Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: KJ on February 17, 2008, 09:38

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: KJ on February 17, 2008, 09:38

hi all

I've had 6 hens for a year, and 2 weeks ago introduced 6 more brought from poultry market. New birds seem very healthy.

Now 3 of my old birds are infected with something nasty. Symptoms are:

wheezing and rattling noise when breathing
pus filled eye and 2 have eyes so swollen they are closed shut
birds not doing much just standing still

I have selft diagnosed mycoplasma.
Help! it sounds serious. what should I do?? has anyone got any experience of this.

we are very upset....  :cry:

kate

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: poultrygeist on February 17, 2008, 09:55

Hi KJ,

Did a quick search and found this...

LINK (http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/)

...it suggests various treatments but I'm afraid they mean nothing to me.
I would suggest Aunt Sally might be your best source of info. It does say that there are a few other possibilities with cold like symptoms but doesn't say what.
Sorry I can't help beyond this.
Hope you can get it treated and all is well soon.
Rob

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: poultrygeist on February 17, 2008, 10:00

..just checked our 'Home Poultry Keeping' book and the symptoms could be common cold.

If so, 30grams Sulphate of Iron in 1/2 litre of water and from this solution, 2 tablespoons in each gallon of drinking water.

For bad cases, isolate the infected birds and give the drug Aureomycin added to drinking water.

But wait for someone with a clue what they're talking about before doing anything. I'm only quoting from a book !!

Good luck. Rob

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: jammy on February 17, 2008, 10:07

My girls had this shortly after I first got them.  I rang my vet who gave me 10 pre-filled injections for each one, one in the morning and one in the evening for 5 days.  It had to go in their breast and was very easy to do.  Cost was £12 in total which I thought was very reasonable.  Im not really the sentimental kind and if it had been a lot of money then I would have had to rethink my options im afraid but they did very well, it worked a treat and they are still happy and healthy now with no further bouts.

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Aunt Sally on February 17, 2008, 13:19

If they have a breathing problem I would not hesitate in taking them to the vet for some antibiotics.  Even if it is a common cold a secondary infection could be VERY serious.  

Mycoplasma may cause a runny nose and frothy eyes and needs antibioti treatment.  

Whatever the cause antibiotics may be urgently needed.

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: KJ on February 17, 2008, 14:26

Thanks for your replies.

Will contact vet tomorrow. Poor hens they look in such a state. One has a very frothy eye so I really do think it is Mycoplasma. I hope antibiotics help.

Kate

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Aunt Sally on February 17, 2008, 15:11

Mycoplasma can be difficult to treat and may need more than one course of antibiotics  :(

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Foxy on February 17, 2008, 19:07

Oh dear, so sorry KJ this must be very distressing for you!
It could possibly be that although your new birds looked well they could have already had the disease and therefore be "shedders" so your new birds got the infection. It does sound serious and could be mycoplasma or something similar like coryza. Your vet will probably prescribe Baytril or Tylan (thats what mine had) I was wondering if it may be a good idea to dose all of them as due to the stress your new girls may become reinfected. My vet was brilliant and gave me a little extra :wink: Also I would strip the henhouse and give it a real good clean followed by a antibactericidal agent to kill any bugs that may be lurking.
Best of luck and keep us posted

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Aunt Sally on February 17, 2008, 20:24

Yes I agree foxy.  It would be best to treat ALL the birds !!!

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Jellyhead on February 18, 2008, 08:27

I have had a few chooks that got colds caused through the stress of moving but none had frothy eyes. They just had the sneezes and were a little wheezy. I thinks it sounds like more than just a common cold and antibiotics seems like the way to go. Good luck and hope all gets well :)

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Wildeone on February 18, 2008, 12:54

Any news KJ????

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: KJ on February 20, 2008, 13:56

well, all our chooks have made a full recovery! we were going to vets on monday and they all looked and sounded normal again so didn't bother.

think it must have been a cold bought in by new chooks and our original girls had no immunity. they were poorly from fri to sun. very scary at the time but it then seemed to vanish over night.

phew!  :D  :D  :D

thanks for all your support and advice

kate x

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Aunt Sally on February 20, 2008, 13:58

Glad they've recovered Kate but keep a good eye on them.  :D

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Wildeone on February 20, 2008, 14:01

WOW thank goodness for that! :D

Title: Disease in flock
Post by: Jellyhead on February 20, 2008, 16:30

Flippin eck a happy ending, at blimmin last :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :wink: