10 very sick chickens with respiratory distress

[JillyChickyDee]

Hi everyone,

I have 10 chickens of varying ages between 3 months-2 years. They are all currently sick with a respiratory illness. It started 3 days ago. Some hens are worse off than others. Symptoms are sneezing, coughing, wheezing, gurgling in chest but NO nasal discharge, eye issues or facial swelling. The 2 girls that are have it worse seem a little depressed, wobbly and are not eating or drinking. Everyone else is acting normal except the sneezing, coughing et cetera. I am having a difficult time with diagnosis due to lack of discharge but am thinking it is IB. What do you all think, please help!

 

[JillyChickyDee]

More info to add...breeds are Buff Orpington 9 months, Rhode Island Red 6 months, Easter egger Mom 2 years, her Easter egger chicks (all 7 of them) 3 months. The Buff and one of the Easter egger chicks are sicker than the rest. It all started 3 days ago when we got some freezing temps for a day and night...I'm in Colorado. All birds poop looks normal to me. All birds are eating and drinking normally except for the Buff...she wont eat or drink and I am very worried about her. I have been giving all birds probiotics, yogurt/kiefer, normal feed, kale, spinach, garlic, herbs anything I can! Went to feed store and got some penicillin and have given 1 dose per bird so far...the guy there said to give 1 dose every 4 days but no more than 2 doses total. I was using hay for bedding but changed over to pine shavings. I am in a panic here because I have this gut feeling that Buffy my Buff Orpington is not going to make it. I am new to backyard chickens and really need help. PLEASE HELP with any advise!

 

[biophiliac]

Hi JillyChickyDee, I am a very experienced chicken farmer from Oregon and I had the same problem but I got my birds well with a little sunshine and with a healthy dose of calapooia pale ale!!!!!

Is this posted by Jillychickydee as shown,... it reads as tho its an answer?

and welcome to BYCLand!

ETA @Wyorp Rock may be able to advise. I think if it's viral, all you can do is supportive care, nutrition, hydration, etc. Best of luck.

 

[biophiliac]

@JillyChickyDee

, now i think i see what happened, you had 2 windows open?

 

[Eggcessive]

What type of penicillin do you have? Procaine Pen G is usually given daily, but others may be given every 2-3 days or whatever the label says. Tylan 50 injectable given orally or by injection is usually more effective for respiratory bacterial diseases, such as MG. If it is viral (such as IB,) then antibiotics wouldn't help much. Some may develop secondary infections, such as E.coli air sacculitis or aspergillosis (a fungus) that can make them very sick. You may want to try to learn how to crop feed your sickest bird to give her fluids and baby bird feed. Caspotpony has a good thread about tube feeding called "Go team tube feeding." Or a vet could show you how.

 

[JillyChickyDee]

The 3rd post was from my husband on my account thinking he was being VERY funny...he is NOT. I am sick over this situation and take the care and welfare of my animals very seriously. (Hi JillyChickyDee, I am a very experienced chicken farmer from Oregon and I had the same problem but I got my birds well with a little sunshine and with a healthy dose of calapooia pale ale!!!!!)

The pen. I picked up from the feed store is Bactracillin G and have given it orally not cutaneous. It's meant for bacterial pneumonia in livestock. It says on the label to give via intramuscular but the guy at the feed store said that route was only for cattle etc. and to give it orally or intra-nasal for chickens. Do you think I should give as a muscular shot instead?

I did read that antibiotics will not help a viral infection but wanted to try anyway because I was so unsure exactly what the diagnosis was. Will try to get my hands on the Tylan 50 and thank you for the advise.

I think I will have to tube feed as she has still not ate or drank....it's going to be a long night.

Thank you for the reply, I very much appreciate any advise and the response. Any other comments would be as greatly appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

It is my understanding that you cannot give injectable penicillin orally. There are oral forms of penicillin in tablet or liquid form. Tylan injectable can be given orally. I have used a piece of aquarium air tubing with one end rounded off with a lighter to slightly melt it, so it does not cut tissue with aharp edges. It fits a 35 ml feed store syringe. A vet can also sell feeding tubes which can fit larger catheter tip syringes. In the middle of the chickens lower beak is a slit or hole that is the airway or trachea, and the tube should not go there. In the chicken's right back of the throat (your left when lokking at her) is the esophagus where the feeding or crop tube goes. Read " Step by step tube feeding guide," a later more brief thread by Casportpony.

 

[JillyChickyDee]

That is very disheartening....I hope no harm was done with the oral meds. I am reading up on tube feeding now and will hopefully get it started in the next few hours. May also just take her to the vet and tell hubby to bite the cost....she is my favorite girl...

 

[biophiliac]

The 3rd post was from my husband on my account thinking he was being VERY funny...he is NOT. I am sick over this situation and take the care and welfare of my animals very seriously. (Hi JillyChickyDee, I am a very experienced chicken farmer from Oregon and I had the same problem but I got my birds well with a little sunshine and with a healthy dose of calapooia pale ale!!!!!)

The pen. I picked up from the feed store is Bactracillin G and have given it orally not cutaneous. It's meant for bacterial pneumonia in livestock. It says on the label to give via intramuscular but the guy at the feed store said that route was only for cattle etc. and to give it orally or intra-nasal for chickens. Do you think I should give as a muscular shot instead?

I did read that antibiotics will not help a viral infection but wanted to try anyway because I was so unsure exactly what the diagnosis was. Will try to get my hands on the Tylan 50 and thank you for the advise.

I think I will have to tube feed as she has still not ate or drank....it's going to be a long night.

Thank you for the reply, I very much appreciate any advise and the response. Any other comments would be as greatly appreciated!

Just wishing you and your flock the best!
We are so fortunate to have our Educators to help. Hope you didn't think I was laughing at you.

 

[JillyChickyDee]

No I didn't and thank you...was and am pretty upset with husband though.