Re: Sick Chickens! Cause Unknown

From: nuele (fowls_at_nuele-online.de)
Date: 08/07/04 

Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2004 22:09:21 +0200

Jim <jim@blue-pepper.com> wrote:

> I have chicken that has abscesses around it's eyes. They are so large that
> the eyes are shut completely - each about the size of a grape. I took this
> one and another who had it on one eye to the vet today. He lanced the
> chickens and took out a pretty good glob of ***. I have both chickens
> medicated now and the rest of the flock is getting antibiotics.
>
> The vet didn't know what the cause was, and it appears to be contagious. I
> met another lady today that coincidentally is having the same problems with
> her flock and has lost several chickens. She has spoken to many people and
> nobody knows what she is talking about. She was very relieved to hear that I
> had the same problem with my flock, so it wasn't just her.
>
> The other common factor we both have is one or two new chickens that stink.
> I mean really stink! These birds just can't be well and I think they may
> have brought something in.
>
> Any ideas what we are dealing with? I am in Colorado and the chickens came
> from Arkansas.
>
> Jim

Could that be sinusitis? I had ILT in my flock last year, and a swelling
about the eyes occured in a number of birds as a bacterial
superinfection of the mucous membranes. Also, the pus that formed inside
their throat really stank. Like pus.

Actually, it all started with one new bird that stank. That cockerel
brought the virus into my flock, and perhaps your new bird carried a
disease into yours (and your neighbour's). Did your both buy them from
the same source?

Antibiotics will help if they were selected correctly, a sample for an
antibiogram should have been taken before any medication was given. They
do not fight the ILT virus, but they greatly help the birds to get over
the bacterial attacks, and I did not lose one more bird after vet had
found out the correct antibiotic. The birds that didn't make it died of
suffocation (or would have if I hadn't put them down quickly)

I'd suggest you do a google search for ILT (infectious
laryngo-tracheitis if that's the correct English name for it) in
chickens and see whether it fits your symptoms. I suppose there are
other causes for sinusitis, just that one springs to my mind immediately
after last years' experiences.

Keeping my fingers crossed
and keep us updated

Nuele (D) 

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