Sick birds

[weldkingoc]

Hello all- not sure where to start. I am new to raising chickens (less than 6 months) and im about to give up . Started with three big white hens and a giant rooster that looked to be leghorns but were far too big and the only 8 eggs they ever layed were very light brown. I planned on raising meat birds to eat with these chickens because of their size. My second coop held game hens given to me by my neighbor initially then i obtained a gold colored bird not sure of breed or age and a black and white not sure of age that i believe was a Dominique. I then got three free RIR (two roosters one hen) from craigslist said to be quite young. All of a sudden it started with bubbly eyes on gold one and coughing, then game hens were hunkered over with eyes barely staying open all puffed up. Hens were dying almost daily. I treated them with duramycin and it SEEMED. To help but then the Dominique started doing the same falling over, puffed up, eyes squinty. And ended up dying. Death seemed to subside for a short while . In the meantime i had five ducks that i had put in with the white chickens and one of the ducks died unexpectedly. After all this i decided to start letting all birds out to stretch their legs and let ducks go back to pond but that same day i noticed the big white rooster laying in a strange way as if he could not get up, i nudged him with my foot and he struggled to get up and seemed very uneasy on his feet and i noticed his comb which was once bright red and very pronounced was now flopped over, dark , spotty and pathetic looking . immediately put all chickens together in same coop and treated all once more with duramycin to try to knock problem out all together. The next day i noticed one of the white hens vomiting everytime she tried to take a drink of water. She became lethargic and sat around with eyes closed and beek open drooled and finally died. Since this last death i have continued to treat with duranycin and all seem pretty healthy other than the big white rooster. He still has same symptoms. I have still gotten zero eggs other than the eight i got long ago from white hens. I have pigs, ducks and rabbits that have not been problematic at all other than the one duck. What am i doing wrong. I feel as though i should get rid of all the birds, disinfect and clean coop and in the summer pick up new birds that are good layers already from a reputable breeder or hatchery. These chickens were purchased from local flea market and free. Noway to know age or health condition

 

[loveourbirds]

your issues could be any number of respiratory problems. im not the greatest at diagnosis, but at first sign of bubbly eyes i separate the suspicious chicken from the rest of the flock. i give raw ACV in the water at a rate of 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons per gallon of water. i give tylan too injectable (1/2 cc in breast) for 3 days. 2 days after the last dose of tylan i give probiotics or yogurt. the following day vitamins and electrolytes solution.

the ACV is an antibacterial that may or may not kill the bacteria causing the problem, some swear by it. the tylan is a cattle grade antibiotic that usually works well. after antibiotics usually the stomach flora weak, thats why i give the probiotics.

if you are planning on breeding these chickens, the problem can be transmitted to eggs. dont hatch anything right now. also keep infected chickens quarantined for at least a month and watch for any further symptoms. as a breeder i usually cull, but if your just a backyard enthusiast, culling isnt always necessary.

someone else will probably come along with better advice, but this should get you started.

 

[Wyandottes7]

your issues could be any number of respiratory problems. im not the greatest at diagnosis, but at first sign of bubbly eyes i separate the suspicious chicken from the rest of the flock. i give raw ACV in the water at a rate of 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons per gallon of water. i give tylan too injectable (1/2 cc in breast) for 3 days. 2 days after the last dose of tylan i give probiotics or yogurt. the following day vitamins and electrolytes solution.

the ACV is an antibacterial that may or may not kill the bacteria causing the problem, some swear by it. the tylan is a cattle grade antibiotic that usually works well. after antibiotics usually the stomach flora weak, thats why i give the probiotics.

if you are planning on breeding these chickens, the problem can be transmitted to eggs. dont hatch anything right now. also keep infected chickens quarantined for at least a month and watch for any further symptoms. as a breeder i usually cull, but if your just a backyard enthusiast, culling isnt always necessary.

someone else will probably come along with better advice, but this should get you started.

I agree, it sounds like the problem could be a respiratory disease.

 

[loveourbirds]

tylan too was supposed to be tylan 200. tylan 50 is cheaper but multiply the dose times 4 as its a weaker dose.

 

[weldkingoc]

If i treat the chickens in this way will the meat and eggs ( if i ever get any ) be safe to eat once they have been off treatment for 10 days or so? What shall i use for vitamin/ electrolytes? Is there a particular solution i can pickup at tractor supply? Also do they have acv?

 

[weldkingoc]

Do you always use the ACV to help combat future infections?

 

[Eggcessive]

Hello all- not sure where to start. I am new to raising chickens (less than 6 months) and im about to give up . Started with three big white hens and a giant rooster that looked to be leghorns but were far too big and the only 8 eggs they ever layed were very light brown. I planned on raising meat birds to eat with these chickens because of their size. My second coop held game hens given to me by my neighbor initially then i obtained a gold colored bird not sure of breed or age and a black and white not sure of age that i believe was a Dominique. I then got three free RIR (two roosters one hen) from craigslist said to be quite young. All of a sudden it started with bubbly eyes on gold one and coughing, then game hens were hunkered over with eyes barely staying open all puffed up. Hens were dying almost daily. I treated them with duramycin and it SEEMED. To help but then the Dominique started doing the same falling over, puffed up, eyes squinty. And ended up dying. Death seemed to subside for a short while . In the meantime i had five ducks that i had put in with the white chickens and one of the ducks died unexpectedly. After all this i decided to start letting all birds out to stretch their legs and let ducks go back to pond but that same day i noticed the big white rooster laying in a strange way as if he could not get up, i nudged him with my foot and he struggled to get up and seemed very uneasy on his feet and i noticed his comb which was once bright red and very pronounced was now flopped over, dark , spotty and pathetic looking . immediately put all chickens together in same coop and treated all once more with duramycin to try to knock problem out all together. The next day i noticed one of the white hens vomiting everytime she tried to take a drink of water. She became lethargic and sat around with eyes closed and beek open drooled and finally died. Since this last death i have continued to treat with duranycin and all seem pretty healthy other than the big white rooster. He still has same symptoms. I have still gotten zero eggs other than the eight i got long ago from white hens. I have pigs, ducks and rabbits that have not been problematic at all other than the one duck. What am i doing wrong. I feel as though i should get rid of all the birds, disinfect and clean coop and in the summer pick up new birds that are good layers already from a reputable breeder or hatchery. These chickens were purchased from local flea market and free. Noway to know age or health condition

You are not doing anything wrong other than having the bad luck to get chickens with chronic diseases. When bringing any chickens into your flock, they should be isolated and quarantined for 30 or more days to make sure they are free of disease. Many of us can't resist getting more chickens when we first start out. If it were me I would cull and start over with healthy chicks from a hatchery or a reputable breeder. Sorry to be blunt, but you have chronic respiratory disease (CRD or MG) and any birds you bring in will get it from these carriers.

 

[loveourbirds]

If i treat the chickens in this way will the meat and eggs ( if i ever get any ) be safe to eat once they have been off treatment for 10 days or so? What shall i use for vitamin/ electrolytes? Is there a particular solution i can pickup at tractor supply? Also do they have acv?

the meat and eggs will be safe to eat, but not to hatch. the tylan and vitamins/electrolytes mix are usually available at tsc, the ACV is unpasturized apple cider vinegar - available at walmart.

Do you always use the ACV to help combat future infections?

if there is another outbreak during quarantine time, i would cull the chickens and dont re-treat them.

again i am a breeder and i can't have illness leaving my farm so im alot faster to cull than most.

for your own flock, there is a vaccine for crd. but chickens who have it will always be carriers.

 

[weldkingoc]

My original plan was in fact to cull the flock , clean/ disinfect the coop and replenish flock with the exact type of birds that i want to serve my needs from a reputable breeder that are already vaccinated etc. i just need to find a hatchery near me in Caswell County NC

 

[weldkingoc]

You are not doing anything wrong other than having the bad luck to get chickens with chronic diseases.  When bringing any chickens into your flock, they should be isolated and quarantined for 30 or more days to make sure they are free of disease.  Many of us can't resist getting more chickens when we first start out.   If it were me I would cull and start over with healthy chicks from a hatchery or a reputable breeder.  Sorry to be blunt, but you have chronic respiratory disease (CRD or MG) and any birds you bring in will get it from these carriers.

I have decided to cull the flock and eliminate the ongoing problem. I will start fresh with leghorns for eggs and cornish x or white broilers for meat. It will be better to start them as chicks and know their history