yellow, runny eye

[casportpony]

OMG Kathy! As much as you know I love to see those kinda pics, I almost lost my breakfast with those pics but it is very informative. Thanks for posting.

Sorry, lol.

-Kathy

 

[Michael Apple]

Thank you, Eggcessive, Melissa and Michael! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. The link listing poultry diseases was particularly helpful and I'm going to file it away. I also think she has Coryza. I'm going to keep the sick bird in the garage today. I put Duramycin-10 in her water this morning and also added it to the water of the other hens (is this recommended... to treat all of them? The guy at the feed store told me to do this). The feed store also carries Tylan. With Tylan do I only treat the hens with symptoms?

Wow... it's so discouraging when they get sick like this and quickly die off. Between the opossum and the respiratory diseases, I'm rethinking whether or not I'll keep chickens in the future. I'm definitely not going to add any new chickens ever again since I'm pretty sure this is the source of the problem.

If I do cull them (or not replace them as they die off), how long should I wait until I get a new flock? I keep the run very clean and use food grade diatomaceous earth. I'll also clean out the coop very thoroughly this week with a diluted bleach solution. Any other advice? Thanks for your time.

You're welcome. Don't be discouraged. Anyone keeping poultry over the years has dealt with disease. All it takes is one bird to bring in disease which is why seperate/quarantine for at least a month is always recommended for new additions. Give these ones some time. Building resistance to disease or not is just nature. Oxine AH is a great sanitizer and as you move along in your hobby, you'll learn more about environment and housing birds, nutrition, supplements, a bird's immune system, preventative methods, treating disease, etc.

I brought in a bird with MG from a reputable breeder at a show once. Before I knew it 3 more contracted it. I treated symptoms, they disappeared, but came back and those birds had to be culled. Ever since, I've had healthy birds, and am much more careful about obtaining birds.

 

[feather13]

Oh wow, Kathy! I'm not sure I could perform that kind of eye cleaning. It kind of turned my stomach just to look at the photos LOL. But I'll clean out her eye with a warm, damp cloth when I get home from work.

Thanks, Michael, for your encouraging words. I'm going to see if my local feed store carries Oxine AH on the way home tonight. I've been reading about it here on BYC and it looks like it's safe to use as a spray as long as it's not "activated."

When I left this morning, the hen was really lethargic and hadn't eaten anything or had water. When I get home, I'll try to feed her with a dropper. My experience this past few weeks is that the hens die pretty quickly, so we'll see how it goes. Lessons learned though about adding new chickens. I have a bantam OEG hen that I really love beyond reason, so am crossing my fingers that she stays healthy. I've had her for 2.5 years and she's just great.

 

[casportpony]

Oh wow, Kathy! I'm not sure I could perform that kind of eye cleaning. It kind of turned my stomach just to look at the photos LOL. But I'll clean out her eye with a warm, damp cloth when I get home from work.

Thanks, Michael, for your encouraging words. I'm going to see if my local feed store carries Oxine AH on the way home tonight. I've been reading about it here on BYC and it looks like it's safe to use as a spray as long as it's not "activated."

When I left this morning, the hen was really lethargic and hadn't eaten anything or had water. When I get home, I'll try to feed her with a dropper. My experience this past few weeks is that the hens die pretty quickly, so we'll see how it goes. Lessons learned though about adding new chickens. I have a bantam OEG hen that I really love beyond reason, so am crossing my fingers that she stays healthy. I've had her for 2.5 years and she's just great.

To quote my vet, "it's not usually the disease that kills them, it's dehydration and starvation", so that is why I tube feed, there is no way to safely get enough water into them with a just a syringe or dropper. A sick bird needs no less than 30ml/kg of fluids every 6-8 hours, that's 30ml per 2.2 pounds every 6 to 8 hours!

Read these:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid#post_9910754
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-for-visuals-very-detailed-post#post_11652991

If you decide to try tubing I can help you on the phone, but you'll need to get the following:

• Size 18 french rubber catheter. - Any vet.
• 35 or 60 ml catheter tip syringe. Not sure why, but the 35's last longer than the 60's. - Any vet.
• Kaytee Exact Baby Bird Food - Petsmart or Petco
• Pedialyte - Any grocery store.

-Kathy

 

[kuntrygirl]

OMG Kathy! As much as you know I love to see those kinda pics, I almost lost my breakfast with those pics but it is very informative. Thanks for posting.

Sorry, lol.


-Kathy

Nothing to be sorry about . We all have to see and learn. This is real and we have to know about it.

 

[kuntrygirl]

 
Thank you, Eggcessive, Melissa and Michael!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.  The link listing poultry diseases was particularly helpful and I'm going to file it away. I also think she has Coryza.  I'm going to keep the sick bird in the garage today.  I put Duramycin-10 in her water this morning and also added it to the water of the other hens (is this recommended... to treat all of them?  The guy at the feed store told me to do this).  The feed store also carries Tylan.  With Tylan do I only treat the hens with symptoms?

Wow... it's so discouraging when they get sick like this and quickly die off.  Between the opossum and the respiratory diseases, I'm rethinking whether or not I'll keep chickens in the future.  I'm definitely not going to add any new chickens ever again since I'm pretty sure this is the source of the problem. 

If I do cull them (or not replace them as they die off), how long should I wait until I get a new flock?  I keep the run very clean and use food grade diatomaceous earth.  I'll also clean out the coop very thoroughly this week with a diluted bleach solution.  Any other advice?  Thanks for your time.

You're welcome. Don't be discouraged. Anyone keeping poultry over the years has dealt with disease. All it takes is one bird to bring in disease which is why seperate/quarantine for at least a month is always recommended for new additions. Give these ones some time. Building resistance to disease or not is just nature. Oxine AH is a great sanitizer and as you move along in your hobby, you'll learn more about environment and housing birds, nutrition, supplements, a bird's immune system, preventative methods, treating disease, etc.

I brought in a bird with MG from a reputable breeder at a show once. Before I knew it 3 more contracted it. I treated symptoms, they disappeared, but came back and those birds had to be culled. Ever since, I've had healthy birds, and am much more careful about obtaining birds.

 

[Michael Apple]

Thanks, Michael, for your encouraging words. I'm going to see if my local feed store carries Oxine AH on the way home tonight. I've been reading about it here on BYC and it looks like it's safe to use as a spray as long as it's not "activated."

The only time I activate it with citric acid is when I'm sanitizing coops. Here's some methods of use: http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/oxine.htm
I've never seen it in local feed stores around here, so I buy it here: http://www.revivalanimal.com/Oxine-Fogger-and-Oxine-AH.html

 

[casportpony]

The only time I activate it with citric acid is when I'm sanitizing coops. Here's some methods of use: http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/oxine.htm
I've never seen it in local feed stores around here, so I buy it here: http://www.revivalanimal.com/Oxine-Fogger-and-Oxine-AH.html

X2

-Kathy

 

[ten chicks]

As Kathy has stated,birds need to be tube fed if they are not eating. I agree that it is not usually the disease that kills them,but dehydration and starvation. Birds have to maintain their very high body temp. and fast acting metabolism,this the reason they eat constantly. They are not able to increase their body temp if ill,that is why additional heat source is required, Their hearts are twice the size of mammals in their size range,and food is constantly needed to provide the energy for their organs to function. Without the needed food supply,their body gets depleted rapidly of heat and energy and starts to shut down very fast.

 

[Noobchick]

I'm sorry you're having to learn by trial by fire. I had a similar situation, 3 new 9 week old birds brought in when I first got into chicken keeping. There's not enough talk about the risks in bringing in new birds! (And i got the new birds from the same dealer I got the day old chicks from! You never know.). Those birds infected my flock with coccidiosis even after a 30 day quarantine. Since then my rule has been: no new adult birds join the flock. Ever. Don't beat yourself up: this is how we chicken keepers learn.

That being said, if that bird was in my flock, it would be an immediate culling. There is no curing a respiratory disease; sick birds are carriers for life. What's worse, a chicken that falls ill like this makes the rest of your flock that much more vunerable to illness. I'd also cull the birds you got from your friend, immediately. If you're lucky, some of your original flock may escape getting sick. If you decide to just treat the illness, keep in mind that all future birds you get are more likely to get sick, and you'll be compounding the problem.

My two favorite books at the moment are: "The Small Scale Poultry Flock" by Harvey Ussery and "Chicken Health for Dummies" by Julie Gauthier. They may offer more inisght, too. Good luck on whatever you decide.