Update to respiratory issues

[Ataylor8284]

We've lost about 12 chickens since a respiratory illness started. They all had open mouthed breathing, sounded raspy, loss of appetite, hunched over. One died this morning and we discovered a big sore on her wing and another sick one has a big open sore on his back. It has been raining here since yesterday, so I guess we just missed the sores since they were dry.
The little bantam cochin has one eye that's stuck shut, but other than that doesn't appear to have any other symptoms. Some chickens still sound raspy but appetite is still good. One rooster died and regurgitated green pus from his beak when he died.
Any ideas?? Treatment? No diarrhea that I'm seeing. Only one chicken had the bubbles in the eye and swollen around the eye and beak.

 

[Kiki]

What state are you located in?
Are you aware that each state has a poultry lab that will perform a knee cropsey on a deceased bird which will give you an exact reason why your birds are dying?

There is usually not a cure for respiratory diseases.

State lab list:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...sease-testing-state-lab-website-info.1236884/

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Yes as kiki mentioned above, sending a deceased chicken off for necropsy is the solution to know what disease you are dealing with. Most respiratory diseases are not curable and they remain carriers for life. There are some medications that will treat symptoms, depending on what disease you are dealing with. Let your state lab diagnose the problem, then you can decide how to proceed.

No clue about the open sores, but likely unrelated to the respiratory issues. Where did you get your birds, how long have you had them, & how old were they when you got them?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you post any pictures of the sores? Did they seem to be areas of pecking or swollen like a tumor? It sounds like they had a respiratory disease such as MG, or if there was a bad odor, coryza, but it would be best to get testing or a necropsy of a sick bird by your state vet. I would close your flock to any new birds, and never give away or sell birds from your flock. Did you get these chickens from a hatchery or a breeder? Sorry for your loss, and for having to deal with this problem.

 

[Ataylor8284]

We got most of our chickens from Orschelns, got 5 from an individual seller. One of those hens was breathing noisily shortly after we got her, this was about 2 months ago now. None of our original chickens showed any symptoms until we got some chickens at a small animal auction a few weeks ago. Symptoms started within 5-7 days. None of the auction chickens are showing any symptoms though, just our original flock. Our chickens we got from Orschelns are about 6 months old now (original flock).
The sore is a big lesion covering a big part of his back.

 

[Eggcessive]

Bringing in a bird from auctions, swap meets, or even from a seller is how some respiratory diseases get brought into a flock. Symptoms can start as early as a few days. A carrier doesn’t have to show any symptoms, but the stress of a move may spark the symptoms if it has been lying dormant. Here is a good link about common diseases including the respiratory ones:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ps044

The back is a common area to be pecked and injured. But a picture could be helpful.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Unfortunately the chickens you got from the auction were almost certainly the silent carriers that infected your chicks from orshelns. This happens to many unsuspecting new owners, including myself several years ago. Im very sorry you've had to experience this. Send a body off for a necropsy so u know what disease(s, because it may be more than one illness.) you are dealing with. You can then decide whether to medicate and keep your current flock, or clean and disinfect and start over. Some of your current flock members may never show disease and live out a normal lives, including laying lots of eggs. But they Are carriers, & will spread their illness to other poultry they come in contact with. So Please dont ever sell or give away any chickens if you decide to keep them. Depending on what illnesses they carry, you Can add future chicks/chickens to your flock. Just know they may need medication treatment too, & you may lose some. Wishing you the best, whatever you decide to do.

 

[Ataylor8284]

The chicken with the respiratory issue and big sore died last night. Now a hen that was fine yesterday is showing neurological signs today and is probably going to die soon. She's one that we got with the group of 5, she had raspy breathing when we got her but no other symptoms. My mom's favorite little chicken has a shut eye so he also has it. No two chickens have the same symptoms so it's super frustrating.

 

[Ataylor8284]

And now the chicken that I thought was a goner is suddenly better. No neuro signs. She went from flopping over on her side, twisting her head around, to standing and walking. This gets stranger and stranger but I think I have found one culprit to that; hickory trees in the chicken pen. I had no idea they were toxic and their water bowl was right under the trees. The pen is open during the day and they do have access to other water not under the trees but we will move the water bowl and rake out the pen weekly.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm not sure if the Hickory trees would be the problem or not. Is there algae or something growing in the water dishes?

My free roaming birds scratch under Hickory all the time and I've never had an issue.