Mystery respiratory problem

Hello - this is my first post! I'm pretty new to raising chickens. For the most part, it's been pretty fun, but:

I have a chicken that has respiratory issues.

Facts:
I've had her for 4 months and she's had it as long as i've had her.
Symptoms are: raspy breathing, sneezing, shaking head, scratching head, gaping. Sometimes worse than other days - with the weather get colder and wetter, I seem to notice more sneezing.
Her behavior has been fine - eating, drinking, laying, running around the yard like the other chickens.
None of the other chickens seem to have it.
I've had her on antibiotics twice (Duramycin -10 (sp?). Once for 7 days, once for 12 days with little to no change in symptoms.
My coop is cedar -free and brand new.

I'm not sure where to go from here. With the weather getting colder, I'm worried she's going to get worse.
I have read many posts and threads here, but still haven't come up with a solid answer what to do - especially since the antibiotics didn't seem to work. I bought some Vet RX, but don't know what to do with it.
I've been to my local feed stores, I've called the livestock advisory line (he told me my chicken had worms), and the vet reference listed for my area is actually my vet (who does not treat chickens). In short, I have no local resources and look forward to some online expertise!

Thanks for any help.

Welcome to BYC. Have you ever seen bloody mucus from her nose or mouth? Respiratory disease make carriers of the whole flock, most of them for life. She could possibly have a disease from mold (aspergillosis) that has brought on secondary infections that keep recurring. Or she could have ILT, MG, or coryza that are chronic diseases that never go away. If you could get this bird tested (by a blood test or nasal swab) by contacting the state vet, I would do so to know what I was dealing with. Or if it were me, I would contact the state vet to get a necropsy done (and put the chicken down) to find the cause of disease. If she has been having all of these symptoms for 4 months she is miserable and suffering, so I would recommend putting her down whether you test or not. Here is a link for your state vet and a good link about the respiratory diseases with symptoms:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

"Welcome to BYC - kill your chicken." lol

I was hoping for something a little more optimistic than that, but I guess if I've tried everything....

I've never seen discharge of any kind, and she doesn't act miserable. She acts like all the other chickens 95% of the time.

I'll look into the nasal swab idea.

Thanks,

Here is my whole long saga with this same issue if you want to see all the things recommended to me etc. The #1 thing I recommend is find an avian vet http://www.aav.org/search/ and get an actual diagnosis to save yourself money, headache and heartache. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831100/5th-chick-dying-in-my-hands-right-now-help

In case the AAV link gives you fits or if you are on a phone here is what I pulled up for Washington



27 Records Found Sort by Name | Group
Rachel Bangert DVM MS
Bellingham
Washington
98225
United States

Tracy Bennett DVM Dipl. ABVP
Seattle
Washington
98103
United States

John Berry DVM
Lynden
Washington
98264
United States

Cynthia R. Bishop
Bothell
Washington
98012
United States

Jana M. Braun
Woodinville
Washington
98072
United States

Sonnya L. Crawford DVM
Montesano
Washington
98563
United States

Bridget A. Ferguson
Kent
Washington
98042
United States

Michael Fuller
Ellensburg
Washington
98926
United States

Michael Garner DVM
Monroe
Washington
98272
United States

Bethany Groves
Lynnwood
Washington
98087
United States

Kendal Harr DVM DACVP
Mukilteo
Washington
98275
United States

John Huckabee
Lynnwood
Washington
98087
United States

Brent Johnson DVM
Everett
Washington
98208
United States

Elizabeth Kamaka
Mountlake Terrace
Washington
98043
United States

Darrell K. Kraft DVM Dipl. AVBP
Snowhomish
Washington
98296
United States

Jennifer Lawrence
Puyallup
Washington
98373
United States

James Little DVM
Bremerton
Washington
98312
United States

Marcie Logsdon
Pullman
Washington
99164
United States

Adolf Maas
Bothell
Washington
98041
United States

Alicia Mclaughlin
Bothell
Washington
98011
United States

James Onorati
Seattle
Washington
98198
United States

Deanna Shafar
Lakewood
Washington
98499
United States

Bruce Singbeil
Woodinwille
Washington
98077
United States

Malisha A. Small
Longview
Washington
98632
United States

Amy A. Smith DVM
Lacey
Washington
98512
United States

Liane Sperlich DVM
Tacoma
Washington
98422
United States

Michael L. Widener DVM
Olympia
Washington
98503
United States

EverettGal said:

"Welcome to BYC - kill your chicken." lol

I was hoping for something a little more optimistic than that, but I guess if I've tried everything....

I've never seen discharge of any kind, and she doesn't act miserable. She acts like all the other chickens 95% of the time.

I'll look into the nasal swab idea.

Thanks,

Click to expand...

I'm always for doing what is best for the chicken. And I always recommend testing if possible because there are just so many possibilities in identifying a disease. In some states if you call the state vet's office, they will give you a ton of advice about what disease they are seeing more often. All state are concerned about avian influenza, and they may even send someone to test your birds for free, and just charge you a small fee for an MG or coryza test. Someone in New Hampshire just got her chickens tested for $1.50 a piece sine the state wanted to test hers for AI. I recommended culling and a necropsy since your chicken has been sick for 4 months. If you want to treat her instead, then get her tested, and medicate her with antibiotics. Tylan is better for MG and sulfa medications (sulfadimethoxine, Sulmet) are better for coryza in combination with Tylan. If it is mold and aspergillosis, the antibiotics won't cure her, but having a mold-free environment may stop further damage and prevent the secondary infections.