Chickens coughing (?) and sound like they are drowning

[ajneal30]

I just got home from vacation and my son came in to tell me the chickens weren't right. I ran out and at least two of them seem to be having trouble breathing. My cochin rooster and my black australorpe hen are both making occasional noises like they have water in their lungs. The rooster stands straight up and cranes his neck like he is going to crow and nothing comes out but a watery gargle sound. I have looked through a few pages here on this forum and also looked through some common chicken illnesses and have not found anything that sounds familiar. The hen has some slight diarrhea but no other symptoms of the diseases I read about. No watery eyes, no swelling, no weakness. Just the watery cough and the diarrhea. Any ideas on what is going on and what I can do for them? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

When I hear gurgling, I think bacterial pneumonia, which brings amoxicillin (or other penicillin-based antibiotic) to mind. May also be CRD (Chronic Respiratory Disease caused by mycoplasma bacteria). CRD can be treated with Sulmet (available over the counter at feed stores). Treat sooner, not later. If not using a water-based treatment, give poultry electrolytes (a 50-50 gatorade and water will do in a pinch) as the only water for the next 5 days. If you can, keep 'em warm and dry until they dry out. Good luck!

 

[ajneal30]

Thank you. I already had some electrolytes and got them added into the water. I can go into the feed store first thing tomorrow for the other meds. The lady who was taking care of the flock for me said they were fine last night so hopefully I caught this quick. I already had to isolate my roo. The hens know he is very sick and they have started attacking him.

 

[ajneal30]

OH and almost all of them have symptoms, I just had to watch a lot longer to see who was coughing and who wasn't.

 

[dawg53]

Try to get bloodwork from your sickest bird analyzed to verify if it's a respiratory disease. Once verified, and since it has spread through your flock as you mentioned...I would recommend that you cull your birds.

 

[brahmakid11]

sounds like they are just thirsty

 

[ajneal30]

sounds like they are just thirsty

They have had plenty of water and have been drinking just fine. Now the rooster threw up this morning. On my way to the feed store to get some antibiotics. That raises another question though. Can you eat the eggs when the hens are on antibiotics? Can you hatch them?

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

I would not recommend eating or hatching the eggs while the birds are undergoing medical treatment involving drugs. Fertility is usually reduced in times of illness and stress anyway. The package the drugs come in should have a "withdrawal period" listed, or you can search for the withdrawal periods of various drugs on this forum or the internet in general. There is LOTS of info out there on this for the drugs that are widely used. Good luck!

 

[ki4got]

one of my main roosters had a bacterial pneumonia (not spread thru the flock fortunately). i isolated him in a hospital cage in the house, and injected him with pennicillin twice a day, .2cc at a time (he's about 8 pounds) in his leg muscle.

I would have used the breast muscle, but he was gurgling so bad i was afraid he'd drown if we turned him over. the leg was much easier after all too. my husband held him wrapped in a towel (he regurgitated on us the first try) with just his leg sticking out. we treated him for a full 7 days, but he was no longer gurgling/coughing after about 4 days.

by day 5 he was eager to go outside, so i let him range for a bit, but cut it short when he decided he had to be top roo again and the sparring was wearing him out. by day 7 tho he was back to his usual self.

it would depend how much the birds mean to you, whether to treat or cull... I raise silver grey dorkings, and the big guy is my primary rooster, with Junior as backup, but i wasn't willing to part with him if i didn't have to... 12 hens is just too many for a 5 month old cockerel IMO...

good luck with your flock.

btw, i used procaine pennicillin g...

 

[ajneal30]

I was only able to find one feed store that carried antibiotics for poultry. I have been giving it to the entire flock for three days now and the birds that got sick first, are acting almost completely healthy. The birds that were acting healthy are now sick, but not nearly as bad. The roo even felt well enough to chase me out of the coop yesterday and he was romancing his hens this morning. I think we are on the mend! Thanks everyone for the help!