Respiratory illness

[Cochranhomestead]

I had chicken a few days ago gasping for air, wheezing, and blue comb. I brought her to the house. I checked her air way, I cleaned the coop, did all the things to check her over and her environment. None of my other chickens are having any issues. Since then her comb has returned to normal, her breathing is better, she’s eating, drinking, has spunk, laid an egg, poops normal, etc… she still has some wheeze and is sneezing a lot. What can I do to help her along? She’s mad as all get out being in the house in a cage lol. Shes going in the right direction just want to make sure there isn’t something I can do to help with her sneezing and breathing. Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Have you added any new birds recently?

It's hard to know how to treat unless you can figure out the cause of the respiratory distress.

If you feel it's respiratory disease like Mycoplasma, you can use Tylosin to treat symptoms.

She lays eggs, does she have any swelling or bloat in the abdomen? Is her crop emptying? Any lesions or canker inside the beak?

 

[Cochranhomestead]

Have you added any new birds recently?

It's hard to know how to treat unless you can figure out the cause of the respiratory distress.

If you feel it's respiratory disease like Mycoplasma, you can use Tylosin to treat symptoms.

She lays eggs, does she have any swelling or bloat in the abdomen? Is her crop emptying? Any lesions or canker inside the beak?

No new birds.

This is the first time I’ve had a bird do this. So I’m not sure how to treat it or diagnosis it. I’ve read through some of respiratory stuff and they have a lot of the same symptoms but none of them really seemed to jump out that this is it. I was kinda leaning towards something in the environment because once I brought her down to the house she was better within a few hours and was just left with a wheeze and now some sneezing. But none of my other chickens are having the issue. I try to keep my coop pretty clean but I did clean it out real well just in case maybe the straw I used was causing an issue or the sand or something. I read chickens don’t technically get colds but we live in Pa and our weather has been pretty up and down.

She doesn’t seem to have any bloat. Her crop is emptying, no lesions or canker inside that I can see she’s also pretty mad so she doesn’t make it easy to look.

So far this morning she hasnt sneezed much. Breathing is still a little wheezy. She laid a smaller egg then normal. Yesterday I put Vetrx in some water. My intention for that was more the aroma helping her wheezing some. She’s eating normal. Drinking normal. Poop is normal. She’s acting normal. I don’t know if I should just let it run it’s coarse or if I actually need to get something for her.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you free range your chickens? Could she go back with her flock during the day? Look for any mold or dust in the coop. Dust in the feed sometimes can make them sneeze or be congested. If you see bubbles or foam in either eye, or a swollen eyelid or face, then I would get some Tylosin to put in her water. Here is where to buy it:
https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-...JG_tOQWPSbjm8PikNxfPKKq_xuX_XCEguPtTVIaH8MWac

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No new birds.

This is the first time I’ve had a bird do this. So I’m not sure how to treat it or diagnosis it. I’ve read through some of respiratory stuff and they have a lot of the same symptoms but none of them really seemed to jump out that this is it. I was kinda leaning towards something in the environment because once I brought her down to the house she was better within a few hours and was just left with a wheeze and now some sneezing. But none of my other chickens are having the issue. I try to keep my coop pretty clean but I did clean it out real well just in case maybe the straw I used was causing an issue or the sand or something. I read chickens don’t technically get colds but we live in Pa and our weather has been pretty up and down.

She doesn’t seem to have any bloat. Her crop is emptying, no lesions or canker inside that I can see she’s also pretty mad so she doesn’t make it easy to look.

So far this morning she hasnt sneezed much. Breathing is still a little wheezy. She laid a smaller egg then normal. Yesterday I put Vetrx in some water. My intention for that was more the aroma helping her wheezing some. She’s eating normal. Drinking normal. Poop is normal. She’s acting normal. I don’t know if I should just let it run it’s coarse or if I actually need to get something for her.

It may have been environmental if she improved over a short period of time.

Since she's better, I'd consider putting her back with the flock and monitoring her heavily. See if she worsens by being back. Possible it's just something that is irritating her, but it would be hard to know what that is.

 

[Cochranhomestead]

Do you free range your chickens? Could she go back with her flock during the day? Look for any mold or dust in the coop. Dust in the feed sometimes can make them sneeze or be congested. If you see bubbles or foam in either eye, or a swollen eyelid or face, then I would get some Tylosin to put in her water. Here is where to buy it:
https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-...JG_tOQWPSbjm8PikNxfPKKq_xuX_XCEguPtTVIaH8MWac

They don’t free range. No bubbles, foam, or swelling. But I will definitely store that away in case I was to ever need it.
My only concern with putting her back with the flock was not knowing if it was something contagious.

 

[Cochranhomestead]

It may have been environmental if she improved over a short period of time.

Since she's better, I'd consider putting her back with the flock and monitoring her heavily. See if she worsens by being back. Possible it's just something that is irritating her, but it would be hard to know what that is.

I was worried about it being something contagious but I think putting her back may be the best course of action for her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I was worried about it being something contagious but I think putting her back may be the best course of action for her.

It's always possible, but likely if she has something contagious, the others are already exposed and more than likely they would be having symptoms by now as well.

 

[Cochranhomestead]

It's always possible, but likely if she has something contagious, the others are already exposed and more than likely they would be having symptoms by now as well.

So I tried putting her back. She was fine all day when I checked on her until I went to shut everything up and she was gasping for air again. Brought her back to the house. This was Monday. Still the same symptoms. Last night I let her out for bit to just hangout. She got a little wild and was back to gasping and now she’s gasping on and off with wheezing and sneezing. I feel so bad for her and I’m not sure how to help her. Is it possible this is Gapeworm? I’m just not sure.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I tried putting her back. She was fine all day when I checked on her until I went to shut everything up and she was gasping for air again. Brought her back to the house. This was Monday. Still the same symptoms. Last night I let her out for bit to just hangout. She got a little wild and was back to gasping and now she’s gasping on and off with wheezing and sneezing. I feel so bad for her and I’m not sure how to help her. Is it possible this is Gapeworm? I’m just not sure.

Generally with Gapeworm symptoms are consistent and will worsen, so she would be constantly gaping/gasping.

Do you have an antibiotic on hand? Tylosin, Baytril?

Just to check on something, feel all over her body for anything that feels like swelling under the skin, like an air bubble.

Going back over your thread...crop is emptying, no mucous or canker inside the beak.

You could try deworming too just to see if that makes a difference. Fenbendazole (Safeguard Liquid Goat Dewormer) at a dose of 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row. This would treat Gapeworm, Capillary worms and others.