[LilRed]

 I've had the chickens now for just over a week and one has developed a snotty nose and another is rattling with her beak open. They are both eating and drinking and seem happy, what should I do any advice would be great x

[Brad26]

Its sounds like they've got Mycoplasma which is a sort of chicken flu. If you can, seperate them from the healthy ones as it spreads like wildfire if they're all in the same house together. Get them to a vet and if i were you rather than having the stuff you mix into the water pay a bit extra and have them injected.I had the water stuff but it didn't do much. I then plumped for the injections and they were better within a few days. Good luck.

[joyfull]

it is probably too late to go down the separation route as they have already been together so the others may have it and already be going through the incubation route. Unless you have a blood test done you cannot be certain it is myco although myco does have a smell so that is a good indicator. Take her to a vet who will give you a broad spectrum antibiotic - something like Aureomycin, tylan, denagard or baytril and you should get enough to treat all the girls. Just a word of warning - do not breed from a chicken that has had myco as they have it for life and it will pass down into the chick via the egg. Through people breeding from infected birds this is why we have such an increase in myco and why it often flares up when people get new birds home as it is bought on by stress.

[LilRed]

Thank you both for your advice, I've booked two in at the vets, so I will update when we get back. I hope their ok!

[LilRed]

Ok, vet seems to think it's one of two possible things. Firstly it could be gapeworm as they do rattle and breath with their beaks open like martha is doing. Secondly it could be a respiratory problem. Both isadora and martha have been given injections of antibiotics and a gapeworm jab and they gave to go back on Monday for a top up anti bio. If the others start showing any symptoms he said to bring in and all will have the same dosage as the others. Isadora has also taken it upon herself to give herself a dust bath but has managed to roll in some poo! Any ideas how to clean this chook up? It doesn't help that she's supposed to be a lovely cream colour!

[joyfull]

you can bath chickens using a very mild shampoo, however don't bath them too often. or you could just do a little bit of spot cleaning rather than bathing her all over 

[LilRed]

UPDATE. I took the girls back to the vet with 2 more as they one had started rattling and the other one had a mucky beak. All had their temperature taken and they were really hot, through the roof. They had an injection like the other 2 and I have some tylan to pit in their water so all of them will be treated. They are all also very underweight.
My problem is the supplier is advertised in the poultry pages here and the vet said they had probably come with it, the info I did get from supplier was minimal. It looks like mycoplasma now for sure, they have 7 days of anti bio's so fingers crossed I will have some healthy chooks soon, thanks to all for your help and advice x

[joyfull]

sadly if people breed from hens that have had myco they pass it on through the egg to the chicks. So when these chicks suffer some stress like going to new homes they will then have an outbreak of myco. Some breeders will cull all affected birds, but others just treat and ignore the problem  .
We have no jurisdiction regarding the suppliers listed on here, they are purely adverts that the companies put on themselves.

[LilRed]

I didn't think they were vetted before they advertise. I'm not going to breed from them, I just want the eggs. Roxanne laid her first egg yesterday, it was so exciting, it was only a wind egg but at least she's started laying. How long do you have to leave the eggs after taking anti biotics?

[joyfull]

it depends on which antibiotic, aureomycin, denegard and tylan all have nil withdrawal for eggs but Baytril (which I have never used) does have and opinion varies between 7 days through to 28 days with some people even saying a lifetime ban  .

[LilRed]

Their on tylan, I've had another egg today from the same chicken, she's so proud of herself. She wasn't one of the sick ones, but we are treating them all to be on the safe side. They all look perkier today, they seem to have more colour in their cheeks and alert. Thank you for the help