Whats wrong?!

[mcarroll616]

Lots of people suggested that I let them eat the yoke, so I've done it. Maybe someone more knowledgable than I am will chome in, but I don't think they will start eating eggs.

Mine seem much better this afternoon. Swollen eye is completely gone (couldn't even tell which hen had it!). I even heard the rooster try to crow for the first time in a while. Still sound a bit funny, and there were a few sneezes but I'm feeling better about a possible recovery.

Thanks : -)

 

[angelbabyamy]

I took a chicken to the vet a few weeks ago that was making loud noises when breathing, stretching her nech out and opening her mouth and she had a cough/sneeze with clear discharge- no odor.

The sent swabs to a lab at OSU and it came back positive for Mycoplasma. I have them on Duramycin 10. One of the few antibiotics I could find here, I am dosing them at 800 mg. 1 TBS per gallon of water. I have 6 that are showing symptoms. It is stressing me. I have 2 Copper Marans that are ill and I don't want to lose them.

I bought 7 Lavender Orpingtons and 2 Copper Marans from a breeder, about 7 weeks ago. They were about 12 weeks. All my other birds are hatchery birds or I bought them as hatching eggs.
The pullets didn't seen sick, but who knows if they were a carrier.

My oldest chickens are 31/2 and 2 of them are sick along with a BLRW. THe Marans and BLRW are 1.1.2yrs old. They were either broody or raising chicks, so I think their bodies weren't able to fight as well.

I hope you figure out what is wrong with your chickens! I sure is stressful.

 

[mcarroll616]

It is very frustrating. The thing that gets me the most, is that they have very few symptoms, and they don't ACT sick. Don't get me wrong, they sound horrible, and they must be, but they sure still have lots of energy, and they seem very mad at me for not letting them free range.

Last week we were running around town looking for some antibiotics and we ran into this old man at the feed store. He has been raising chickens forever and on a much larger scale than my 9 bird flock. He told me that I needed to put a tbsp of bleach in a gallon of their water, and that would kill any infection they had. He said he has been doing that after having some sick chickens 50 years ago and never had any problems since. I wasn't sure, I looked it up on here and it seems very controversial around here. I didn't do it, just kept up with the duramycin. The chickens would seem better in the evening and then sound horrible at night. Yesterday after work I decided just to give it a shot. If he's been doing it that long, it's not going to kill my chickens this once, and you never know. I mixed up a gallon of this bleach water and put it some in a quart waterer yesterday afternoon. This morning they actually sound just as well as they did last night. I was planning on putting just antibiotics in their waterer in the morning, and some bleach in the afternoon. They still had some water in there from last night so I haven't changed it out yet. I was hesitant to share, because there is probably someone out there who will fuss at me for giving this to my chickens, I just felt like I didn't have much to lose.

 

[litmisredneck]

It is very frustrating. The thing that gets me the most, is that they have very few symptoms, and they don't ACT sick. Don't get me wrong, they sound horrible, and they must be, but they sure still have lots of energy, and they seem very mad at me for not letting them free range.

Last week we were running around town looking for some antibiotics and we ran into this old man at the feed store. He has been raising chickens forever and on a much larger scale than my 9 bird flock. He told me that I needed to put a tbsp of bleach in a gallon of their water, and that would kill any infection they had. He said he has been doing that after having some sick chickens 50 years ago and never had any problems since. I wasn't sure, I looked it up on here and it seems very controversial around here. I didn't do it, just kept up with the duramycin. The chickens would seem better in the evening and then sound horrible at night. Yesterday after work I decided just to give it a shot. If he's been doing it that long, it's not going to kill my chickens this once, and you never know. I mixed up a gallon of this bleach water and put it some in a quart waterer yesterday afternoon. This morning they actually sound just as well as they did last night. I was planning on putting just antibiotics in their waterer in the morning, and some bleach in the afternoon. They still had some water in there from last night so I haven't changed it out yet. I was hesitant to share, because there is probably someone out there who will fuss at me for giving this to my chickens, I just felt like I didn't have much to lose.

I know the feeling. Mine are the same way. They are mad cause i wont let them out, they have lots of energy and are eating. But they are sneezing and coughing and now 2 have snotty noses. I have them on antibiotic's right now for the 5th day. I wonder if the bleach trick will work. Please let me know. I am in the same boat and would like to know what happens.

 

[Gargoyle]

He told me that I needed to put a tbsp of bleach in a gallon of their water, and that would kill any infection they had.

Isn't that basically just chlorinated water? People have been drinking that (and swimming in it) for decades without problems. It certainly kills bacteria in the water, I have no idea whether it would also kill bacteria in chickens.

 

[PrincessKristin]

I bought 3 r.i. reds from a flea market and when got them home one was lathergic. Runny nose and eyes , I gout the Duramycin-10 , one teasspoon per gallon of water for 10 days. As for conrtversal I took a needless syringe and put a tiny bit of it in a spoon with water and forced my sickest to drink it gently for only a couple of the days to make sure she got enough.Alot of people say not to cause it can go into their lungs but I have had to do it on 4 hens and never had any problems. Needless to say she was on the brink of death and combinded with that and adding 1teaspoon per gallon of water of the Duranycin-10 for ten day ( useally tull the pack runs out) and she is healthy now. Except I now have a breakout of fowlpox in my flock ps we named her Lucky
I sure hope yours feel better soon.If your like me they are like my children I'm so attached to everyone of them.

 

[mcarroll616]

Isn't that basically just chlorinated water? People have been drinking that (and swimming in it) for decades without problems. It certainly kills bacteria in the water, I have no idea whether it would also kill bacteria in chickens.

I don't know. It certainly smells more like the strength of a swimming pool than city drinking water!

I found a post on here that someone swears that you put 1 tbsp per gallon for chickens that are healthy, and 2 tbsp for chickens that are sick. The man I said just told me to use a tbsp -- actually he said , "a big tablespoon, like you would use to dish out your pinto beans" (I think I live in the country... ) But I may add another tbsp to my gallon and fill it up to see what happens. I think they look MUCH healthier than they did two days ago. Whether its the antibiotics, or the bleach -- I don't know.

 

[litmisredneck]

I don't know. It certainly smells more like the strength of a swimming pool than city drinking water!

I found a post on here that someone swears that you put 1 tbsp per gallon for chickens that are healthy, and 2 tbsp for chickens that are sick. The man I said just told me to use a tbsp -- actually he said , "a big tablespoon, like you would use to dish out your pinto beans" (I think I live in the country... ) But I may add another tbsp to my gallon and fill it up to see what happens. I think they look MUCH healthier than they did two days ago. Whether its the antibiotics, or the bleach -- I don't know.

I just did 4cc/ml's of bleach to a gallon of water for mine today. I stopped their antibiotic for now and will see what happens. Thanks for the info!

 

[stargirl]

Sounds like there's a lot of respiratory infections on the go at the moment!
My girls had this when they were younger and I treated them with antibiotics in the water. They came through it fine. One still gets the sneezes from time to time - at first I redosed her on the antibiotics every time, but as it always came back in the end I let her be. I figure she is just a bit sensitive that way - she's been sneezing for 18 months but still lays daily and never has any snotty noses etc.
The bleach sounds a bit iffy to me... not sure I would want bleachy eggs either! Think I'll stick with the apple cider vinegar and garlic - both are antibacterial, but a bit more gentle!

 

[luvmyhens2bits]

my rooster and 2 ens exactly the same,am out of my mind,back 2 vet 2moro,rooster was the first to get sick,very ill very suddenly,he,got enough antibiotics but not getting well!! hens are miserable,just got sick 2 days ago,had 2 put them snuggled up in shed,am starting to panic too because they should be well by now! rattley chest,coughing slime,poo white/yellow,comb ect good.not great appetit but thank god eating boiled eggs and beans,i am with you on this because it is a frustrating illness and i cant get real help because vets are not familiar with hens!!