[Carla]

When putting the girls to bed last night, I noticed that Jennys eye was shut. On closer inspection, the one side of her face is swollen. I bathed her eye and it opened again, but started bubbling. Bubbles in both eyes today, the swollen one is sealed shut, the swelling looks quite bad and spreading to the other side   She's not very hungry..and neither is one of my others...think I may have spread before I isolated Jenny. They were fine the day before, it's come on so quickly!!
Jennys booked into the vets at 6pm tomorrow, is there anything I can do for her/them until I can get their antibiotics. I'm presuming it's Mycoplasma. I've recently moved the garden round and all 3 were upset at no longer being completely free range so I think it's upset them and stressed them out.

[bantam novice]

No advice, I'm afraid.  I just wanted to wish you good luck.

[ANHBUC]

Found this on the net, hope it helps.

Natural Remedies
I believe in using natural remedies as well as veterinary medication. The biggest help to my flock is a strong immune system so that they can fight the disease off  themselves. Garlic is particularly good for respiratory problems and cheap in comparison to antibiotics. I routinely crush garlic into my own bird’s water and find it to be very effective at boosting their immune systems. Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV is also very effective at helping birds that show non-typical disease symptoms of poor growth as well as birds suffering from respiratory diseases that produce a large amount of mucus. ACV solution helps to ‘cut through’ the mucus to allow it to be expelled easier. Mix 2% ACV with water that has 2 or 3 crushed garlic cloves per litre mixed with it. The tannin in the ACV aides the removal of any mucus or coating from the mouth, throat, or intestinal tract. This helps nutrients and drugs to be more readily absorbed. During times of illness, I offer this solution as the only drinking water source for a week, then offer the garlic water after that until the bird is fit and well. I routinely give my birds ACV for one week a month (the first week of the month so that I remember!) One word of caution though about ACV – The cheap 79p ACV in the supermarket is processed, the ACV that you need is the natural one found in horse shops or sometimes good health food shops. Expect to pay £8 or so for a litre.

Also found this thread on another website, need to read both pages as they suggest it could possibly be "Coryza"

www.thepoultrygarden.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=3692&sid=00e9ae51256b0f599650c199c09d2a27&start=15

[Carla]

Thank you xx She's not well at all, rattling when breathing, gasping with her beak open and making the odd choking noise, it's heartbreaking. The vet cant get me in any earlier than tomorrow, the chicken Vet is only in 2 days a week. I get the feeling she's not going to last until tomorrow. If she shows sure signs of being in terrible distress, I'll get the OH to do the bad thing Now Flo is showing the same symptoms, no swelling yet, but really quiet and not eating or drinking. What a miserable situation

[joyfull]

go to your vet and ask for a broad spectrum antibiotic - such as aureomycin, tylan, denegard or baytril. Get enough to treat all your birds (and sorry but you need to disgard any eggs laid whilst they are on medication - although straight afterwards you can eat them if they are on aureomycn some vets say baytril is a lifetime ban but others say wait anywhere between 7 and 28 days). They will need treating for at least 7 days and if they continue with the symptoms then you can either try another antibiotic or as my vet told me to do and use denegard and aureomycin together.
Do not breed from these birds as they will pass the myco down through the eggs to the chicks and try to keep an eye on them in future times of stress such as moulting (you cannot cure them from myco but you can control it).

[Carla]

Thank you Joyfull, cant wait to get them to the vet. I phoned again and told them I knew what they needed, but they insisted on seeing the girls so I've still got to wait 
All 3 girls are showing symptoms now, Jenny being the worst by far, Flo rattling and not eating and Nelly, rattling but still eating.
Do I keep them all seperate or shall I leave them together for warmth and comfort as they've all got it anyway? Jennys been on her own since last night as she's so poorly, but I'm sure she'd rather be with her friends than freaked out in my laundry room??

[joyfull]

I would keep them altogether as they have all started to show signs and separating them can cause more stress. Your vet is quite correct in needing to see them (as is always the case with antibiotics) and after all they may have a different illness. It should be possible to take just one rather than all of them. Fingers crossed 

[Carla]

Well Jennys still with us, swelling has gone down slightly and she's not choking quite so often (may be a chickens cough?? Never heard one before?? :blink:) I've put her back out with her friends,  but she's just stood in the rain, all hunched up...such a sorry sight. I moved her to cover and there she's stayed. The other 2 are still rattling, but seem brighter than yesterday.
Vets tonight, fingers crossed they can sort her out. Thanks for all the advice folks, very much appreciated xx

[ANHBUC]

We will be thinking of you and your girls this afternoon.  Hope everything goes well.

[Carla]

Well I'm now £40 lighter of pocket, but the proud owner of 50ml baytril and a free syringe (cheers!).
The vet didnt have much of a clue, but bless her for agreeing to see Jenny. You'd think I'd walked into the vets with an alien in a box for the amount of excitement she caused!  West Brom folk dont see many exotics (the vets words not mine  )!!
I've put the antibiotics in their drinking water and removed all other water sources from their run so they have to use it, so fingers crossed it should start working soon.
Should I put a little bit in my pullets drinking water too...they've not been anywhere near the big chickens, but should I give them some anyway just in case. They are opposite ends of the same garden??
Thanks for all your advice peeps xx

[joyfull]

strangely chickens are always classed as exotic pets  , mine always cause great excitment too when they visit the vets  .
If the pullets are well away from the others then no you don't need to give them the antibiotics as well. Did the vet say how long the withdrawal time was?

[Carla]

She didnt mention it at all, if you hadnt of said anything, I'd have been non the wiser. Luckily, I've only got Flo left laying, so it's not really an issue. I just wont eat any more eggs off the girls. The pullets will start laying in a few months hopefully, so I will have nice eggs again soon.