Sudden illness - spreading through flock - Help please!

[KrisLW]

Hi,

One of my most active cockerels has suddenly become quite disshevelled and looks miserable. He has swelling under his eye and swelling in only one of his wattles. His face is also pale and I think there is some clear discharge from his nostrils. His eyes are clear but his crow is not his normal crow. One of the hens now has swollen wattles too but no other symptoms. Another cockerel has some swelling to his face too. I've also noticed some noisy breathing in some.

Here are some pics of the cockerel?

Does anyone have any advice please?

Thanks

Kris

 

[Wyandottes7]

It sounds like your birds have a respiratory disease. If there are only a few sick birds, isolate them if you can. Then, give the sick birds (and the healthy birds, too) some vitamins, electrolytes, and probiotics. Keep them out of drafts and well fed/hydrated. Many respiratory diseases are viral, and all you can do is give supportive care.

If the disease gets worse, or if you aren't noticing any improvement, I'd try some antibiotics. If you have a lot of birds to treat, a water soluable antibiotic like Terramycin or Duramycin would be a good idea. However, one of the best antibiotics for chickens is Tylan50. It should be prettty easy to find at a livestock supply store. You'll also need some small 20-22 gauge needles and syringes. Injected 1cc for large fowl, .5ccs for bantams or small birds, into the breast muscle once daily for five days. There is a water soluable form of Tylan, but it is more difficult to find, and I don't know much about it. (actually, I think that the water soluable Tylan powder is once of the only antibiotics you can get in the U.K--so, it maybe be a good idea).

 

[realsis]

I would personally treat them with antibotics as soon. As possible. Not to scare you but sometimes if left untreated it can go too far. My own flock had a nasty respitory virus by the time I noticed and treated there was no saving them. It spread through my flock like wild fire and sadly I lost all but one bird. If I can help another with my experiences than that would be great. My suggestion is to start tylan 50 injectable asap. Respitory illness can get out of hand FAST! You want to try and contain it or any secondary conditions before it gets out of hand. Make sure to seperate the sick birds from your flock. I learned the hard way about this! I wish you the best and hope things work out well for you. Above post has some excellent advice. However I wouldn't wait to treat. Id treat asap. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

 

[cafarmgirl]

X2. Treat them now. Antibiotic's can help prevent pneumonia/secondary bacterial infections that result from respiratory diseases and can lessen your mortality rate by far.

 

[KrisLW]

Thank you for your replies. It does look quite scary really how rapid it spreads through the flock. I just took two of them to the vet (who is a poultry specialist vet). He said it's likely to be either infectious bronchitis or mycoplasma. The cockerel was given an injection in his breast to relieve swelling and inflammation as he was the worst one. Then he gave me antibiotics to put in the water for the whole flock for five days. This is 'Dengard' which is supposed to be a very effective one that's used here in the UK. I can't really separate them as I don't have more space that is completely separate. Apparently, these infections are transmittable through the air even from a sneeze! All of my chickens were perfectly healthy and all were hatched by me. However, a couple of weeks ago we were given two chicks which I put in an ark alone but in the same enclosure as the flock. One of those chicks suddenly died last week. I suspect they have brought the virus to our flock! Never again will I accept a gift like that again!

Thanks again.

Kris

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with it being a respiratory disease that needs antibiotics. Is there any bad smell from the heads of these birds which might indicate infectious coryza? Mycoplasma is another possiblity. Many diseases are chronic and make them carriers for life. Tylan (tylosin) soluble powder in their water or Tylan 50 injectable would be good to treat. Are you able to get chicken antibiotics? Here is some information about the respiratory diseases of chickens: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[cafarmgirl]

You are so lucky to have access to a vet who specializes in poultry! For most of us here in the US we are lucky if we can find a general avian vet, and most of their practices are made up mostly of pet birds, hook bill's etc. and what applies to them doesn't necessarily apply to chickens.

I wouldn't worry at this point about separating them as they have all been exposed already anyway. Kind of like closing the barn door after the horse ran off. Best of luck, hope they all pull through.

 

[KrisLW]

Thanks yes they've now been started on antibiotics. No there's no bad smell coming from their head area - the discharge from their nostrils is clear too. I'm hoping I caught this in time. This Dengard antibiotic is supposedly also able to prevent/control vertical transmission in breeding. It's given to breeders whilst laying and it then reduces chances of carrier infections going through to the newly hatched chicks. So it's administered prophylactically. I wonder but at least it sounds promising!

Thanks again, I will post updates.

Kris

 

[KrisLW]

Thanks yes they've now been started on antibiotics. No there's no bad smell coming from their head area - the discharge from their nostrils is clear too. I'm hoping I caught this in time. This Dengard antibiotic is supposedly also able to prevent/control vertical transmission in breeding. It's given to breeders whilst laying and it then reduces chances of carrier infections going through to the newly hatched chicks. So it's administered prophylactically. I wonder but at least it sounds promising!

Thanks again, I will post updates.

Kris

Sorry the antibiotic is called 'Denagard' not Dengard!
http://www.denagard.com/vet-poultry/en/index.shtml