I need loads of help! URI?

[Farmgirlk]

Hi everyone I need help! And a lot of it. For the past few months I've been battling stick tight fleas. Which has significantly improved. But now I have another issue. I left for the weekend and now my flock has uri symptoms? Rattling breathing, coughing and sneezing. Lethargic seeming. All drinking and decreased in appetite but still lightly eating. I started tiagard on Tuesday and now one of my hens can't walk. She's poofed up and when she stands or tries to walk the stumbles and falls over. My oldest bird is 1.5 yrs old and youngest in the pen being 5 mths old. I have 2 smaller babies near by and started them on the same treatment just in case. But I'm stumped. I've had nothing but issues since starting again and it's getting frustrating. Also in case anyone needs to know there's a total of 24 birds including 1 turkey who thinks she is a chicken.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Have you introduced any new birds recently or had another chicken keeper come over to take care of them while you were gone?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi, and welcome to BYC!

Your chickens are penned up, meaning they stay in a pen and don't free-range or have a run outdoors? Just thinking if it's a small pen, there are possible other issues such as coccidiosis. They are probably worn down from the lice too.

What is their poop looking like?

 

[Farmgirlk]

Have you introduced any new birds recently or had another chicken keeper come over to take care of them while you were gone?

I brought home a chick about 2 weeks ago from a friend but did have her separate and nothing seen. Aldo she came from a breeder in my area. Though the chick does have a very large squishy crop/ chest. My mom cared for them and she has a closed coop.

 

[Farmgirlk]

Hi, and welcome to BYC!

Your chickens are penned up, meaning they stay in a pen and don't free-range or have a run outdoors? Just thinking if it's a small pen, there are possible other issues such as coccidiosis. They are probably worn down from the lice too.

What is their poop looking like?

The have a very large run and coop. Was an old goat pen. They have run access all day. The run is about as long as a school bus and as wide as a minivan. The coop did fit 8 goats so that's large too. They do get free range when I'm home on afternoons and can watch since I have a hawk and bald eagle problem. Which is about 4 times a week. They have 1 acre to roam. The poo looks normal a little more liquid filled since they are increased drinking and decreased food.

 

[Debbie292d]

The have a very large run and coop. Was an old goat pen. They have run access all day. The run is about as long as a school bus and as wide as a minivan. The coop did fit 8 goats so that's large too. They do get free range when I'm home on afternoons and can watch since I have a hawk and bald eagle problem. Which is about 4 times a week. They have 1 acre to roam. The poo looks normal a little more liquid filled since they are increased drinking and decreased food.

Ah, okay. When you mentioned pen, I pictured a small pen with a bunch of sick chickens in it. This sounds nice for them actually!

Do you have a vet where you can get a fecal float done? Most any vet can do those. That might help find out what it is or if they have worms.

Since they're probably run down from the lice, I'd put Poultry Cell in their water every other day for a couple of weeks. Also, after the antibiotic, I'd give them probiotics for a couple of weeks as well. You can get powdered probiotics for their water or sugar-free Greek yogurt is good too.

 

[Farmgirlk]

Ah, okay. When you mentioned pen, I pictured a small pen with a bunch of sick chickens in it. This sounds nice for them actually!

Do you have a vet where you can get a fecal float done? Most any vet can do those. That might help find out what it is or if they have worms.

Since they're probably run down from the lice, I'd put Poultry Cell in their water every other day for a couple of weeks. Also, after the antibiotic, I'd give them probiotics for a couple of weeks as well. You can get powdered probiotics for their water or sugar-free Greek yogurt is good too.

So the falling over can be from an uri? She's doesn't seem to be coughing or anything like the others.

 

[Debbie292d]

So the falling over can be from an uri? She's doesn't seem to be coughing or anything like the others.

Oh, I'm not saying she's got a URI if she's got no symptoms other than falling over. I think it's more from being weak, perhaps from the lice. As you said, the lice situation "has significantly improved," leading me to believe they've been suffering from lice for a while and still are. They can in some cases lead to death. https://elkovet.com/blog/poultry-li...and mites cause,in hens, and ultimately death.

You didn't mention what her poop looks like or take a picture of it so we can see.

I'd get permethrin powder or spray and treat them and the coop and again in 10 days. To keep them mite/lice-free, we sprinkle diatomaceous earth about once a month in the coop and nest boxes.

I am not saying this is all that's wrong but if your chickens are in a weakened condition, it's hard to pinpoint what it might be.

 

[Sally PB]

@Farmgirlk, where are you located? Just the state is fine, or country if outside the US. It helps to know your general location. If you're outside the US, meds available here might be unavailable there, or known by another name.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

And a lot of it. For the past few months I've been battling stick tight fleas. Which has significantly improved.

I left for the weekend and now my flock has uri symptoms? Rattling breathing, coughing and sneezing. Lethargic seeming. All drinking and decreased in appetite but still lightly eating. I started tiagard on Tuesday and now one of my hens can't walk. She's poofed up and when she stands or tries to walk the stumbles and falls over.

What have you used to get rid of the Sticktight Fleas?
Permethrin would be a good choice, this article can be helpful in treating those. It would be a good idea to get rid of the Fleas asap since they can affect the overall health of the birds in time, especially if they are infesting the birds around their eyes.
Treat housing and the area with Permethrin too. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...tight-fleas-in-poultry-with-permethrin.74325/

You are giving Tiagard (Tiamulin), are the birds drinking it well? If not, sweeten the mixture with juice or corn syrup, Tiamulin is very bitter and often birds will avoid drinking the medicated water and become dehydrated.

Photos of the birds and their faces/eyes may be helpful.

You mention coughing, sneezing, rattling, etc. This does sound like respiratory illness but it's hard to know what you are dealing with, IF the Flea infestation is heavy enough, it ""could"" mimic respiratory illness. (See snippet and links below).

Do work on hydration, if necessary, syringe the medicated water into them to ensure they are getting fluids. Watch to see that they can get to food/water. It wouldn't hurt to start giving B-Complex daily (1/4 tablet per bird) to help give them a boost.

IF the Fleas are the main cause of decline and respiratory symptoms, then getting the Fleas under control is you main goal, I'd finish the Tiamulin course since it's only given for 3-5 days. You may need to switch to another antibiotic to help with secondary infection or one that is more effective in case you are dealing with respiratory disease.


"""Five live 30-week-old laying chickens were presented to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in Gonzales for necropsy. Birds were weak, lethargic, and depressed.

The flock had a history of severe production drop starting approximately four weeks following housing in the laying facility at 22 weeks of age. Clinical signs included coughing, droopiness, loss of vitality, shriveled combs, and weight loss.....
Upon necropsy evaluation, it was noted the birds had varying degrees of breast muscle atrophy. There were large numbers of small dark fleas attached to the skin of the comb, wattles, and face (Figures 1, 2, 3). Birds also had large numbers of lice under the feathers of the back and legs (Figure 4). Birds were relatively pale and the blood was watery in appearance indicative of anemia.
.....Clinical signs and evaluation led to the determination of a sticktight fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacea) and body lice (Menacanthus stramineus) infestation."""
https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/case-studies...ce-discovered-in-30-week-old-laying-chickens/


More info about Sticktight Fleas
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG236

Some reading about Poultry Diseases
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PS044