Problems

[chickenteacher2]

My rooster fought the other day, one is in isolation, recovering from his comb wounds. He was shivering in the rain. I saw he has mites or lice (not sure which...but they looked light brown and very tiny - have dusted with permethrin all and will clean bedding this weekend). Now, the isolated guy looks like he has crusties around his eye (not puss or mites or anything I could wipe) and so does my hen that is sitting on eggs right now. She's had an eye infection before and people recommended vetericyn, which I will do again. My roo's eye was swollen shut yesterday - the vetericyn helped. What do I do....I have at least 2 babies going to hatch in a week or so....do I let her continue her hatch or pull the eggs? I haven't noticed any smell or puss on any of them. Also, I have two new gals that will be introduced this weekend to the flock - should I hold off on that? EEK!

 

[Michael Apple]

There are many things that can cause eye swelling. Are there any other symptoms? Look in the bird's mouth and see if there are any white or yellow sores on the inside walls of the throat. They look sort of like cheesy raised yellow buttons. If so, it could be canker which can develop from a peck fight or situation which causes a cut or sore on the mouth or throat. The cut or sore allows a protozoan to enter and multiply which causes infection.

 

[chickenteacher2]

Thank you! He's a bit hard to handle right now.... I'll need help. poor guy he can't cut a break. I'll look in there probably tomorrow when there's light.

 

[Michael Apple]

Alright. Good luck and get back to me. I might be able to help if it is something I've dealt with.

 

[chickenteacher2]

Ahhhh! I feel like I'm over my head with this. My buff silkie - has white scabs on his injured comb.....is that healing? I took pictures. Also, he is lethargic still and he was beat up on Tuesday. He did not have puss (that I could see, holding him in one hand) in his mouth. He's barely eating and I saw him drink a bit yesterday.



Crusty eyes.....



My other rooster, blue....I picked him up to look for bugs again (that I dusted the top of him)....I looked near his vent and neck....neck, nothing like I saw the other day. Near the vent, longer brown bugs....I didn't look long, cuz I was grossed out. The two hens I picked up and looked at, didn't see anything. Also, my buff roo here, I looked for bugs near feathers, but what I wasn't sure if they have dandruff or it was lice (white flakes)....Please help, I feel such a bad chicken mama with so much going on and no idea how to help, except clean the bedding and dust again. Also, my hen that is sitting on eggs has the same crusty eyes that the buff roo does. She won't tolerate me trying to put vetericyn on her eyes this time, because the eggs - she fights me. HELP!

 

[Michael Apple]

I'm not too familiar with Silkies, but I know their comb and wattles are generally darker than some other breeds. Now that I saw your pictures, he got beat up pretty good. Did you look the bird over for punctures on the breast or neck area? Does the bird seem to have any respiratory difficulty? If there's no rattles or congestion, that will determine what antibiotic to use. Injections are the quickest way to get antibiotics into a bird. Some Poultry Nutri-Drench might help stimulate his appetite too, or some vitamins-electrolytes in the water.

As for the bugs, you seem to have a louse infestation. No time to be grossed out. Your bird is weak and likely has a secondary infection due to being beat up and having lice. Don't worry, they couldn't survive off the bird. Some people dust, but I spray. If you dusted the bird , you will have to do it again in no more than 10 days. Sevin dust wipes lice out. So does Adam's Flea & Tick spray. Be careful not to get it on the vent, near the eyes, or mouth.