Wanted to add something here. I have been losing a hen about every two weeks and saw no signs of anything only a cough every now and then but thought they had something in their throat since they will do this every so often in the past. They acted fine, so sneezing, nothing coming from their mouth or sinus or anything. Nothing..... We sprayed their pens out with 10% or 20% bleach solution I can't remember which to kill any germ just in case but it kept happening. ALL they would do was, start sitting around, once they did that I got it out and put in a crate by it's self and started vitamin and electrolytes. Could not figure out what was going on with them. IF I'd waited 3 days to Dr. they'd been dead. They all died once they started just sitting around with no walking, within 3 days max. NOW I am seeing them popping their heads like they have knats tormenting them. I missed that earlier and I would have NEVER figured this out had a friend not told me hers was doing the very same thing and the vet told her it was respiratory issues. I just thought it was knats because I saw no swelling of the eyes or anything and like I said no symptoms at all but every now and then a cough but nothing consistent. Then the sitting, and within 3 days gone. Just wanted to share this with everyone because I have started them on the Tylan once talking to the vet and he gave it to me and told me how much to use etc. and said he was out of the other one he'd given others like 15 more folks around the area having the same problem. Hubby had came in Monday evening I believe it was (wrote it on the calendar) and said we have another one sitting. I was sick to my stomach by this point with worry over my chickens trying to figure out what in the heck was going on with them. Once I shared with this friend like I already said I started putting 2 and 2 together and got her on meds that very evening and she's still alive and not popping her head like she's fighting off knats now like she was. Her energy level is back because she's knocking over her water and wanting out. lol So I HAD to share my experience with others to because if I'd waited that long I had yet another hen dead.
I have lost about 5 now and I was a nervous wreck over it! So if you see these signs and they start just sitting you might better act quickly. I HATE having to give mine this stuff but IF I didn't I feel like I would have lost ALL my pullets and hens. This one that was sick at the starting of the week was a pullet and they have all been fine through all of this. So just be aware of these signs to. I also saw this pullet gaping as they call it and so now I see that is when they're trying to breath and get air. My others are 4 years old and haven't been sick or had anything like this before. This year our weather has been really really weird, hot one minute and cold the next and then cold and raining. VERY weird weather for around here.
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