Sick Roo - Anyone know these symptoms?............ UPDATE......

[chickenzoo]

I have a 2-3 year old Polish Roo that started showing symptoms of a swollen puff eye(the only symptom). I gave him some Tylan 50 and it cleared up. He now has become lethargic, almost sleepy and has loss of balance and turns his head to the side. I pulled a hard plug out of his ear. He sleeps all day and I can pick him up, he will stand with eyes open for a few seconds then falls back to sleep. I gave him liquid Baytril for 3 days with no improvement. I started him today on 1/2 cc penicillin and gave him a small amount(1/8 cc) of liquid steriods incase their was swelling going on. I have been tube feeding him baby bird feeding formula & also some poultry cell mixed in. No mites or lice......no snotty nose..... I don't know what is wrong with him... I keep him in a chicken barn, on wire up off the ground. He gets a local mills chicken layer as with all my chickens..... any clues?

 

[horsejody]

You should only use antibiotics if you know what you are fighting. Using antibiotics, for less than the prescribed times causes antibiotic resistant diseases. That's not good for anyone.

Also, layer feed has more calcium that a roo needs and can cause organ damage in some.

 

[chickenzoo]

The vet had told me to use the Baytril for 3 days...... I'm looking for possible reasons now for what is going on with him....... I switched his food to flock raiser right now, but all my birds have been on this for 3 years.

 

[chickenzoo]

I found a bunch of mites on his head...... funny they were no where else. I just dusted them last week. I dusted his head and body....... he's still about the same.... very sleepy.

 

[chickenzoo]

Some one must have some idea............................ please.

 

[horsejody]

If he had mites on his head, he likely has them everywhere (even if you can't see them). They can cause a lot of damage. Glo get some louse/mite powder for him. Vitamins may also be in order to boost his strength.

 

[ivan3]

have a 2-3 year old Polish Roo that started showing symptoms of a swollen puff eye(the only symptom). I gave him some Tylan 50 and it cleared up.

Time between first observing symptom (puffy eye) and start of Tylan?
Length of time Tylan was adminsterered until symptom cleared?
Length of time between resolution of the eye problem and the onset of lethargy?

He now has become lethargic, almost sleepy and has loss of balance and turns his head to the side

I pulled a hard plug out of his ear.

Does he turn his head in only one direction (opposite of the `puffy eye'/`plugged ear' for instance)?
When you stand him up does he turn in circles or just plop down?

Color/consistency of `plug' removed from ear did this occur in conjunction with the eye problem, same side of head?

I found a bunch of mites on his head...... funny they were no where else.

Do you have a loupe/magnifier? If they are all over head, I'd bet he's loaded near the butt (if Northern Fowl Mites the pref. location in a flock is in the feathers of the roo's rear). You might consider Eprinex pour-on instead of dust (kills `em quick/less stress on bird).

That there are no other symptoms, and no improvement after antibiotics, makes me wonder about injury. The mites might be exsanguinating the guy.

Oh, is he between two-three yrs or possibly older?

Just some Q's and guesses. Hope for the best!​

 

[chickenzoo]

I gave him Tylan for 2 days and eye cleared. Ear plug came from opposite side of the puffy eye. Four days passed and i noticed him sleeping a lot. he turns his head opposite of the pluged ear, plug was yellow- hard. He will just plop down now when I hold him up. he has trouble holding his head up, so I have been tube feeding him. I redusted him because i only have Ivomec and i do not want to stress his system. I have him on Avia Charge also. Doc Peter Brown thinks it may be ear canker and has told me to treat with Amoxicillian, a certain ointment in the ear and also for cocci with Sulfamexidone(sp).
I have the Amox on order and the ointment, but can i keep giving penicillin until it gets here???

 

[ivan3]

You can continue with the penn. but, as horsejody said, if you don't know what you're treating it's a crapshoot. That you are tube feeding is above and beyond. I was wondering if this was something like toxoplasmosis (do you have a lot of rats or mice?), not common but the symptoms nearly match. Hope your guy hangs in there and the new meds help.

Got my fingers crossed.

 

[chickenzoo]

They are all off the ground in wire pens, but I'm sure a mouse could get in???? How is that caused?



UPDATE: I have been handfeeding him parrot feeding formula with poultry cell added and at other times with Sulfamexidone(sp). I had also given him a small amount of ivomec on his neck. He seems to be slowly improving and can look at me instead of being more blank.

The past few days he has been trying to walk around, although he still has wry neck at this time. I have been giving vitamin E along with other vitamins. He seems to be improving, although he does not have much control over the twisting yet. I keep massaging his neck and straightening it out and making him a neck pillow out of hay and a terry cloth.

If I hold his head up straight he can focus now and was trying to eat some on his own!!!!!!! I am still waiting on the other meds to come in. I don't know what happened but I hope this is his recovery, I love the big guy.