New to chickens and already in trouble!

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worthysmum

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Hi, I have just bought five chickens, ( 5th may) two orpingtons and three brahma's. They have a 10 x 8 shed as a coop with a 15 x 10 run attached. They all settled down easily from the off and were eating well. Until last thursday, they went into bed all ok on the weds night and when I let them out thursday morning the orpington cockerel was coughing, he had a slight clear discharge from his nose but was still brigh and breezy and eating etc. The orpington hen was clearly unwell, no discharge or cough but she was depressed, sleepy, and she was shivering, not feeding nor interacting with the others. The Brahma girls were all fine. The next day he was much worse, thick yellow snot from his eyes, nose and mouth, labored breathing, wet chesty cough. She was still the same, the Brahma girls all still well. I put both the orpingtons in a pen with a heat lamp and rang my vet. He has prescribed baytril for both and isnt sure what it is. Since friday the hen has improved, although still quiet she is eating and scratching around, today I have let her in the run for a couple of hours. However the poor cockerel is going down hill fast, he is now rake thin, empty crop, he wont eat anything. I have tried him with warm mashes, porridge, warm cooked veggies and mash potatoe etc, he hasnt eaten since friday. I have a tonic in his water, he will drink. My dilema is do I give up on him and put him to sleep. I dont want to do this he is a beautiful big blue splash boy but I dont want him to suffer. When should I say enough is enough, for his sake. I am bathing his eyes and nose a couple of times a day, the discharge is so thick it seals his eyes closed. Any advice would be so appreciated, my venture into chickens has already caused me sleepless nights. Thanks.
 
Hi Worthysmum, and welcome to the Forum, though I'm sorry its in such unfortunate circumstances for you.
It sounds as of the Orpingtons have developed a respiratory infection, probably mycoplasma if the cockerel is now running at the eyes as well as the nose. This is highly infectious, and should respond to antibiotics, but it would be best if you could possibly separate the Brahmas from the Orps, although it may be too late if they have already spent several nights sleeping together and swapping germs around. (see the main Pultrykeeper website, link at the bottom of the page, here http://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/mycoplasma )
Infections such as mycoplasma often surface when chickens are stressed, such as when they are moved to a new environment, which is hugely disturbing for poultry. Chickens can carry mycoplasma and similar complaints without this being evident, and then it erupts when they are challenged by a move, or by having to make the socia adjustments needed when the flock dynamic changes. Stress depresses their immune systems so they are less able to overcome latent infections. Were the Brahmas kept separately from the Orps? If not previously in the same pen, they would have represented an additional challenge to the cockerel as he tried to get his new flock under control, especially if he is a young bird.
You said you spoke to the vet on the phone- has he actually seen either or both of the Orps? And do you know if the vet is experienced with poultry? There is a poultry vets list on Poultrykeeper, here http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-vets which have been recommended by forum members as being knowledgeable about chickens.
Perhaps it would be best to take then for the vet to examine, as its possible the Baytril may not be the best antibiotic. At the least, it would be good to separate them from the others, as they seem well at present.
I'm so sorry your first venture with such lovely birds is so worrying for you. You don't say how long you have actually had them - have you contacted the person you bought them from? If they have just arrived, ie within the past couple of weeks, and you have no other chickens, it seems clear they brought this with them, and maybe the breeder would be able to help you with this expensive and distressing problem. Do let us know how you get on.
 
Thank you for your advice, Marigold. I bought them from the fur and feather auction in norwich on sunday before last, 5th may. I have not had chickens before this, so every thing here was new for them. The orpingtons were a seperate lot to the Brahma girls but came home together and have been together ever since. I was toying with the idea of seperating them but figured its a bit too late now. The Brahmas still all seem well. The cockerel has perked up a little, I think he over heard me telling my partner that it may be time to think about euthanasia!!! This afternoon, after reading all the info and posts on here, brilliant site, I have syringed some warm honey into him along with a dose of metacam. When I bathed his face last it was only one eye gummed shut and hardly any exudate from his beak and nose. Although his face is very hot to touch so he must be running a temperature. He is still under the heat lamp, this really seems to comfort him as he lies under it with his little face up turned to the lamp, bless him. I keep and breed fancy rats and they are born with mycoplasma that can flare up in times of stress or injury and very similar symptoms, mainly respiratory. Although the severe snot that he has had is not present! The hen spent about four hours in the run with the others today and as soon as she tired and laid down I popped her back in with him, at least she is now eating well so I'm hopeful she may recover. Yes my vet did see them for all the good he was. I can only keep my fingers crossed for Grayson I just cant think of any thing else I can do for him.
 
Very glad to hear there are signs of recovery, Worthysmum. I expect the stress of the auction didn't help, its a long and noisy day for them, isn't it, and then they had to get to know new hens as well in a strange place. It's good to know the two of them are in good hands and that you are looking after them so carefully. Perhaps the Baytril is beginning to kick in, I hope so.
There's nothing like hindsight, I know, but it's usually considered good practice to quarantine new birds for at least 2-3 weeks on arrival, and to keep birds from different places separate from each other, if possible, to help avoid the possibility of cross- infection, especially if from an auction. You might consider at least dividing the run with netting or similar to keep the two groups from too close contact, and making a separate box or similar for the Orps to roost in, they won't be worried about the lack of perches. Or roost them indoors if you can manage it, if the warmth seems to be helping them.
 
Well he is still with me this morning and looking a little brighter. No gummy eyes or snots this morning and he talked to me when I went to open them up! I cannot believe how much it meant to me to hear a chicken cluck at me.....soppy or what.
He still isn't eating really, so have just cooked him up some broccoli,carrots,and sweetcorn with an added hard boiled egg, see if he eats this. Really hoping he is going to pull through, have gotten quite attached to this boy.
 
Maybe try some natural yogurt with it's lots of beneficial bacteria. Probably most helpful with a gut problem but worth a try!
Good luck-he seems to have a very competant nursemaid.
Also ACV -apple cider vinegar added to their water is a natural germ killer
 
Im amazed, just went up to give the cockerel his meds, he was out of the pen, in the run and humping one of the brahma girls :shock: well I know broccoli is good for you......... :D
 
worthysmum said:
Im amazed, just went up to give the cockerel his meds, he was out of the pen, in the run and humping one of the brahma girls :shock: well I know broccoli is good for you......... :D
Click to expand...

I had to read this twice... :o :) You know what they say can't keep a good **** down (please fill in the blanks!) :D :D Glad to hear he is on the mend.
 
The hen is still very quiet, she is walking around and scratching up and eating ok. Im now wondering if she is naturally just a placid girl, havent had them long enough to know them yet. She is not shivering anymore and seems normal just very quiet, hoping they are both gonna be ok, thank you all for your advice, its just comforting to be able to share problems with people who understand.
 
How old are they all? As they come from an unknown background, it would be a good idea to worm them all with Flubenvet, perhaps when the Orps have finished their antibiotics. See the main Poultrykeeper website, the bible for all things chicken, link at the bottom if the page.
Link to page about worming here http://poultrykeeper.com/general-chickens/worming-chickens
A pot of Flubenvet will do 20 chickens so it will do your 5 four times over, ie about 2 years worth.
 
Big risk buying from auctions Worthysmum. Breeders use them to get rid of bad stock. Best buy from established breeders when you can view their conditions and see the parents.
 
The orpingtons are ten months old and the Brahma's are a year old. I absolutely agree with you about markets having had horses all my life I would never buy nor sell at a market. My brother goes regularly to the fur and feather auctions, he has lots of chickens, and has never had a problem. I for some reason let good sense go and purchased my first birds from the auction, not something that I intend to do again. Why I thought that it would be any better than a horse sale I dont know. I am lucky in that, firstly I never had an existing flock at home to be infected and secondly both the orpingtons seem to be well on the road to recovery. :-)17
I have got some fluebenvet from amazon but am going to hang on until they are off the baytril and hopefully fully fit.
 
What a magnificent boy he is Worthysmum!

Our pet buff orpington Bottom has finally turned the corner and is crowing and running about again. Final treatment was replacement of his food for a fresh batch, worming with Flubenvet and extra sunlight- he seemed to be suffering from SAD due to lack of sunshine in the house. He is now behaving like a naughty 6 year old -hooray!
 
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