Respiratory Illness

[Fallenone05]

Hi guys! My chickens have come down with an illness. It started off with my Leghorn hen. It was 110F before the heat index and she was panting, sounded kind of gurgley. I didn't think too much of it because it's hot, even with a mister and a breeze.

She started sneezing last week and doing this sharp inhale where she's almost clucking backwards, if that makes sense. I've noticed my other birds are starting to sneeze. I thought it was from the heat and us mowing after a few rain showers but it's gotta be something in their system.

They've all had a healthy appetite and when allowed to forage instead of being confined in their electric poultry net, they have a lot of energy. They're just sneezing and my Leghorn sounds awful. No wrinkled eggs, smellyness (other than the usual stinky poop), and no watery eyes, not even from the Leghorn.

I want to treat everyone so I can make sure they're all okay. What should I use and what should be the egg withdrawal time?

Thanks y'all!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Can you post pictures?

Do you have vetricyn? It helps reduce cough when applied to comb and wattles. You need to boost their immunity by adding nutri drench to their water. Or brew echinacea tea and add honey to that. It will also help. It's a virus, it has to run it's course. I seperated mine as soon as they show symptoms, it's usually contagious.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you seen any bubbles/foam in one eye or nasal drainage? Is there any dust or mold in your coop? Make sure there is plenty of ventilation.

 

[Fallenone05]

Have you seen any bubbles/foam in one eye or nasal drainage? Is there any dust or mold in your coop? Make sure there is plenty of ventilation.

No bubbles or foam, but occasionally when the Leghorn sneezes it looks like she's blowing out boogers when she shakes her head. My coop has two half walls on the south and east side, so I don't think ventilation is the issue. Lots of dust as the floor is just the ground and it's dirt.

 

[BrickCoop15]

Doxycycline works great for respiratory disease symptoms. Cutler Poultry Supply sells packages of the powder to add to their drinking water. Its easy to mix and works great.

I would do a minimum of 30 day egg withdrawl to be safe.

 

[Eggcessive]

There are respiratory viruses such as infectious bronchitis, that antibiotics will not affect. If there is a bacterial infection such as mycoplasma (MG,) then tylosin powder in the water or Tylan 50 injectable given orally can help. There is no egg withdrawal with either of those. Symptoms of MG are watery, bubbly eye, sneezing, acting under the weather, and there may be swelling around the eye. This article about MG is very good to read:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

 

[Fallenone05]

There are respiratory viruses such as infectious bronchitis, that antibiotics will not affect. If there is a bacterial infection such as mycoplasma (MG,) then tylosin powder in the water or Tylan 50 injectable given orally can help. There is no egg withdrawal with either of those. Symptoms of MG are watery, bubbly eye, sneezing, acting under the weather, and there may be swelling around the eye. This article about MG is very good to read:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2022-04/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

As said above, she doesn't have any bubbly eyes, but she is sneezing and is rattling. Mom says it sounds like the human equivalent of pneumonia and I agree. Here's some pictures of each side of her face. I had to catch her at night - she doesn't like to be held.

Edit to add that she is still laying eggs and has a healthy appetite. She doesn't shy from food at all.

 

[Fallenone05]

If it is infectious bronchitis (which seems to be the case judging by symptoms), I basically just need to quarantine my flock, cull my extra males instead of sale, and wait for it to run its course?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Support them with nutri drench in their water, 5 days on, and then take a break. Also get the vetricyn and apply to their wattles and combs at night. My worst gals I had in the house with a humidifier and I put eucalyptus and peppermint oil on their bedding ( think Vicks) opens up their breathing passages like it does for humans. Since she's had mucus, you can give her raw honey, it thins mucus.

I'm only recommending what has worked for me for my chickens and for myself

 

[Eggcessive]

When my young hens got infectious bronchitis, I mostly swa sneezing every few minutes and sometimes a little wetness around nostrils that got dirty. They recovered in about a month or so. It can spread through the flock over several months. All birds can remain carriers for 5 months up to a year after recovery. So don’t add new birds for a year or hatch any, and it should go away. There are quite a few respiratory diseases, and IB virus is milder than some. Make sure that ventilation in your coop is very good.