Please help

[2011dandd]

Hi
My names dan my girlfriend and I are new members.

I have had chickens my whole life and never had any major issues with the health of my birds, but after putting a new flock together in a new home made up of different breads and sizes and some rescued hens, the whole flock of fourteen has come down with something which is seriously affecting there health.

The first to come down with this disease/virus I dealt with as I always have by isolating her until she had made a full recovery. But she must still be a carrier as they all have it now.

Please help with advice of any remedies and if vetrx is a solution

Symptoms

Pale comb
Lazy mood
Pale face
No egg laying what so ever
Crusting on the beak nostrils
Swollen eyes
Garggoling when breathing
Unhappy looking birds
Cock crow is strained and very quiet if he does it at all.

Thanks in advance for any help, cheers dan.

 

[HS Pye]

Welcome to BYC! Sounds like fowl pox to me. I treated this by putting tetracycline water out for them, mush food, and put antibiotic ointment on the comb, waddle, and earlobes. Were they vaccinated against fowl pox? Hope this helps!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Vet Rx will not do any good as far as treatment although if rubbed on beaks it can help some with breathing in congested birds. I'd get some Tylan 50 from the feed store and start dosing the sick ones. It's not possible to know what they have without having lab work done on one or having necropsy done on one that passes. So many of the symptoms in these diseases mimic each other. However, what is common is that they can morph quickly into pneumonia/secondary bacterial infections. That is why it's best to treat symptomatic birds with antibiotic's. It won't cure them of any viral poultry disease they have but it will help prevent or cure pneumonia if they come down with it.

Tylan 50 is best used as an injectable but can also be given orally at a dose of 1/2 cc per day x 5 days. They also need to be kept warm, especially at night, while they are recovering.

This will probably be something you will have to deal with off and on with this flock as they do remain carriers and can have an outbreak when stressed. We had an outbreak of infectious bronchitis here two years ago. all survived with meds and TLC and only once did we have a minor reoccurrence with my rooster but it was very mild. Otherwise all have been well since. But we do maintain a closed flock, I don't bring in new, adult birds, I don't sell adults, chicks or eggs, no live birds leave this property, no showing, nothing. Kind of a bummer but it's the way it has to be.

Best of luck, this respiratory stuff is very common but it's no fun to deal with.

Edited to add: If this were fowl pox you would see the pox on the comb/wattles/face. It sounds more like a respiratory disease to me.

 

[Eggcessive]

Your flock has no symptoms of fowl pox. Tetracycline won't treat fowl pox since it is a virus, but it could treat a respiratory disease such as mycoplasma, coryza, and secondary infections from infectious bronchitis. However, Tylan 50 injectable is a stronger antibiotic as Cafarmgirl said. Tylan soluble powder is an oral form that you can put in the water for many birds. If you care to read more about the diseases I mentioned click http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044here:

 

[Wyandottes7]

Vet Rx will not do any good as far as treatment although if rubbed on beaks it can help some with breathing in congested birds. I'd get some Tylan 50 from the feed store and start dosing the sick ones. It's not possible to know what they have without having lab work done on one or having necropsy done on one that passes. So many of the symptoms in these diseases mimic each other. However, what is common is that they can morph quickly into pneumonia/secondary bacterial infections. That is why it's best to treat symptomatic birds with antibiotic's. It won't cure them of any viral poultry disease they have but it will help prevent or cure pneumonia if they come down with it.

Tylan 50 is best used as an injectable but can also be given orally at a dose of 1/2 cc per day x 5 days. They also need to be kept warm, especially at night, while they are recovering.

This will probably be something you will have to deal with off and on with this flock as they do remain carriers and can have an outbreak when stressed. We had an outbreak of infectious bronchitis here two years ago. all survived with meds and TLC and only once did we have a minor reoccurrence with my rooster but it was very mild. Otherwise all have been well since. But we do maintain a closed flock, I don't bring in new, adult birds, I don't sell adults, chicks or eggs, no live birds leave this property, no showing, nothing. Kind of a bummer but it's the way it has to be.

Best of luck, this respiratory stuff is very common but it's no fun to deal with.

Edited to add: If this were fowl pox you would see the pox on the comb/wattles/face. It sounds more like a respiratory disease to me.

X2. I think it is a respiratory disease.

 

[2011dandd]

Thanks for the helpful replies, I will try the suggested remedies. Unfortunately ive had to cull two as i found them half dead.
One was also covered in red mite which I'm puzzled about as I am thorough with cleaning the coop and treating the birds

 

[MelissaTXRn]

Your flock has no symptoms of fowl pox.  Tetracycline won't treat fowl pox since it is a virus, but it could treat a respiratory disease such as mycoplasma, coryza, and secondary infections from infectious bronchitis.  However, Tylan 50 injectable is a stronger antibiotic as Cafarmgirl said.  Tylan soluble powder is an oral form that you can put in the water for many birds. If you care to read more about the diseases I  mentioned click http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044here:  

X2

 

[MelissaTXRn]

Thanks for the helpful replies, I will try the suggested remedies. Unfortunately ive had to cull two as i found them half dead.
One was also covered in red mite which I'm puzzled about as I am thorough with cleaning the coop and treating the birds

Your birds have respiratory illness. You need to treat as eggcessive said or they will probably all die.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm not sure where you live, but red mite is very hard to control since they usually come out at night. Chemical treatment such as Sevin dust (carbaryl) or permethrin is needed, plus cleaning out the coop and nests, then spraying all surfaces and dusting the floor. Are they getting meds for their respiratory symptoms? With many respiratory diseases that are chronic such as mycoplasma and coryza, culling, cleaning and disinfecting, then starting over in a few weeks is what some people do.