Sudden death and respiratory issues

[redheadfarmer]

My kids all have chickens as pets and we recently moved them into their winter housing as it is getting colder (10 c here) and has been raining for the last 4 days. We have 3 pens in close proximity to each other. Our oldest chickens (barred rock and easter egger) sound like they have colds. They started molting 3 weeks ago and we haven't had any eggs since. The easter egger appeared to be getting better but the barred rock is getting worse and is completely bald on its back, one eye is swollen shut and it is sneezing/gurgling and clearing its throat. These 2 share a pen. Last night, I found our little bantam game hen dead on the floor of her pen. I have since put tetracycline in everyone's water and culled the barred rock. The pens have all been disinfected with bleach.

Anyone know what I am trying to fight here and is it a lost cause? Am I likely to lose the rest of them? We have a rhode island pullet and blue cochin (neither laying yet) and 4 ameracauna chicks (7 weeks old).

Help please!

 

[georgeandmildredgoose]

hi there sorry to hear you are having problems. imo the only way to find out what you are dealing with is to get some samples send for testing. not sure where you are in the world, im uk based and we would do this through our vet.
keep the sick ones seperate from the healthy ones as you have done. it does sound like it could be infectious. hope they get well soon.

 

[CMV]

You are going to need to quarantine the sick birds, although I suspect that it is too late to really contain whatever is going on. I'd send the dead bird in for necropsy to establish what you are dealing with for your kids' sakes. I think you may have a respiratory infection and my first reaction is to say "Cull the lot", but when kids are involved I know it gets a little more complicated. Tetracycline is not the ideal choice for antibiotic. You need to get some Tylan 50 and syringes. Tylan is a much more appropriate antibiotic, and only requires a 3-day course, but it is an injection. Give the birds high protein food and snacks to help with the molt. Everyone needs to be very cautious about maintaining quarantine. Wash hands and change clothes (and shoes) between dealing with healthy and sick birds. Wait for the necropsy results, and then make your decision about what to do with the flock at that point.

Good luck.

 

[redheadfarmer]

Thanks for the advice. I am in Southwestern Ontario and have found a chicken vet that I am hoping to get to come to our coop early next week. In the meantime we have bleached the coops, changed the bedding and added a heat lamp. The chicks seem unaffected and quite frisky actually. The RIR and Cochin with the sudden death bird are their normal selves so far and the EE that was with the Barred Rock is by herself and no worse. She looks a little better. So that brings our flock of pets from 9 to 7. Hopefully that is it!

 

[redheadfarmer]

Update:

Easter, our EE who seemed to have rounded the corner after 3 days of tetracycline now has watery stools with blood flecks in it. What do I do now? She is not sneezing as much or squawking but the funny poop is something new.

 

[PtldChick]

Blood could mean Cocci, or it could be regular instestinal lining being shed. There is a chicken poo chart that shows what these look like, but I don't recall the link...if you search BYC, you'll find it.

Good luck!