Sick and Squeaky Chicken

[hawkeyext]

I have one chicken that seems to be sick. Her legs are scaly so I am treating her for scaly leg mites, but she is also squeaky. That is the only sound she makes. This morning I noticed that when other chickens bolt for the food, this one walks around, is interested in it, but lets the others dive for the food first.

Here is a video of her squeaking. She makes the sound a bit longer and louder towards the end of the video. Does anyone have any ideas what it could be or suggestions?

 

[staceyj]

I have one chicken that seems to be sick. Her legs are scaly so I am treating her for scaly leg mites, but she is also squeaky. That is the only sound she makes. This morning I noticed that when other chickens bolt for the food, this one walks around, is interested in it, but lets the others dive for the food first.

Here is a video of her squeaking. She makes the sound a bit longer and louder towards the end of the video. Does anyone have any ideas what it could be or suggestions?

I think it's a tiny sneeze.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yep, sounds like a sneeze, possibly due to eating the scratch. If she does it other times when she is not eating, it might be a virus called infectious bronchitis. Chicks can sneeze due to dust, dusty feed, and mold.

 

[hawkeyext]

Yes, she does it all the time, not just around feeding time.

 

[Eggcessive]

How long has it been going on? If it is infectious bronchitis, a virus, it usually travels through the flock, and symptoms of sneezing may last a month or so.

 

[hawkeyext]

She's the only one I've noticed out of the whole flock. It's been going on for about two weeks, roughly.

 

[Heidi Plume]

Stacey, how did this work out for you? I have a number in my flock acting like this.

 

[hawkeyext]

Shortly after that post a second one started doing it. No we are up to 5. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?

 

[Eggcessive]

As I said before, it could be infectious bronchitis which you can Google, and it usually spreads throughout the flock. It mainly causes sneezing, but grown chickens tend to be okay, sometimes having decreased egg laying, and they may have wrinkled egg shells or watery eggs. They usually recover within a month. All chickens in the flock will be carriers for 5 months up to a year, so best not to hatch eggs or bring in new chickens under a year after the last chicken has recovered. Otherwise, you may continue to have more chickens gets it. There is no treatment since it is a virus, unless they get a secondary infection when an antibiotic might help.

 

[staceyj]

Stacey, how did this work out for you? I have a number in my flock acting like this.

Hi Heidi, it was not I that had the sick birds. It was @hawkeyext
I only commented on their video posted, that I felt the sound coming from the chicken was a sneeze.