Watery eyes, yawning, occasional head shaking, otherwise normal.

[honkhonkbeep]

Hey y'all. I just adopted three pullets two days ago, after losing my beautiful girl Custard in June. One of the girls has watery eyes, yawns quite a bit, occasionally shakes her head. These girls are about 4.5 months old, and they come from a local family-owned farm with a stellar local reputation. I flushed her eyes with saline and gave her some terramycin, and she noticeably improved overnight, but I'm still seeing the yawning and headshaking.

I'm exhausted and still grieving my girl, and the joy of getting new chickens and immediately returning to the "what's wrong with my hen?" game is breaking my brain. That being said, I'm reasonably sure that this is MG, and I have Denagard.

Here's my question for y'all:

I'm in SE LA, and we're in the middle of a brutal heatwave that may give us our hottest day on record (as in, ever recorded here) on Wednesday. With my new girls still adjusting to the heat, and their new surroundings, do I wait to give the Denagard? Is it like Corid in that it'll likely cause nutritional deficiencies?

Or should I just treat her eyes with the saline and terramycin, skip Denagard altogether? I've gone over and over this in my head, but anxiety is keeping me from making a decision.

Edit: Another pullet has a single watery eye, and I noticed that she was nodding off as soon as she got on the roost - could barely keep her eyes open. She was also making this sound that sounded different from her usual trill. It was like a raspy, whining cry.

I brought her inside to give her some Nutridrench, water and a/c, and I flushed her eye with saline and gave her terramycin. I also got some Denagard in her - not a lot, but I did get her to drink a bit of the water-Denagard-Karo-syrup-juice mixture. After she perked up, I put her back in the roost and checked on her after about an hour. She looks fine. Just snoozing, not slumped over bonelessly like she was before.

I also saw my reflection in her eyeball and freaked out for about 10 minutes thinking she had eye worms, so you can tell I'm a ball of nerves about these girls lol.

So with all that being said, I guess Denagard it is. Two out of the three have watery eyes and respiratory symptoms - although I guess the raspy voice could've been from heat stress, if one of them has it, they're all going to need treatment anyway. I'm pretty worried about how they'll handle antibiotics in this heat, but having respiratory stress isn't exactly good for them either.

Actual question:

Can I give them Nutridrench and electrolytes while they're being treated? It won't interfere with the Denagard, will it? And if you've read this entire novel, thank you very much.

 

[Tookie]

So sorry for your loss of Custard.

Do you mind getting some pictures of your pullets face? Also possibly a video of her yawning and head shaking? Any bubbles in her eyes?
Are the other two pullets exhibiting any symptoms like the one pullet?

I say treat her eyes with saline and terramycin for a bit and see if she improves.

 

[honkhonkbeep]

Thank you, friend. Custard was a special little lady and I loved her very much.

I just added an update about a second pullet with a watery eye, actually! I noticed it this evening when I brought her in for heat stress. I think I saw little bubbles in the first one's eyes this morning, but I can't say for sure; I didn't see them in the second pullet tonight, though. I'll definitely get pictures and video of both of them tomorrow.

 

[Tookie]

Thank you, friend. Custard was a special little lady and I loved her very much.

It's always hard to lose them.

I just added an update about a second pullet with a watery eye, actually! I noticed it this evening when I brought her in for heat stress. I'll definitely get pictures and video of both of them tomorrow.

Okay!
Since a second pullet has symptoms, it does sound to be some sort of respiratory disease or something of the sort. I would go ahead and give them all the Denagard. I believe Denagard can only treat MG though, so if they don't have MG you probably will have to use something else.
Nutri-Drench and electrolytes should be okay to give along with the Denagard.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you please post photos?

Thank you.

 

[honkhonkbeep]

Here are some pictures. The bubbles are pretty clear on my Dominique. I have VetRX too, if that would be of any help.

 

[honkhonkbeep]

It's always hard to lose them.

Okay!
Since a second pullet has symptoms, it does sound to be some sort of respiratory disease or something of the sort. I would go ahead and give them all the Denagard. I believe Denagard can only treat MG though, so if they don't have MG you probably will have to use something else.
Nutri-Drench and electrolytes should be okay to give along with the Denagard.

Thank you!

 

[Tookie]

Here are some pictures. The bubbles are pretty clear on my Dominique.

I do think they most likely have MG.

I have VetRX too, if that would be of any help.

VetRX works more for temporarily relief than a treatment. But it should help somewhat.

 

[honkhonkbeep]

Thank you. I'll start them on Denagard and use VetRX to give them a little relief. Appreciate y'all so much.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You have Denagard on hand, so I'd go ahead and treat them all with that.
Flush eyes with saline, remove any gunk/pus/debris and apply an eye ointment in the eyes a couple of times a day as well.