PLEASE HELP>>>My chickens have a cold!!!!!! What do I do?

[Maryallison]

Please help me before I loose the whole flock.

I brought some new chickens in after a week of quarentee...yes I now know it was not long enough. 2 of the chickens I purchased dyed from this:

started with a swollen eye, which lead to a closed puffy eye, then lathargic and they just lay down and die.

now I threw 2 of my chickens out of the coop because they seem to have early symtoms of this.

Please help me.

 

[purpletree23]

You need antibiotics right away. Call your local feed stores and see if they carry Tylan or Tetricycline powder. Ask someone at the store to give you mixing and dosage directions and treat the whole flock. You could start tonight. Many stores are open til 8pm.

 

[Maryallison]

I called and noboday is open...........

I seperated the 2 sick Buffs and plan to go 1st thing in the morning to get the chicken meds. I am so sad and worried...

 

[Maryallison]

Ok.....after more observation my hens seems to be sick with a cold. What do I do?????? They have a cough, they sound raspy too.

I am hoping I can get something from the feed store for this in the morning.

 

[ranchhand]

There is a ton of info on BYC about this- please go top right and do a search for "colds". There's too much info for it to be sorted through and entered here.

Good luck,

 

[vfem]

This is what you need to watch!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=196261

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Try LS50 or Tylan injectable. I would pass on the tetracycline.

http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page22.htm <-- read that.

By the way, if you medicate, please buy probiotics from the feedstore or grocery store. (Probios powder is very very economical as a bottle lasts ages at $8 for the small bottle; acidophilis from the grocer/pharmacy).

You should use probiotics daily to prevent secondary digestive tract infections. Do NOT use yogurt or milk products whie using -cycline or -mycin drugs (read the label as many drugs are brand names, and the active ingredients tell you what it really is). Those two things will inactivate the effectiveness of the meds. So that's why acidophilis capsules or probios are a must-have.

Please email me if you need instructions on their use. Daily during medication, daily for a week thereafter, every other day for another week.

If you medicate, do NOT skip a single day. Treat for at least 7 days unless indicated by a vet to do otherwise.

Also pick up VetRx because you'll have to manually clean out all those nares and eyes daily to help the cold clear. The birds must have clear sinuses for the air to get in there and heal. No oxygen, no healing, no bird. Using Vet Rx on q-tips to swab the nares (a new q-tip end per spot, a new q-tip completely per bird) and the cleft in the roof of their mouth.

VetRx is not amedication and can be used concurrently with all meds. It's a very very useful treatment support method and I highly recommend it.

 

[Southernbelle]

Get the state vet out to test for you - it was free for me. You can't make a decision on treatment until you know what you're dealing with. A lot of chicken "colds" make them carriers for life.

 

[Maryallison]

So what my birds have is definitly contagious. I am treating them with one of those mix ins that go in the water. Not 100% which one....

I do not notice any smells with my birds. They are all very congested, loud breathing. And when the conditions of the cold are at their worse the chickens eyes do close and stick shut.

I did not notice some improvement in the Buffs after the 1st time I gave them the medicated water.


Any more help from anyone would be appreciated...

 

[tplummer]

I seem to have the same problem, but with only one. She is in a cage by herself. If first thought ILT, but I am reading and do not believe that to be the case. I am going to buy the Vet Rx myself tomorrow and give it a try.