Sick chickens- eyes closed but still eating/drinking

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Hi there,
About 5 days ago I noticed a few members of my flock (all of them are juvenile that are sick) have started sneezing and or have their eyes closed (one or both). I separated the ones showing symptoms. Some are better than others, they go outside still and run around. The ones that are not so good are basically just sleeping all day. I had to help one girl to the feeder and water this morning cause she won't even open her eyes at all, she was just blindly pecking the ground hoping it was food (a little like the scene in Moana when the chicken pecks beside the food and has to be turned and aimed lol) All of their appetites are fine and everyone is still drinking on their own accord. I worry about treating with antibiotics because a) I only have super booster and some other over the counter type which I can't remember what it treats b) they always make the ratio in ridiculous amounts, like mix 55 gallons of water to one bag, well I can tell you since I've got chickens in January they've not gone through 55 gallons of water between them all.
So if anyone has any tips that I can use for even mixing in a 19 L pail or whatever size I have, I would appreciate it. I have given them probiotics in their water because I had one the week before that I believe had a brush with coccidiosis. He's in with the rest of the sickies but is not exhibiting the same eye closing reaction the others are. He just seems to be recovering at his own pace from the cocci.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you seeing any bubbles inside the eye or swelling around an eye, or a bad odor around the head? If not, your chickens may just have a virus, such as infectious bronchitis.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum or MG is a chronic respiratory disease that may look similar in mild cases, but may cause eye bubbles, swollen eyelids or faces, and labored breathing.

If there are swollen eyes with pus, thick nasal drainage, a bad odor, and rattly breathing, it could be coryza a chronic bacterial respiratory disease.

Antibiotics such as Tylan may be helpful in treating MG. It comes in a water soluble powder from a vet, or an injectable medicine (Tylan 50) that may be given orally to each chicken, or by injection. Tylan powder mixing instructions are 1 tsp per gallon or 4 liters, given for 3-5 days.

Respiratory diseases may make your chickens carriers, so I would recommend having your chickens tested by your state poultry lab or extension service, and closing your flock.

 

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Are you seeing any bubbles inside the eye or swelling around an eye, or a bad odor around the head? If not, your chickens may just have a virus, such as infectious bronchitis.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum or MG is a chronic respiratory disease that may look similar in mild cases, but may cause eye bubbles, swollen eyelids or faces, and labored breathing.

If there are swollen eyes with pus, thick nasal drainage, a bad odor, and rattly breathing, it could be coryza a chronic bacterial respiratory disease.

Antibiotics such as Tylan may be helpful in treating MG. It comes in a water soluble powder from a vet, or an injectable medicine (Tylan 50) that may be given orally to each chicken, or by injection. Tylan powder mixing instructions are 1 tsp per gallon or 4 liters, given for 3-5 days.

Respiratory diseases may make your chickens carriers, so I would recommend having your chickens tested by your state poultry lab or extension service, and closing your flock.

No bubbles or swelling or odor. I did have one chicken with bronchitis really early in the year, she got through it, may be the reason these guys have it now except the fact that they have lived with that chicken since day 7, and now that they are 3 months old I find it weird they're only catching it now?

 

[Eggcessive]

Infectious bronchitis may go from generation to generation as new chicks are added or hatched. It makes chickens carriers for 5 months to a year after everyone who gets sick gets recovered. I once had an outbreak of IB, I think a few years ago. Each year that I hatched or bought new chicks, they would eventually get it from the most recent carriers. Then I stopped adding chicks for a whole year, and it stopped, thank goodness. MG can make them carriers for life. This link has symptoms and info on each of the common respiratory diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Stephanie Mitchell]

It's funny because they seem fine other than having their eyes closed and the odd sneeze. My hen that had the IB had bubbles and was clearly stuffed up, I could see the swelling from the nasal passage causing her eyes to close. These guys just seem like their eyes that are closed are also itchy? Like pink eye. No crustiness that I see, just Poptart won't stop itching her eye and clearly it's sore and swollen