Snuffly rooster - MG or something else? Tylan 50 question

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Thank you to everyone who has replied. I feel better knowing it probably isn't gapeworm.

Update: He stopped making the weird noise after a few hours. I'm guessing the meds burned his throat or maybe a little went down the wrong pipe.

Woke him late this evening to give Tylan. He is feisty again like in the morning. Still snuffly. We tried to look down his throat but he was having none of it. In fact he tried to bite my husband once, comfortably snuggled in my lap. Then he took the Tylan dose by eating treats rather than having to put down his throat and he ate some regular food.

However the left side of his face under and behind his left eye is a bit puffy. Still no discharge from his eyes or nares that I can tell.

Are the sinuses likely to drain on their own as his body fights the infection or is this something to worry about?

Found this post about a hen useful, and have some Oxine AH coming soon. Does anyone know if it can be used in a humidifier or is it better to use a nebulizer?

Plan to give the poultry vet's office a try in the morning but we're not established clients and it's a holiday. So long shot on that.
 
Criticalicious said:
Are the sinuses likely to drain on their own as his body fights the infection or is this something to worry about?

Found this post about a hen useful, and have some Oxine AH coming soon. Does anyone know if it can be used in a humidifier or is it better to use a nebulizer?
Click to expand...

@Eggcessive has given you excellent advice about treatment. I have nothing to add about that.

As for the Oxine, I have not used it, but heard good things.
@dawg53 and @azygous I believe know more about how to use it.
You may also find this helpful https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/
 
For Oxine use, you can use a regular spray bottle. Set the nozzle on a fine mist. Mix the oxine with water according to the directions in the link provided by Wyorp Rock.
Then spray the mist over the head of your rooster 3 times a day for 10 days. It's best to make a new batch every 3rd day (3 times.) Continue with the tylan, but no more than 7 days.
I used oxine without the activator for a fungal issue with success. Consider including the activator in your purchase. Please read my next post.
 
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I greatly appreciate the personalized advice, because searching this forum can sometimes be frustrating - particularly when threads die. I hope some of this info helps others.

The rooster seems to be doing better, but whether from antibiotics or from being kept warm indoors, I am not sure. If nothing else, the Tylan will have helped him fight off secondary infections. He is crowing today, seems to have more energy, and the swelling in his face went down almost immediately. He is still a little snuffly and his crow seems hoarse-ish, but he's not struggling to breathe anymore.

3 of 5 pullets came down with similar symptoms 3 days after rooster's started, so it is clearly a communicable respiratory infection. After 3 treatments of Tylan orally, they are feeling better but still sneezing and snuffly, similar to how the rooster was. One has watery diarrhea, probably from the antibiotics; she's my only layer right now - the rest are resting/molting or not started yet. I am watching the 2 outdoor pullets closely to see if they get sick too; they are still in the coop outside and eating and drinking normally.

I have read suggestions to cull and start over but this seems extreme for a closed backyard flock. Particularly when I don't know where this infection came from. If it came from wild birds or the wild turkeys roaming the property, then odds are, ANY birds I bring on my property will contract it and I'd be right back where I started. Better to keep the ones I have for now and not trade or give away eggs or birds. But if they came from the 3 pullets I added 6 months ago from a BYC forum individual (i.e., not an NPIP farm; they were QT'ed 30 days and never showed symptoms), then starting over would reduce the likelihood of having this again. No way to know. I can't fathom starting over; these are pets. They are not a business.

Contacted a poultry vet who's about 45 minutes drive away, but the receptionist did not understand how they could possibly test for bacterial vs viral or fungal. Said they go by symptoms. They knew nothing about sending specimens to a state vet or lab for testing, so I did not take a bird to them, as I did not want to stress the bird for what seemed like an expensive yet fruitless trip.

If anyone has experience sending specimens for testing in Virginia, do you know what to ask for, how to collect, how to submit it, etc.? I tried calling the state vet lab info line but it rang and rang. They may be closed for the holiday week.

Waiting for Oxine to ship. I will use that to sanitize the coop and humidify or mist the sick ones. May not arrive until Friday or Saturday due to the holiday.

I am also wondering, when should I put them back outside? When all symptoms are gone? Or when they're eating and drinking normally but maybe a little snuffly? It is upper 20's at night and low 50's during the day. My house is kept around 66. Will the sudden change in temperature from house to coop shock their system or can they adapt assuming they are healthy again? I don't want to put them back outside only to have them get sicker.
 
Glad to hear he is doing better!

For testing, you can contact your STATE LAB directly. You can also send samples/swabs to independent labs like THIS

As for when they can go back outside? That is up to you. You need to determine if they are healthy enough to be re-integrated within the flock, can defend themselves, etc. Stress is a trigger for birds to have a relapse, so you want to try to make the transition as smooth as you can. Not always doable with chickens, you just never know how they are going to act:hmm
I would wait until symptoms subside and they are not mucousy. If you have a garage or somewhere cooler to start acclimating them to cooler temperatures that will be helpful as well.
 
It looks like your state lab will do a mycoplasma test or a pcr test between $18-25. One may be a blood test and one may be nasopharyngeal swabs. If you get info, they might suggest how to get the testing or if you need to have a vet do the swabs or blood test. Unfortunately some states are more difficult than others to easily get testing. We find out a lot of info from people like you who get it done. Because your chickens have responded to the Tylan, it looks more like mycoplasma (MG) versus a virus.
 
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