One eye closed? Seems to be contagious?

[Ashlee22]

I have backyard Easter Egger Chickens that are 9 weeks old. Yesterday, one pullet had an eye closed and was very lethargic. I ended up putting her down because she was a scissorbeak chicken and not doing super well in the first place.

Today - I have a second chicken who is laying down more often and has one eye closed as well. ANy thoughts? All vets are closed right now.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they eating and drinking? How are their droppings? Are the chickens acting puffed up? I would offer water and wet chicken feed up to the beak. Do you have Vitamins with electrolytes? I would look at this being possible coccidiosis if symptoms fit. Were your chicks vaccinated for Mareks or anything else?

 

[Ashlee22]

Are they eating and drinking? How are their droppings? Are the chickens acting puffed up? I would offer water and wet chicken feed up to the beak. Do you have Vitamins with electrolytes? I would look at this being possible coccidiosis if symptoms fit. Were your chicks vaccinated for Mareks or anything else?

They weren't vaccinated necessarily because they came from a farm store in my area - IFA. Their droppings and appetite are just fine and their feed is medicated with ampropolim (sp?).

 

[Ashlee22]

Are they eating and drinking? How are their droppings? Are the chickens acting puffed up? I would offer water and wet chicken feed up to the beak. Do you have Vitamins with electrolytes? I would look at this being possible coccidiosis if symptoms fit. Were your chicks vaccinated for Mareks or anything else?

Oh no, I just checked on her again and when she chirps it sounds raspy like someone with a cold.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they inside a coop, and does it have good ventilation? Cannyou make sure the chick is drinking enough water? Look at the eyes and look for any watery or bubbly eye, clear nasal drainage, chirping or a sneeze. Here are some diseases including the respiratory diseases MG, coryza, infectious bronchitis, ILT, and aspergillosis:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Ashlee22]

Are they inside a coop, and does it have good ventilation? Cannyou make sure the chick is drinking enough water? Look at the eyes and look for any watery or bubbly eye, clear nasal drainage, chirping or a sneeze. Here are some diseases including the respiratory diseases MG, coryza, infectious bronchitis, ILT, and aspergillosis:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Yes to ventilation and yes to water and food. Her eye might be a but watery, but its hard to tell as she keeps it closed mostly. She is sneezing quite a bit and wet and rubbing her beak on the ground. Her chirps are a bit raspy

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds more like a respiratory disease. Have you added new birds ro the flock recently? Sometimes you may find Tylosin powder online for pigeons which can treat symptoms of MG, a common respiratory disease. Infectious bronchitis is another common one caused by a virus, but antibiotics do not help much. It has to run it’s course over several weeks.

 

[Ashlee22]

It sounds more like a respiratory disease. Have you added new birds ro the flock recently? Sometimes you may find Tylosin powder online for pigeons which can treat symptoms of MG, a common respiratory disease. Infectious bronchitis is another common one caused by a virus, but antibiotics do not help much. It has to run it’s course over several weeks.

No new birds to the flock. They are a little flock of 5 that is 9 weeks old. They were moved out to their (newly built) coop three weeks ago. They are in a chicken tractor that is moved each day to a fresh patch of grass and their indoor portion of the coop is quite clean. The neighbors on both side of us have chickens. Could they have caught it through the chain link fence when free ranging? I know the other chickens haven't been in our yard..

Either way, I ended up giving them some antibiotics according to some online recommendations I found. Fingers crossed they get better

 

[Eggcessive]

It is possible to catch a disease when others nearby, but also wild birds in the area can carry it from one flock to another by visiting feeders and waterers. What antibiotic are you using? Is it one that treats MG?