Chickens with respiratory problems - getting mixed answers about their future and treatment.

[Lyris]

The sneezing has upgraded into full blown respiratory issues unfortunately. One of the chickens sometimes breathes with her mouth open. Aside from that they are sneezing and scratching their noses a lot. No eye problems yet. Today I discovered white, milky poo. Whatever it is, my entire flock has it. It spread extremely quick and easily through the flock. I think they got it when one of my chicks became ill in the brooder. (I had to leave unexpected for a weekend and forgot to clean it before I left. It was gross when I came back) they've all had it for over a month now.
I have Tiagard, Doxy-Tyl, and Doxycycline. Will any of these work to treat the flock? I have a bet appointment, but the only avian vet who will see them is booked out for a month. I've been told to wait it out (it's not getting better) to give them garlic and apple cider vinegar (which they hate) and red chili peppers (they're indifferent) but where it's getting worse I feel like they need a tougher treatment plan.

Another thing I'm reading is that the flock is basically useless now. Some say you shouldn't eat the eggs. Others say they won't recover ever. I found a few articles that said they need to be quarantined forever and should never have offspring or have other chickens, and that they'll have chronic problems forever and the entire flock should be culled. I don't cull my flock as they're more than just chickens - they're my pets.

 

[Debbie292d]

I'd be putting Poultry Cell vitamins in their water every other day.

This thread about Tiagard and respiratory illnesses may help.

If that isn't working, then you can look to other illnesses and diseases, so just give this a few days first. It just might work and they all get healthy again. I hope so!!

 

[Lyris]

I'd be putting Poultry Cell vitamins in their water every other day.

This thread about Tiagard and respiratory illnesses may help.

If that isn't working, then you can look to other illnesses and diseases, so just give this a few days first. It just might work and they all get healthy again. I hope so!!

Thank you! I don't want them suffering. Do you know if it's true that they can't be with other chickens forever or shouldn't breed? That would be a bit sad!

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you! I don't want them suffering. Do you know if it's true that they can't be with other chickens forever or shouldn't breed? That would be a bit sad!

I think you did so much research, which is good, but now you're worrying about what else they may have but haven't even treated them yet.

I'd just start with vitamins and the Tiagard for the prescribed amount of time for all of them.

Post again in a week if you see no improvement, and then folks can help you determine what else it could be.


I would like to know where you read these comments:

the flock is basically useless now. Some say you shouldn't eat the eggs. Others say they won't recover ever. I found a few articles that said they need to be quarantined forever and should never have offspring or have other chickens, and that they'll have chronic problems forever and the entire flock should be culled

 

[Lyris]

I think you did so much research, which is good, but now you're worrying about what else they may have but haven't even treated them yet.

I'd just start with vitamins and the Tiagard for the prescribed amount of time for all of them.

Post again in a week if you see no improvement, and then folks can help you determine what else it could be.


I would like to know where you read these comments:

I literally just googled chicken respiratory illness treatments and they came up. I've been giving them Tiagard, but I'm not completely sure on the dosage. For some reason whenever I try to look it up I just get vague answers or show chicken websites. I asked a local chicken group and they just said garlic and hot pepper flakes. I'll see if I can find the proper medication amount today and give them some. They all tend to share water dishes so I'm guessing I'll have to separate the bigger chickens from the smaller ones. And find a way to keep my cats out of it. The dirtier the water, the more cats like it for some reason.

I'll continue their treatment and see if they improve. I love the little dinosaurs to death.

 

[Debbie292d]

I literally just googled chicken respiratory illness treatments and they came up. I've been giving them Tiagard, but I'm not completely sure on the dosage. For some reason whenever I try to look it up I just get vague answers or show chicken websites. I asked a local chicken group and they just said garlic and hot pepper flakes. I'll see if I can find the proper medication amount today and give them some. They all tend to share water dishes so I'm guessing I'll have to separate the bigger chickens from the smaller ones. And find a way to keep my cats out of it. The dirtier the water, the more cats like it for some reason.

I'll continue their treatment and see if they improve. I love the little dinosaurs to death.

The link I posted above has the dosage.

My guess is you were on Facebook. That's why I try stay away from there unless I'm selling my chicks. You'll get everyone and their brother thinking they're a vet, and most have never even owned a chicken.

Garlic and red pepper flakes are fine, but these chickens are sick and need medicine. Those won't cure anything but perhaps when they're healthy, those could help keep them that way.

 

[Lyris]

The link I posted above has the dosage.

My guess is you were on Facebook. That's why I try stay away from there unless I'm selling my chicks. You'll get everyone and their brother thinking they're a vet, and most have never even owned a chicken.

Garlic and red pepper flakes are fine, but these chickens are sick and need medicine. Those won't cure anything but perhaps when they're healthy, those could help keep them that way.

I think the other sites were professional breeders. You're not supposed to eat the eggs, or breed them because they can get chronic sinus problems and pass it along. And since the chronic sinus issues show up, they can infect the entire flock and they'll all die. Once they start pooping liquid white stuff you're supposedly too late and need to cull to end their suffering. After dropping over a thousand dollars on one cat, and another thousand dollars on another cat in the last three months I admit I'm a bit paranoid.

I had a bit of a scare earlier when I was transferring all my pet medications to better storage containers. The chicken meds I keep in the cool shed outside. The chickens followed me in and some of the Doxy-Tyl bag spilled a little. The chickens went into a frenzy to peck it up. Apparently it's delicious. They didn't eat enough to be a problem, but I did have to look up if they can have triaged and Doxy-Tyl at the same time, and how much chickens can have before it's bad.

My favorite hen has started sitting down a lot. So far she's not making rattling noises like one of the others, but it's a concern. Another I noticed has a poopy butt and will be getting a bath, and two others have been cleaning their sides a lot. I'm hoping it's just an upset stomach from their noses draining down their throat. They've been healthy for a year and a half. They went from light sneezing to this almost overnight.