Hello:

we just got eight hens and a rooster. They were hatched in the spring. We;ve had them for two weeks and everything was going fine until yesterday. We noticed that the smallest one (a laced wyandotte, I believe), has runny eyes and is acting alittle lethargic. Any suggestions? They are not freerangers, but have a coop (4x6) with an attached pen. The coop is insulated. They're eating "little red hen" mash. We also provide sand. Any suggestions? I'll look in the archives too.

thanks in advance.

-- Cathy (logholm@rangenet.com), November 09, 2001

Answers

Runny eyes is usually a symptom of fowl pox. Immediately isolate the ones with this symptom. Check their combs for evidence of mosquitoes bites. That is the culprit. Eradicate any standing water they may have come from, or put bleach in it. Give them electrolytes. Since this is a virus, antibiotics wont help it, but it may help them overcome a compromised immune system.

I've checked with several specialists on this subject when my flock of turkey developed the pox, after we discovered the children had removed the caps off our 55 gal water drums. They were all infested with mosquitoes, and luckily, easy to contain, but not soon enough. This is a respiratory disease, and does not affect the meat. We butchered all the infected birds, and luckily, didn't have to waste the meat.

Good luck.

-- Wendy A (phillips-anteswe@pendleton.usmc.mil), November 09, 2001.

I had trouble with mosquitoes in my lily pond until I put some goldfish in it. I bought those feeder goldfish that are at most a quarter a piece. I have tried the same with the water trough and had good results too. The water trough froze almost solid and the fish survived it! No more mosquitoes either with the fish! Goldfish also reproduce and you don't have to get more fish! Started with 3 and now have at least 30!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), November 10, 2001.