The Poultry Keeper

tracey061196

When we were having the nice sunshine my hens were doing really well, looking bright (even though they are moulting) eggs layed had increased.

Now the wet, windy, and colder weather has arrived i now have 3 poorly hens. Today i have moved them into a large indoor pen where they are dry and away from the weather.

They look sleepy with no get up and go in them. 2 of them (copper black maran and a white hen but cant remember what she is) have a bubbly eye which i have put some Brolene eye drops in, the other one (cochin) eyes are ok but not looking very happy.

Any advice

Teasal · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

Oh dear, poor hens. Maybe they have just got cold and wet with all the horrible weather, and will perk up once they get dry and warm?

I have noticed a big drop in egg production in the last few days, with all this wet cold weather.

tracey061196 · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:30 am Post subject:

Well my Cochin died yesterday Sad

, the other 2 are still alive this morning but they still have sticky eyes.

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1402 Location: Manchester

Have they got any swelling round the face at all? If so it could be infectious coryza.

The best way to know for sure would be to either send the dead bird off for a necropsy, or if you feel up to it doing one yourself at home, it can help you narrow down the possibilities.

Lisleoise · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:52 am Post subject:

Sadly I had a hen die overnight too. One of my original Marans. I guess she was 3.5 - 4 years old but may have been older. They were all Flubenvetted and cocci-treated a couple of weeks ago but yesterday afternoon she went very quiet and hid under the pampas grass - took me ages to find her. She was kept in doors in the cat box overnight, ate a little but I found her dead this morning. She was sitting on my lap for ages yesterday afternoon but was very still and kept closing her eyes.

CP · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:59 am Post subject:

So sorry for your losses. Crying or Very sad

tracey061196 · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:09 am Post subject:

They dont have swollen faces, just stinky and abit bubbly eyes. I bathed both their eyes with coled boiled salty water and then used the eye drops.

It always seem to happen to the younger birds rather than the older.

monica · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 56 Location: aldershot

just an aside - why bathe eyes with salt water, doesn't that sting like crazy?

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1155 Location: Cornwall

They need to be on antibiotics with bubbly eye, its a symptom of infectious bronchitis or Laryngotracheitis. Your vet should be able to give you some Teramycin. You mix 4 teaspoons to a gallon of water so all the birds get a dose. Or the vet may suggest Tylan.

If there's a putrid smell with it, then it could be Infectious Coryza, as previously suggested. In which case they need to be culled immediately and disinfect everything they've come into contact with.

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 625 Location: Norfolk

With bubbly eyes and a sweet smell though it would be likely to be the very common mycoplasma infection. Treatment is normally with tylan from your vet.

Tim

tracey061196 · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:29 am Post subject:

Hi

In my last post i put Stinky eyes, it should of said sticky eyes.

Well as i mentioned my Cochin died last week, but the other 2 are now back outside looking great. Their eyes have cleared up and they are eating, drinking and running around with the rest as if nothing was ever wrong with them.

The salty water thing i use was cooled boiled water with a bit of salt in it, that seemed to work better than the Brolene eye drops.

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1402 Location: Manchester

monica · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 56 Location: aldershot

thanks Kitsune