Sick chicks and nervous wife (bird flu?)

[cscigu]

I bought several chicks from a few different sources over the last month or so. I fear that I brought in some illness from one of the locations, that is spreading among the chicks. At the same time, my mature hens have slowed way down in egg production. They otherwise appear OK, but its hard to tell. Could be heat, and molt, or related, I guess.

The symptoms: chicks get swollen eyes, then die. I've read extensively here, and know this is not uncommon. I bought today Tylon 50 and tetracyline eye ointment. So far I've treated half the chicks, and am waiting a bit to see if there is any negative reaction. I gave .25 cc just above the wing in the neck. I chose that location purely based on a youtube vid. Am open to other suggestions, but don't want to hit something vital in the breast area.

The problem is that my wife thinks this could be bird flu, and it is going to kill our beloved dogs. She'd read that bird flu doesn't survive in hot weather, and it is dang sure hot here in Oklahoma. I've read the great thread on the bird flu here, and don't believe for a minute this is it. But woe to me if I'm wrong.

Its so easy to sit back and worry about everything, and wait to blame someone for not acting faster....

By the way, are any of these respiratory things with chickens dangerous for dogs?

 

[GitaBooks]

Thankfully, I don't think it is bird flu. And if it is, this latest strain doesn't seem able to spread to people. Bird flu doesn't survive well in warm weather, but hens can slow laying during hot weather, and chickens can die from heat stroke.
Most bird diseases can't spread to dogs, especially if they aren't in direct contact with them or eating their droppings, meat or eggs.
This does, however, sound like a dangerous disease for your birds. Could it be coccidia? Worms? A nutritional deficiency? Is their brooder/pen kept clean and dry? Is their water kept fresh and clean?

What are the other symptoms? Runny droppings? Clicking breath? Lack of appetite? Standing under heat-light?

I do hope they get better soon. Best of luck!

 

[WthrLady]

I don't think it is AI either. Sounds like Coryza brought in by bringing in birds from many locations and spread with no quarantine set up. Hard lesson learned. Don't bear yourself up.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/82/infectious-coryza/

 

[cscigu]

Yep, I'm worried about the Coryza thing, too. I know I've been lax with quarantines, no denying it. Just never had a problem before. Around here chickens aren't pets or anything, just something for meat or eggs for most people. I try to take good care of them, but they are all free range all the time (bug control) except at night when I lock them up. Never once had an illness and I've had them off and on since I was a kid.

I have a suspicion it was from a guy that was more commercial than most I run across. Shoulda thought of that....

Anyway, the lack of clear symptoms is strange. Its like they get a little lethargic, get a swollen eye, then die. That's it. No sneezing, nasal discharge, diarrhea, bad equilibrium, etc. Up to now it has been contained in about young chicks I got over the last 6 weeks. Since my first posting, 4 more up and died. I culled everything that wasn't mature except for 3 Marans pullets that are about 8 weeks old, and (so far) appear healthy. They are in isolation, and I gave them all .25 cc Tylan 50. All water, feeders, coops have been cleaned, and sprayed with bleach. I didn't do the lime, due to lots of conflicting info on its use.

Here's one more gem. Prior to the arrival of the chicks, I did dust the coop with "hydrated agricultural lime", then covered the lime with hay. This was a good 4 weeks ago. Lime seems to be a matter of debate. I've seen posts saying to only use hydrated lime, and to never use it. We dusted things with lime all my life, but I never read the bags. Lime was lime, to me. Now its seems there are varying types of it.

My main worry now is whether the mature hens are going to get it, and I'm wiped out.

 

[WthrLady]

If it's coryza, they can recover from it, but are carriers their whole life.

I don't use lime at all. So I'm no help there. Sorry.

I also don't use bleach. I use Oxine. Again, sorry.

It sounds like you are doing all you can. I certainly wouldn't worry about it passing to the hounds.

 

[cscigu]

Yeah, the Coyza stuff is scary.

I'm trying to be proactive, but this is a little foreign to me. Its all been country boy wisdom until recently. By the way, I used something like 2 parts bleach, 3 parts water. Read that somewhere. Since I've started researching all this, I can't believe I've never had this problem before. One of the fun things I've always repeated was something my grandma once said. "chickens won't eat anything that will hurt them". I guess I thought they were bullet proof.

 

[GitaBooks]

Yeah, the Coyza stuff is scary.

I'm trying to be proactive, but this is a little foreign to me. Its all been country boy wisdom until recently. By the way, I used something like 2 parts bleach, 3 parts water. Read that somewhere. Since I've started researching all this, I can't believe I've never had this problem before. One of the fun things I've always repeated was something my grandma once said. "chickens won't eat anything that will hurt them". I guess I thought they were bullet proof.

Don't worry, I know the rules of chicken keeping, but I don't follow them all. Like using bleach to clean out the waterers or keeping their nest boxes meticulously clean (both of these can be good things, don't get me wrong). I guess you have to find what works for you and works for your flock. I've had only a few problems in my flock so far.