Play-by-play with runny nose, smelly beaks, and treatment methods

[Pcola Chick]

Thought I would share what I've been going through with some of my chickens. They are all almost 6 months old and I ordered them from Murray McMurray back in Feb. 2011. A friend gave me a few of his a few months later so they've all been together for a while now. No new introductions so I don't believe they caught this stuff from another chicken. I have a total of 33... 3 RIR, 3 golden polish, 4 Red Star, 4 white leghorn, 2 black star, 4 australorps, 1 light brahma (so LOVE her), 3 auracaunas and more. I've petted them like crazy and can just pick them up and give a little hug anytime I want

They only free range when I can supervise them because we have a hawk haven in our neck of the woods apparently.

Sickness Summary:

About a month or so ago I had one auracauna who started sneezing coughing. Trying to let nature do its thing, I didn't give any drugs or anything unnatural and just hoped she would pull through. Before I tried the antibiotics, I tried the colloidal silver, high dollar stuff from health food store. It didn't do a thing. I put it in all of their water and gave the sick ones a piece of bread with silver on it. I guess I did this for 5 days or so. She got worse and I noticed another chicken, one of my red stars, doing the same thing. Both now had clear discharge, bubbly eyes, and the oh so dreaded snot stank - oh my how it STINKS. Everyone then got sulmet in their water. I did it for 5 days. Gave them the usual post-antibiotic boost with yogurt. Still no change so I took her to the vet a week and a half later. He checked her for worms which she had (lots of capillaria apparently) so I gave all chickens wazine and another round of sulmet. I will follow up with a broad spectrum wormer in 10 days - they pooped round worms which made me sick and did this like 2 hours after they started the wazine! Still no change however with the smelly gargly snot and now I had another chick who started the sneezy, smelly snot routine too.

After reading TONS of posts on this site, as of today I started the sick chickens on Tylan 50 injectable. With my mom's help (I made her do the sticking), we gave 5 chickens a shot of Tylan 50 in the back of their necks (per a thread I read on this site because I had no idea how to give a chicken a shot). 1/2cc per chicken. After giving them the shots, they were NOT happy and just stood around... it was around 5pm when we gave this and one chicken immediately went to roost. The others just stood around a bit. Before I left them for the night, I checked in the roost again and one my sicker ones had slime junk dripping down from his beak. Hate this!!!! I think the shots make their necks too sore so tomorrow we will probably administer the Tylan orally and give a bit more... maybe 1-2cc's per chicken. I think they weigh around 4lbs each. Will do Tylan for 3 days minimum but max 5 days.

So, I'm anxious to see if there will be any improvement in the morning. I absolutely LOVE every single one of my chicks and would not cull for anything. I'm going with the "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" school of thought

I don't know if this is Coryza but I know it sure smells like it but I suppose it could be MG. Just praying the Tylan will cure them and yes I know, they'll be carriers of whatever they have for life. I'm not selling my chickens though... just want their eggs so hopefully they will all pull through. So worried about them though... who knew you could get so attached to chickens!

Just wanted to share this since it seems many people deal with it too. I will keep the post up to date and let everyone know what the outcome is... stay tuned for GOOD news! Let's all think positively here...

 

[tammye]

sure hope they pull through for you. Shots to the neck, just be careful there is alot that could get injured in the neck. I think I read here to give in the thigh, but am not sure. After antibiotics the immune system gets stimulated and can cause you/hen to feel a bit off, even a little fever

 

[Pcola Chick]

Quote:
Thanks Tammye... I'm actually about to give them their second dose in a few minutes and I'm not doing the neck thing. It looks like it hurt them too badly. Will try to do it orally and just give a a little more. When I checked on them all this morning, one of my red stars who had all of the yucky symptoms had a dried nose (yay!!!!!) and the others were about the same. At least they were all walking around and eating. None of them have lost their appetite which makes me a happy chicky mama!

Thank you again for your reply. I appreciate it!

 

[Pcola Chick]

Well, I gave the third dose of tylan 50 today... been doing it orally for the past 2 days. The nasal disharge has dried up but they still have a bit of rattle going on... may do another dose tomorrow just to be safe. I think a few of my others are starting to have a runny nose too (SHOOT!!) so I may bite the bullet and buy some tylan soluble and just treat them all. Suggestions? Sulmet didn't work at all apparently.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I have to recommend oxine ah, you can order it online or might be able to find it locally, I won't be with out it. heres the link www.shagbarkbantams.com/oxine.html hoope your can get your flock healthy. and

 

[Pcola Chick]

Thank you Miss Lydia - I actually did order some Oxine and have sprayed the coop already. I will do it again tomorrow too... doing it in weekly installments. I think everyone is well now and over whatever this crap was they had. Tylan seemed to be the best thing to help them (and a few prayers too!). I'm So attached to these little ladies.

If anyone else has the symptoms I described, I'd go for the Tylan. Using a dropper and putting it down their throats worked fine although they hated it. I know about and was a member of the "no antibiotics" school of thought camp... over it now. Give me the stuff and let's get them cured!

 

[dawg53]

FYI. Wazine wont kill capillary worms. Your best bet wouldve been to use valbazen, it kill all types of worms. Good luck.

 

[Pcola Chick]

Thanks Dawg. I followed up Wazine with some Safeguard (did your method actually of the pea size on the piece of bread). I also bought some rooster booster triple wormer which says on the container that it kills all of those worms so hopefully it will. I've been mixing the rooster booster in the scrambled eggs I've had to give back to them since we can't eat the eggs yet. Hate worms!! And hawks too!! I'm in a foul mood I must admit... hawk attack today on my guineas...

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
The wormer in the rooster booster is hygromycin B just for your info. It kills several types of worms including capillary worms. I agree with you...worms, hawks and snakes are on my "no fun" list lol. Have a good night!