Eye infection / possible respiratory - trying to not panic but also not under react! Help a momma out!

[LearnAsUGo]

New chicken momma here. Purchased 4 birds from same farm in August. One had respiratory issues initially, then cleared up with VetRx.

Baby girl’s right eye was shut when I was holding her at the beginning but I thought it was because she felt safe and comfy. About two to three weeks ago noticed she was walking around with it closed and started monitoring and googling. I have been inconsistent with tettramycin ointment for the past two weeks (life. Sorry). Also used Vetricyn spray inconsistently. Have fed oregano as well as other immune boosting herbs.

This morning I went out and panicked because both eyes were closed and she was gaping and refusing to move. Came inside and googled like a maniac. Decided best guess was respiratory with conjunctivitis.

When I went outside with all the meds, she was out roaming around with the other girls with both eyes open. I told her that she was getting medicated anyway for scaring me and being a faker! Lol.

Started tiaguard this am. Added 1 tsp to a quart of water. Syringe fed her some of it and flushed some through her nostrils. Giving the whole flock this water as only water source. I also sprayed her eyes and beak with colloidal silver and vetricyn. Vetrx on her nostrils.

Note - I did find lice or mites (I think lice) on her vent a few weeks ago. Treated with pen & poultry spray and Spinosad. Eyes were acting weird prior so don’t believe it’s related. She’s on probiotics and I just added poultry cell to their fermented feed the past three days.

Baby Girl is an Ameraucana (according to the farm she was a purchased egg they hatched from a hatchery). She is 14 weeks old and has been with me since she was 6 or 7 weeks. I don’t have any similar age birds to compare her against but she’s been eating well and growing. Her poop is normal. She prefers to sleep in the nesting box during the day so I know it’s hers . One of my other girls was sneezing yesterday. (Not for nothing my allergies are a wreck right now so could be air quality related), but no other eye infections. Their coop is a coop/run combo that is very open because we are in Florida and it’s hot so it increases air flow. They have 8 ft x 6 ft of run/coop combo and a 6 ft by 2 ft mini run I made them last month. All hardware cloth. I had Klean Coop straw with pdz in there but took it all out with the lice scare. Now it’s largely just the ground which is basically sand and some hemp bedding as well as some straw I had put down but then changed my mind so it doesn’t cover the floor. Also use barn lime and DE in There. I toss zeolite on their droppings when they land solid parts of the coop and turn them into the bedding directly under their roosts regularly. They have plenty of area that does not have poop mixed in also. I think that covers all the required info. Pics attached. The right eye was the original one. Left was shut this am when I went out but open when I went out a second time.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide. I don’t plan to take her to a vet unless absolutely necessary. I prefer to medicate naturally if possible and not inclined to spend a ton of money on chicken vet bills. That said, she’s my clear favorite and I love her most so I want her to be healthy and happy.

 

[nuthatched]

Poor little girl.
I'd stop the vetrx and the tiaguard for now, it won't help and those who aren't struggling with illness shouldn't have it. I *think* tiaguard is only useful for mycoplasma, which, with only one bird sick, I'm think she just has a respiratory infection.
The tettramycin is what's need here, just on the sick hen. Twice a day.
She likely needs tylosin, given only to her.
She may have a infection core that will need to be removed to heal but it's hard to say.
I'd also quit the barn lime and de in the coop, it might cause and compound respiratory issues.
The herbs will not help since the healthy properties in herbs are too weak in fresh or dried herbs, only the distilled oils are strong enough to help. And those should be given only when needed since they are medicine.

 

[LearnAsUGo]

Poor little girl.
I'd stop the vetrx and the tiaguard for now, it won't help and those who aren't struggling with illness shouldn't have it. I *think* tiaguard is only useful for mycoplasma, which, with only one bird sick, I'm think she just has a respiratory infection.
The tettramycin is what's need here, just on the sick hen. Twice a day.
She likely needs tylosin, given only to her.
She may have a infection core that will need to be removed to heal but it's hard to say.
I'd also quit the barn lime and de in the coop, it might cause and compound respiratory issues.
The herbs will not help since the healthy properties in herbs are too weak in fresh or dried herbs, only the distilled oils are strong enough to help. And those should be given only when needed since they are medicine.

Ok so tylosin in for her but no one else. Terramycin twice a day. Got it.
She keeps worrying me. One minute she’s normal the next she’s laying down barely moving with her eyes shut. Stressful!!!

I have fresh basil, mint, oregano, parsley, and lavender in addition to dried if any of those are useful. Should I let her keep roaming the yard and being happy or bring her in and make her rest?

 

[LearnAsUGo]

Should I pick up some oils? I have some veterinary grade on hand and could get some single oils this weekend if that would help her.

Poor little girl.
I'd stop the vetrx and the tiaguard for now, it won't help and those who aren't struggling with illness shouldn't have it. I *think* tiaguard is only useful for mycoplasma, which, with only one bird sick, I'm think she just has a respiratory infection.
The tettramycin is what's need here, just on the sick hen. Twice a day.
She likely needs tylosin, given only to her.
She may have a infection core that will need to be removed to heal but it's hard to say.
I'd also quit the barn lime and de in the coop, it might cause and compound respiratory issues.
The herbs will not help since the healthy properties in herbs are too weak in fresh or dried herbs, only the distilled oils are strong enough to help. And those should be given only when needed since they are medicine.

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks to have conjunctivitis and sinus infection, and many times that is due to MG, a chronic respiratory disease. Tiamulin and Denagard as well as Tylosin can treat symptoms of MG. Nothing cures it, but symptoms may go a way. The chicken will remain a carrier for life, and the others have been exposed, but may have some resistance if they are healthy. It can also pass through the hatching egg. I don’t have any confidence in herbs or oils for bacterial or mycoplasma infection.

I would use either the TiaGard or Tylosin, but check your dosage and give the correct amount orally for the right length of time. Tylosin dosage in the water is 1 tsp per gallon or 1/4 tsp per quart for 5 days. Tylan 50 dosage is 1/4 ml per pound given orally 3 times a day. Denagard or tiamulin dosage is here in post 2:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/denagard-drench-dosage.1493018/

 

[nuthatched]

Should I pick up some oils? I have some veterinary grade on hand and could get some single oils this weekend if that would help her.

I'd skip the oils entirely at this point, most can be caustic of mixed into food but maybe next time.