# Watery eyes



## clairerobinson73 (Aug 28, 2013)

Hi to all fellow chicken lovers...I'm new here; having had my 13 week old chickens for just 5 weeks. 3 of them (I have 5 in total) have bubbly watery eyes...the other 2 are fine. Is this something I should be worried about? Any help and advice greatly appreciated.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Need more info about them. Like what type of bedding are they on? Where are they housed? Did they come from a trusted source? And a pic would be helpful.


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## clairerobinson73 (Aug 28, 2013)

Yes, they came from a trusted source. They have a coop with wood shavings and hay. Pic attached. Thanks in anticipation.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Chances are high for mycoplasma or MG. Put them on Tylan and pick up some antibiotic eye ointment at the feed store. Three days of treatment should have them doing quite well again. 

Problem is, they might be carriers and shed the bacteria to new birds.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

I wouldn't trust that source any longer.


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## clairerobinson73 (Aug 28, 2013)

Really Bee? I got them from a farm who sell loads....very reputable....the farmer has given me a cocktail to add to their water, he's been very supportive.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

clairerobinson73 said:


> Really Bee? I got them from a farm who sell loads....very reputable....the farmer has given me a cocktail to add to their water, he's been very supportive.


Yes, really. His flock is carrying the disease and every time he allows a bird off that property he is threatening another person's flock.

Just because they sell loads does not mean they are safe to buy from. All that's happening now is that the disease is being spread far and wide. Its chronic, there is no absolute cure and birds that have had it and look healthy could still be carriers and infect other birds.


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## clairerobinson73 (Aug 28, 2013)

Thanks for your advice.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

clairerobinson73 said:


> Really Bee? I got them from a farm who sell loads....very reputable....the farmer has given me a cocktail to add to their water, he's been very supportive.


He has all the earmarks of a chick mill. Anyone selling sick birds and already has a "cocktail" of meds to hand out for their treatment, is not someone who is practicing good husbandry or flock management, IMO.

I agree with Robin..he knows his birds are carriers(he has the meds for it on hand!) but he doesn't seem to care and keeps selling. Not good business, not good integrity and just not good genetics to pass along to the public. If he knows it is in his flocks, he can vaccinate his chicks when they hatch...doesn't sound like he is taking that step to insure his product is disease free.

What they have is also known as Chronic Respiratory Disease...that word _chronic_ is not a good indicator that the birds will go about their lives with no more problems.

I'd check that "reputable" part again and find out who is giving this man recommendations and how knowledgeable they are about chickens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Europe is so much more sensitive about contagious diseases in poultry I've wondered if this is a reportable disease there. And that might be the way to prevent further spread.


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## clairerobinson73 (Aug 28, 2013)

Just to update you on my flock: they have had two lots of Tylan and are much better. It was a bit touch and go at the end of last week as two were quite unwell and wheezing. I'm relieved to say they are now much happier. The farmer said that Mycoplasma is very common here in free range chickens as they pick it up from wild birds. Thanks for all your advice.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

We all acknowledge that MG is out there. But his argument does not hold water. If it was true all of our flocks would be infected. I've raised birds for many years and have never had an incident of MG in my flock. That goes for most raising chickens.

He is just trying to explain away why it is he's selling infected birds.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

I agree. I've never had any illness in my flocks all these many long years either and wild birds are simply everywhere my birds are. My chickens forage right along side a flock of crows and wild turkeys. I had never heard of this illness until I joined a chicken forum. 

Birds more prone to getting it seem to be those with poor immune systems and living in coop/run environments conducive to bacterial/viral/fungal growth. This latter factor pretty much excludes most free ranged flocks who are living most of their lives on clean soils~those that are not over impacted with fecal matter, as one would find in a run/pen.


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