consumption when processed.

Infectious sinusitis in turkeys produces a sinus swelling under the eye as well as an inflammation of respiratory organs. It is a chronic disease adversely affecting growth and feed conversion. It may also cause significant mortality in young poults.

A peculiar bacterial-like organism known as Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is common to all three conditions. CRD and sinusitis in turkeys are caused by a pure MG infections while the air sac syndrome is caused by an infection of MG in combination with E. coli. These conditions are triggered by acute respiratory infections such as Newcastle disease or infectious bronchitis.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is widespread and affects many species of birds. Eradication programs have reduced the incidence in recent years. It is primarily spread through the egg. Infected hens transmit organisms and the chick or poult is infected when it hatches. Organisms may also be transmitted by direct contact with infected or carrier birds.


The true CRD produces slight respiratory symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and a nasal discharge. In the air sac syndrome there is an extensive involvement of the entire respiratory system. The air sacs are often cloudy and contain large amounts of exudate. Affected birds become droopy, feed consumption decreases and there is a rapid loss of body weight.

Infectious sinusitis in turkeys occurs in two forms. When the "upper" form is present, there is only a swelling of the sinus under the eye. In the "lower" form, the lungs and air sacs are involved. The air sacs become cloudy and may contain large amounts of exudate. Both forms of the disease are usually present in the flock and frequently are present in the same bird.

Diagnosis of either condition must be based on flock history, symptoms and lesions. Blood tests are useful in determining whether a flock is infected.

The answer to the MG problem in both chickens and turkeys is eradication of the disease organisms. This goal has been achieved in commercial breeding flocks with voluntary programs conducted by the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) and National Turkey Improvement Plan (NTIP). The treatment of CRD, air sac syndrome and the lower form of infectious sinusitis is not considered satisfactory. Many antibiotics have been used with varying success. Whether to give treatment is a decision that must be made on each flock based on economic factors. If treatment is attempted, give high levels of one of the broad spectrum antibiotics (Tylosin, aureomycin, terramycin, gallimycin) either in feed, drinking water or by injections. The "upper"; form of infectious sinusitis can be treated with success by injecting antibiotics into the bird


email me with any questions

 

[newarkmattshep]

Thanks all for your help. I'm trying to get hold of a vet today to get the stuff you mentioned above, although I'm not that hopeful, as I live in a small town where the vets are predominantly for cats and dogs etc so I'm not sure they'll stock products for avian cases. Is there any thing else I can feed that may help?

Unfortunately when I went out this morning she looked a lot worse, didn't come out to see me like she usually does and a lot more lethargic. She didn't really move from one place to the next without closing her eyes. It also looks like now the other hen has whatever it is, as she is also constantly closing her eyes, although it doesn't actually look like there is anything wrong with the eyes on either bird, they don't look crusty or infected etc, they just keep closing them. As I said yesterday, the hens look a good weight and look healthy, they are Lohman Browns. I got them on the layer feed last night and they both had some, the more sick one didn't seem to take as much. This morning I put some out and neither seemed interested, so I'm not holding out much hope at the minute

When I bought them I was told they were wormed and vaccinated....I'm not sure what they are vaccinated against, but it must be a generic vaccination, so I would have thought this would have kept the serious things away?

Thanks again for everybodys advice, if there is anything more I can do to help i would be extremely grateful for any assistance.

Matt

 

[dlhunicorn]

stress can be devastating on a bird and moving to a new home is especially stressfull... even a change in diet in stressful .
I suggest you look at your feed store and see if they have a roosterbooster (namebrand) general poultry supplement or else order AVIACAHARGE 2000 from McMurry (it is only available for purchase online > it is a complete balanced nutritional/vitamin/mineral supplement and was developed for organic certified) ... in addition to that you can give POLYVISOL enfamil formulation (> a childrens A-B-D liquid vitamin which can be purchased at any drugstore walmart etc) > four drops in beak once a day for a couple weeks (vit A deficiency is often present with these symptoms).
In addition you can give a live culture (non-flavored) yogurt free choice.

 

[newarkmattshep]

Many thanks for your help, I live in the uk, would this be suitable do you thing?

http://www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/sto...storeId=10052&catalogId=11051&productId=21539

Many thanks again for your kind help.

 

[dlhunicorn]

yes
In the future you can add a tablespoon of wheatgerm oil through their feed once a week ... this is a great source of vit A and some micronutrients essential to their health....

 

[newarkmattshep]

I've got home tonight and she really doesn't look in a good way. I spent a lot of time with her, cleaning beak etc, it was really gunky, I mashed some layer pellet with egg, banana, some vitamins (the stuff reccommended on here) and she ate it, first thing I've seen her eat for a while. She really tucked in! The one thing that is really worrying me now though, is that I bought some mealworms as I heard they love them, one hen went mad and ate about 7 in 2 seconds! Whilst the poorly one was pecking at them, but struggled to pick them up, looking closely, i have a feeling the way her beak has been trimmed is impairing her ability to feed...this may sound a bit daft, but the top bit looks far too short in comparison to the bottom and it's almost as if she can't hold anything solid between the top and bottom. Which is why I'm thinking she went for the soft food so enthusiastically. I also force fed her some water with electrocytes and vitamins. She does seem slightly happier...or this might just be me being a bit overly optimistic!

 

[dlhunicorn]

I used to be active on a UK forum (I live in the Netherlands) > there are several vets used to treating poultry (an avian certified vet in addition to that is ideal) > find one > the vet will know about the beak (I suspect you may be onto something there)
In the meantime keep the feed moist (you can add baby parrot formula to the feed > get this at your pet store) or failing that you can add a bit of cooked oatmeal to it.
The vet may decide your gal needs a med if an upper respiratory condition (be sure to tell which vitamins you are giving as some are contraindicated during the antibiotic treatment > start up again when the treatment is finished if you do give antibiotics and also give a live culture yogurt for the probiotics))