Respiratory disease?

[Northerncreature]

Hi,

I’ve had chicken since October and today one of them started breathing very heavily She laid an egg, but many hours later than usual. During the day she was out with the others and seemed active enough, the same when they all came in for the night. She ate and drank like normal and scratched in the bedding (even though she sounded a bit wheezy), but now when I went checking up on her before their bedtime it seems like she can’t breathe and is gasping for air while trying to sleep. She scratches her head occasionally and sneezes, but I see no discharge from her beak or eyes. Her poop is also normal.

She is about 12 months old and a Lohmann Brown. Just last week I gave the whole flock (I have 4 chickens) a herbal tonic for poultry that goes in their water and is supposed to increase resistance to infections of the upper respiratory tract. The others seem ok for now.

What should I do to help her?

 

[nuthatched]

Hi, where did you get them?
Any excessive dust, d.e, ash etc that could be causing issues?

 

[Northerncreature]

Hi, where did you get them?
Any excessive dust, d.e, ash etc that could be causing issues?

I got them form the guy who made our chicken coop. He got them from a poultry hatchery so they should be vaccinated.

I have been putting ash from our wood burning stove in their dust bath. We are using wood briquettes and the ash is very fine. I have also added a handful of d.e in there.

Other than that it’s been very moist and rainy (the air humidity is 97% on most days) so my main problem has been keeping the coop ventilated and dry. I’ve managed to get the humidity in the coop around 80% and I use horse pellets as bedding.

 

[arianna7]

DE is controversial and so is ash (for dust bath) but maybe try just sand and see if it helps!!!

Best of luck,
Arianna

 

[nuthatched]

I got them form the guy who made our chicken coop. He got them from a poultry hatchery so they should be vaccinated.

I have been putting ash from our wood burning stove in their dust bath. We are using wood briquettes and the ash is very fine. I have also added a handful of d.e in there.

Other than that it’s been very moist and rainy (the air humidity is 97% on most days) so my main problem has been keeping the coop ventilated and dry. I’ve managed to get the humidity in the coop around 80% and I use horse pellets as bedding.

Did he ask for vaccinated chicks? I've never seen a hatchery that vaccinates for most respiratory diseases.
Any new birds?

 

[Northerncreature]

Did he ask for vaccinated chicks? I've never seen a hatchery that vaccinates for most respiratory diseases.
Any new birds?

No new birds and the run is covered. I even have separate co-op/garden boots and a jacket that I don’t wear outside our garden.

I googled a bit and it turns out that all the hatcheries in my country vaccinate against (I used Google translate so hopefully the names are correct):
Marek's disease
Newcastle disease and bronchitis
Laryngotrachitis
Bursitis
Rhinotracheitis
Salmonellosis

 

[Northerncreature]

I separated her and brought her inside into our shower that has floor heating. Her poo is now white liquid and one was foamy but the warmth seemed to help a bit.