Any ideas?

[Gerald E Hall]

   First off, I'd like to thank John for my Handbooks. I can't wait to read mine. 
    I just got home I work out of town 3 days a week. I came home today and both my cockerels had a eye sealed up. I noticed one a couple weeks ago treated it with vetrecyn and put vetrx around it and on the comb to keep the flies and gnats away. It healed up fine. But when I came home today it was sealed up. He will pry lose his eye. He is my daughters SLW that was reserved champ in May. My best cock died at the last show. My incubator is running non stop.
   I brought the birds inside my house, "yeah, I know" to keep the flies and gnats off till it heals. I can't get to the vet for a couple days. Any suggestions would be helpful. I don't know if it's fly strike or gnats causing this. I bought fly spray for the coop.

[Suki]

I had a similar issue and was recommended Tylan.  It's on Amazon for about $65.00 these days.  They didn't have it when I needed it so instead i soaked the eye with Epsom salts.  i got bunch of pipettes and put the warm solution in her eye for a day or so.  The problem of course is someone needs to be around for the Epsom treatment.  It did work.  BTW, Ingrid was a Swedish Flower Hen FWIW.

Best of luck Gerald, Sue Paolini
Northeast PA

[Mike Gilbert]

   First off, I'd like to thank John for my Handbooks. I can't wait to read mine. 
    I just got home I work out of town 3 days a week. I came home today and both my cockerels had a eye sealed up. I noticed one a couple weeks ago treated it with vetrecyn and put vetrx around it and on the comb to keep the flies and gnats away. It healed up fine. But when I came home today it was sealed up. He will pry lose his eye. He is my daughters SLW that was reserved champ in May. My best cock died at the last show. My incubator is running non stop.
   I brought the birds inside my house, "yeah, I know" to keep the flies and gnats off till it heals. I can't get to the vet for a couple days. Any suggestions would be helpful. I don't know if it's fly strike or gnats causing this. I bought fly spray for the coop.

I seriously doubt if the cause is flies or gnats.   More likely it is a virus or bacterial infection, maybe mycoplasma.     You can tell if it is coryza by the smell.    If you have a non-valuable bird come down with it, consider taking that bird (alive) to your state veterinary lab for a post mortem, then they can tell you what you are dealing with and how to treat it.   Many respiratory ailments have similar symptoms. 

[Gerald E Hall]

since I brought the birds inside the one eye opened its still hasn't lost it completely.
I made it to the vet today they had a cancellation. They gave me eye drops butril and flucozen the gave the bird a worming shot right in the breast. They wanted to send off for cultures for 200$ I declined. They think it's bacteria or worms. These birds are on lock down all the time screened in runs with climate controlled coop. They seem to be getting better. But they're sleeping in the garage tonight when it cools off 4:30 is just way to early. Lol 5-5:30 I can handle I don't think they stopped crowing since the got up.

[Tailfeathers]

Sounds like Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) which is caused by mycoplasma gallisepticus (MG).  Looks for a runny nose too.  It's basically a sinus infection that backs up into the eyes.  It it continues you'll see a hard cheesy substance form in the egg.  They'll go blind in that eye when it gets that bad and it's usually a sign by then that they're not gonna pull outta it on their own.

You can treat with antibiotics but I suggest separating it and seeing if it gets better.  If not, put it down.  And I'd put bleach in the waterers if I were you to prevent the others from catching it.  If you do treat with antibiotics, whether the various "cyclines", Duragard, or Tylan, you can pretty well expect to have to treat the bird fairly regularly.  Especially during cold, rainy or snowy weather.  Just one of the several reasons I cull and only breed healthy birds that never get sick.

[Beth Curran]

And a warning from a police state, here in North Carolina CRD/MG is one of many reportable diseases that  require depopulation, so people here are pretty reluctant to do lab tests. Which likely has the opposite effect of what they are trying to accomplish, but then what can you expect from a state that subsidizes tobacco and outlaws fresh milk...

[John W Blehm]

And a warning from a police state, here in North Carolina CRD/MG is one of many reportable diseases that  require depopulation, so people here are pretty reluctant to do lab tests. Which likely has the opposite effect of what they are trying to accomplish, but then what can you expect from a state that subsidizes tobacco and outlaws fresh milk...

Less government is better government and I'm with you 100%.  I've said before if "don't ask...don't tell" was good enough for the government, it is good enough for me.  I was quarantined and forced to depopulate once decades ago and won't get them involved again.

[Tailfeathers]

I'm with John there.  From what I know, which admittedly isn't much as I'm no Veterinarian, CRD is basically analogous to the common cold in humans that turns into a sinus infection.  I put a pullet down once awhile back that had a runny nose & was getting the white cheesy stuff in her eyes with bulging sinuses.  Just for the heckuvit I cut her open and her enter sinus cavity and head was basically one giant cheesy mass.  That's why I don't mess with them by the time that shows up.

But anyways, really, I don't see why CRD is reportable.  My understanding is that MG is carried in wild birds and easily transmitted.  I know folks who have put entire flocks down for it and get all bent outta shape over it.  So you put a whole flock down, start all over, and have some sparrow bring it in again?  Doesn't make sense to me. 

[Mike Gilbert]

But anyways, really, I don't see why CRD is reportable.  My understanding is that MG is carried in wild birds and easily transmitted.  I know folks who have put entire flocks down for it and get all bent outta shape over it.  So you put a whole flock down, start all over, and have some sparrow bring it in again?  Doesn't make sense to me.

That, my friends, is a perfect example of government going overboard with rules and regulations.   The intent is good, but the application lacks common sense.  I hope no one here is under the false impression that they can get rid of CRD with medications.   This disease is passed on to chicks from the mother through the egg, and like Royce says it is carried by wild birds.  Affected birds can remain carriers even when they no longer show symptoms.   It makes much more sense to breed for resistance, and that is entirely possible.   Breeders have to be willing to cull, and I mean ruthlessly if necessary.     

[Max Strawn]

I've been dealing with this for the past three years. The first two, I medicated frequently with Tylan powder. Very expensive and only lasted a month or so before symptoms returned. This year I am culling instead of medicating. For some reason my line of Wheaten/Blue Wheaten are more susceptible than the other varieties. Good thing I hatched a bunch.

[Suki]

They think it's bacteria or worms.

Hi Gerald, Thanks for the update.  when they say worms do they mean Gape worms?  Like coccidiya that's a parasite.     Bacterial?  Well that's a bunch of things like coryza, e.coli, pasturella (common now and they get this one from rodents), Staphylococcus, Enteritis and yes CRD, Mycoplasma.  The key for the last one is swollen joints.  I hear, since you mention hatching, that this is often transmitted from hen to chick through the egg, so let's hope not.

All the best, Sue

[Mike Gilbert]

Ivermectin would take care of worms.    It might be a place to start since you have no firm diagnosis.   There are a couple of kinds of mycoplasma.   One is gallisepticum (CRD), the other is synoviae (infectious synovitis).   Lameness and swollen hocks and feet are symptomatic of the latter, but not the former which is much more common.

[Gerald E Hall]

Today is Wednesday day 3 of eye drops and medications. The birds have mostly cleared up. For everyone confirming my suspicions that there might be something seriously wrong. I will have a culture taken and tested for CRD. I'm hoping the dry dusty conditions and that they just combined 40 acres of wheat out back, It's just a minor sinus infection. If it turns out to be CRD I will cull my whole flock. There doesn't seem to be any swelling of the joints or sinus cavity. There's no loss of appetite or mucus. I'd really hate to cull all my birds. I keep a small flock because of things like this. My daughter will be devastated but if your going to show and breed quality birds it's the right thing to do.

[Gerald E Hall]

NPIP states there is no test at this time to confirm CRD. Do I just wait and see? If it flares up again?
I'm at a loss.

[Mike Gilbert]

NPIP states there is no test at this time to confirm CRD. Do I just wait and see? If it flares up again?
I'm at a loss.

Culling the entire flock is pretty drastic.   I would breed for resistance instead, keeping in mind there may be substantial culling ahead.  You would almost certainly see considerable improvement within just a few years.   I believe the vast majority of exhibition flocks would test positive for CRD if there were a test available.   Actually, there is, but it is post mortem.