Respitory Illness, Bubbly Eyes and Coughing

[HuskerHens18]

My bantams have been so healthy this year, they avoided all coccidia and other deathly things.
Today I walk into the bantam enclosure, and I'm seeing a couple with bubbly eyes, and several more are coughing. Especially so when they're drinking. And so far only one I can see is sitting on the roost, opening her beak to breathe.

What do I need to do? I don't think I have anything on hand that will work. I've got Nutri Drench, vetrycin, ivermectin, limited Naxcel injections, and some essential oils(not sure those do anything, just thought I'd mention it).

They are being fed Nutrena Chick Starter Grower.
Ages vary between 4 months and 2 years.
Both hens and roosters are affected.
It's very humid here.

They're coop is decently ventilated. There are gaps(that extend length of coop) on both ends of the roof that I've screened over. And the door is always open.
Their run was removed due to coyote problems, their coop is all they have. I'm working on a new run, but it's not even close to being done yet.

 

[The Chicken-Boy]

Bubbly eyes are probably from the dampness. How hot is it? Does the air smell like ammonia? That could be part or all of the problem. Can you get electricity out to the coop? A fan could help alot with ventilation.

About Feed
The older ones shouldn't be on chick starter/ grower at this point. I would start mixing a small amount of 16% protein layer feed with some of their current feed in a separate feeder. That way the younger ones can have the grower and the older hens can have the layer. What kinds of feed can you get? All my birds seem way healthier on a less processed feed, organic feed.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Bubbly eyes are probably from the dampness. How hot is it? Does the air smell like ammonia? That could be part or all of the problem. Can you get electricity out to the coop? A fan could help alot with ventilation.

About Feed
The older ones shouldn't be on chick starter/ grower at this point. I would start mixing a small amount of 16% protein layer feed with some of their current feed in a separate feeder. That way the younger ones can have the grower and the older hens can have the layer. What kinds of feed can you get? All my birds seem way healthier on a less processed feed, organic feed.

Today it's 80°F, it's suppose to get back up in the 90's at the end of the week.
The air smells fine, I'm very sensitive to ammonia as I have asthma, so I'd know if there was a smell. Yes electricity can reach the coop, where should the fan be pointed?

I can get Purina feed from the store, they were out of everything last week when I went so I was forced to buy Nutrena Chick Starter Grower from TSC. I'm going to the store on Friday, I'll have to check if they have more feed then. I usually get Purina Layena Omega 3, but when adding the chicks a couple months ago I've been feeding chick starter grower again.

 

[MaryZoe]

While it might be the heat and humidity, you might want to check this chart to see if you can identify what else might cause those symptoms. I would imagine that the stress from heat and humidity could also cause an underlying illness to manifest itself. Check out this chart that I found in an article written by Sally Sunshine in the Article section above. There is a LOT more information there as well. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/health-problems

 

[Eggcessive]

Bubbles or foam in eyes and coughing sound like possible mycoplasma (MG) infection. It is a chronic respiratory disease. You can try to get them tested to make sure. Tylan 50 (tylosin) injectable used orally to each chicken at a dosage of 0.3 ml per pound given twice a day for 5 days. Get a weight, and make sure they are drinking water. Antibiotics may help symptoms, but nothing cures the disease, as it can come back again during periods of stress. Keep air circulation good, dry, not too hot in summer, and reduce any ammonia odors. Here is some reading:
http://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/sick-bay-risks-of-mycoplasma-in-poultry-1-3867068
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/mycoplasma-gallisepticum

 

[MaryZoe]

Bubbles or foam in eyes and coughing sound like possible mycoplasma (MG) infection. It is a chronic respiratory disease. You can try to get them tested to make sure. Tylan 50 injectable used orally to each chicken at a dosage of 0.3 ml per pound given twice a day for 5 days. Get a weight, and make sure they are drinking water. Antibiotics may help symptoms, but nothing cures the disease, as it can come back again during periods of stress. Keep air circulation good, dry, not too hot in summer, and reduce any ammonia odors. Here is some reading:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/mycoplasma-gallisepticum

I must admit that I didn't want to jump right to the ms/mg conversation, but I agree with @Eggcessive. I battled ms/mg for years, and while I was mostly successful in eliminating it from my flock, I was nervous every summer when it got so hot and humid here in Florida. Tylan injections worked pretty well when I caught it quickly. I also used doxycycline (prescription and expensive). The doxy finally knocked it out of my flock enough that their egg production returned to normal and their chicks hatched beautifully and apparently unaffected by the bacteria. But it was no fun maintaining a closed flock, so I gave my chicks away to people who knew their flocks were ms/mg positive and started over.

 

[HuskerHens18]

Bubbles or foam in eyes and coughing sound like possible mycoplasma (MG) infection. It is a chronic respiratory disease. You can try to get them tested to make sure. Tylan 50 (tylosin) injectable used orally to each chicken at a dosage of 0.3 ml per pound given twice a day for 5 days. Get a weight, and make sure they are drinking water. Antibiotics may help symptoms, but nothing cures the disease, as it can come back again during periods of stress. Keep air circulation good, dry, not too hot in summer, and reduce any ammonia odors. Here is some reading:
http://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/sick-bay-risks-of-mycoplasma-in-poultry-1-3867068
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/mycoplasma-gallisepticum

I must admit that I didn't want to jump right to the ms/mg conversation, but I agree with @Eggcessive. I battled ms/mg for years, and while I was mostly successful in eliminating it from my flock, I was nervous every summer when it got so hot and humid here in Florida. Tylan injections worked pretty well when I caught it quickly. I also used doxycycline (prescription and expensive). The doxy finally knocked it out of my flock enough that their egg production returned to normal and their chicks hatched beautifully and apparently unaffected by the bacteria. But it was no fun maintaining a closed flock, so I gave my chicks away to people who knew their flocks were ms/mg positive and started over.

Well, that wasn't the news I was hoping for, but good to know nonetheless. Figures, I get a Marek's scare and now this.
So should I just drop off a chicken at the vet for testing? They aren't having nasal discharge so I can't collect it myself.
If I was to remove the currently coughing, bubbly eyed birds, would it protect the ones not showing symptoms? Or is it too late?

I sure hope it's not, but it definitely sounds like so

 

[Eggcessive]

Once they are exposed it is too late. You might get lucky with the others not getting sick. Incubation is 3-10 days depending on the disease, so watch for symptoms. Clean waterers and feeders with 10% bleach water. I don’t really know about vet care in your area. I would contact your state poultry lab and ask questions about the best way to get one tested. Here is a link with contact info for most state poultry labs and yours is in Lincoln at 402-472-1434:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[HuskerHens18]

Once they are exposed it is too late. You might get lucky with the others not getting sick. Incubation is 3-10 days depending on the disease, so watch for symptoms. Clean waterers and feeders with 10% bleach water. I don’t really know about vet care in your area. I would contact your state poultry lab and ask questions about the best way to get one tested. Here is a link with contact info for most state poultry labs and yours is in Lincoln at 402-472-1434:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Thank you, I suppose my dreams of being a chicken breeder are over. There's no way I could cull my birds, it's just impossible. I love them so much, they mean the world to me. I'll get in contact about testing and see what I can do. Should I give them the Tylan anyway or is that a bad idea before they're tested?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would ask the poultry lab whether medicating them with Tylan would affect the testing. In humans getting cultures for strep throat and other infections can be affected if the patient has already had antibiotics. However, if you send in a body for a necropsy, they should be able to get a diagnosis. Sorry that I don’t have more info since I haven’t had testing or necropsies dine before.