Sick flock treatment (eyes & respiratory)

[nuthatched]

What do you think it is?
And how do you know it's that, and not something else?
And what antibiotics would you recommend?
I don't have a vet that can prescribe anything.

Unless one dies and you have it necropsied, there's no way to be 100% certain.
but if it is a chronic issue, which by the symptoms, appears to be, you're going to get antibiotics here
https://jedds.com/collections/poultry-treatments-antibiotics

 

[Saraschickens]

Unless one dies and you have it necropsied, there's no way to be 100% certain.
but if it is a chronic issue, which by the symptoms, appears to be, you're going to get antibiotics here
https://jedds.com/collections/poultry-treatments-antibiotics

What do you consider chronic? Like when is it considered chronic. I've never had this happen before now. Only ever face mites.

Thank you for the link to the antibiotics. How long after the last day of antibiotics (I think it said give 5-7 days in a row) are the eggs still no good to eat?
And can you do anything with the eggs (ie: feed them to the chickens, or anything else)?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Unless one dies and you have it necropsied, there's no way to be 100% certain.

You can test for respiratory diseases. I just did using Zoologix. They offer a poultry respiratory PCR panel and tests for other diseases. You can collect the samples yourself and mail them in. Total cost for me was $165 which was half of what my vet would have charged.

https://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

 

[nuthatched]

What do you consider chronic? Like when is it considered chronic. I've never had this happen before now. Only ever face mites.

Thank you for the link to the antibiotics. How long after the last day of antibiotics (I think it said give 5-7 days in a row) are the eggs still no good to eat?
And can you do anything with the eggs (ie: feed them to the chickens, or anything else)?

Chronic meaning, they're carriers for life and may have occasional flare ups from stress, though it depends on the virus.
It depends on the antibiotics what the withdrawal time is, don't feed them to the birds , most people recommend at least 2 weeks withdrawal

You can test for respiratory diseases. I just did using Zoologix. They offer a poultry respiratory PCR panel and tests for other diseases. You can collect the samples yourself and mail them in. Total cost for me was $165 which was half of what my vet would have charged.

https://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

Good to know, thanks!

 

[Saraschickens]

You can test for respiratory diseases. I just did using Zoologix. They offer a poultry respiratory PCR panel and tests for other diseases. You can collect the samples yourself and mail them in. Total cost for me was $165 which was half of what my vet would have charged.

https://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

I think that's really cool, and love the cheaper and vet free option. But to be honest, I'm very skeptical sending anything to any lab letting someone know I have birds, let alone that they're sick. That's my personal opinion, but I do really appreciate your advice. Thank you.

 

[Saraschickens]

Chronic meaning, they're carriers for life and may have occasional flare ups from stress, though it depends on the virus.
It depends on the antibiotics what the withdrawal time is, don't feed them to the birds , most people recommend at least 2 weeks withdrawal

Good to know, thanks!

But I don't know that mine is chronic. They've never had this before. I understand it continuing to be chronic after this, but what says or shows that mine is chronic? Being that they've never had anything like this before. I'm still slightly in the belief that it could be bugs. If they clear up entirely with colloidal silver, and I never see it again, then it could be something else, correct? Not the thing you think it is?

 

[StinkyAcres]

I think that's really cool, and love the cheaper and vet free option. But to be honest, I'm very skeptical sending anything to any lab letting someone know I have birds, let alone that they're sick. That's my personal opinion, but I do really appreciate your advice. Thank you.

I completely understand. That came to my mind too.

 

[nuthatched]

But I don't know that mine is chronic. They've never had this before. I understand it continuing to be chronic after this, but what says or shows that mine is chronic? Being that they've never had anything like this before. I'm still slightly in the belief that it could be bugs. If they clear up entirely with colloidal silver, and I never see it again, then it could be something else, correct? Not the thing you think it is?

Anything like mycoplasma or Coryza, will be chronic, meaning even if they symptoms clear up are never seen again, your birds are still contagious for life.
I'm not aware of any parasites that causes these symptoms.
There's a small chance it could be allergies or a bacterial infection, but the amount of birds that are showing symptoms is concerning.

I'm sorry you're going through this, I know it's hard.

There's symptoms that line up with both but only testing can give you 100% answers.
If you don't want to test, you must proceed as if you know they're contagious:
No new birds, old birds die on property and get burned or buried deep.
Chickens must be penned.
You have "chickens only" shoes that don't go inside or off property.
No selling hatching eggs.
When this flock is finished, you can sanitize or surface burn the coop, wait a few months then try again with new coop.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coryza-flock-future.1652175/#post-28398162

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mycoplasma-fowl-pox.1647090/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Seems like a common theme with all your photos is they have infection or scabs at the ears and along the sides of the beak.

Dry skin whiteish skin too.

Do you see any crawling bugs on them? Any pus or discharge from the ears?

Any lesions or canker inside the beaks?

Treating with the Ivermectin is probably a good idea if you are dealing with something like Scaly Face Mites.

I'd clean the ears with a drop of peroxide and apply triple antibiotic ointment in the ears. For the broken skin on the face, apply a little triple antibiotic ointment there too.

You may be dealing with early stages of Favus on the Silkies, it's hard to tell.

I'll tag in @dawg53 and @Eggcessive to see if they have thoughts/suggestions.

 

[dawg53]

I suspect a mild case of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) in your flock. Consider using Tylan or Denagard (Tiamulin). Maintain a closed flock.