Respiratory Issues, Please help :(

[nikkinewlin]

I have a 3 year old hen who is having trouble breathing. The symptoms just started today
She is wheezing very loudly, sounds very wet
She is not eating or drinking a lot
she is droopy and lethargic
She keeps her neck stretched out and mouth open
Poops seem normal, just not as frequent as usual
Her croup feels kind of like a loosely filled water balloon

So far I have-

separated her from the rest of the flock (Who are not showing any symptoms) yet...

I stuck a q-tip down her throat and did not find any gapeworms. I read that they are red and y shaped. Did not see any thing, just phlegm

I started her on a monthly dose of "Backyard Chicken Zyfend a" a couple of days ago, so she is still on that (it is a 7 day treatment)

I also rubbed vet rx around her nostrils and put a drop or 2 down her throat

warm water vaporizer with vet rx

vitamins/electrolytes in her drinking water/ syringe feeding warm water because she is not drinking a lot

I am snowed in so I have not been able to get to the feed store for antibiotics but I would like to start them tomorrow if she makes it through the night.

Any suggestions on which antibiotic to try?
Any idea on what might be wrong with her?

Her coop is dry and draft free, There is a heat lamp hanging in her chicken shed. She was bedded on dry, clean pine shavings. She has access to fresh water 24/7. She is being fed I part Purina Layena crumbles and one part Purina Flock raiser pellets, with free choice of calcium (oyster Shells), along with some cracked corn in the evenings, and an occasional banana (her favorite treat)

 

[Wyandottes7]

I have a 3 year old hen who is having trouble breathing. The symptoms just started today
She is wheezing very loudly, sounds very wet
She is not eating or drinking a lot
she is droopy and lethargic
She keeps her neck stretched out and mouth open
Poops seem normal, just not as frequent as usual
Her croup feels kind of like a loosely filled water balloon

So far I have-

separated her from the rest of the flock (Who are not showing any symptoms) yet...

I stuck a q-tip down her throat and did not find any gapeworms. I read that they are red and y shaped. Did not see any thing, just phlegm

I started her on a monthly dose of "Backyard Chicken Zyfend a" a couple of days ago, so she is still on that (it is a 7 day treatment)

I also rubbed vet rx around her nostrils and put a drop or 2 down her throat

warm water vaporizer with vet rx

vitamins/electrolytes in her drinking water/ syringe feeding warm water because she is not drinking a lot

I am snowed in so I have not been able to get to the feed store for antibiotics but I would like to start them tomorrow if she makes it through the night.

Any suggestions on which antibiotic to try?
Any idea on what might be wrong with her?

Her coop is dry and draft free, There is a heat lamp hanging in her chicken shed. She was bedded on dry, clean pine shavings. She has access to fresh water 24/7. She is being fed I part Purina Layena crumbles and one part Purina Flock raiser pellets, with free choice of calcium (oyster Shells), along with some cracked corn in the evenings, and an occasional banana (her favorite treat)

She probably has a respiratory disease. Respiratory diseaes are especially common in winter. You seem to be doing a good job with her so far. Duramycin, Terramycin, and Tetroxy HCA-280 are good water soluable antibiotics for respiratory diseases. However, in my opinion, the best antibiotic for a respiratory diseases is Tylan50 injectable. It is given as an injection in the breast muscle once daily for five days. The dosage is 1cc for large birds 5 pounds and over, and .5ccs for smaller birds like bantams. Tylan should be relatively easy to find at a livestock supply store.

Good luck with your bird! Please keep us updated.

 

[Eggcessive]

She probably has a respiratory disease. Respiratory diseaes are especially common in winter. You seem to be doing a good job with her so far. Duramycin, Terramycin, and Tetroxy HCA-280 are good water soluable antibiotics for respiratory diseases. However, in my opinion, the best antibiotic for a respiratory diseases is Tylan50 injectable. It is given as an injection in the breast muscle once daily for five days. The dosage is 1cc for large birds 5 pounds and over, and .5ccs for smaller birds like bantams. Tylan should be relatively easy to find at a livestock supply store.

Good luck with your bird! Please keep us updated.

X2. I would also get some SafeGuard horse paste or liquid goat wormer, and give 50 mg per each 2.2 lb of weight for 3 straight days, then repeat in 10 days. It won't hurt, and if there should be gapeworm or some other bad worm like cecal worms, it will treat it. Here is a link with the most common diseases such as mycoplasma, infectious bronchitis, and coryza.

 

[nikkinewlin]

Thank you. I have heard that Tylan can damage the birds muscle. Have you had any trouble with this?

 

[nikkinewlin]

Thank you. Have you ever heard of "Backyard Chicken Zyfend a"? I was just wondering if it would be a problem to try the safeguard along with the zyfend a or if I should stop giving this if I use one of these dewormers.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you. Have you ever heard of "Backyard Chicken Zyfend a"? I was just wondering if it would be a problem to try the safeguard along with the zyfend a or if I should stop giving this if I use one of these dewormers.

Thank you. I have heard that Tylan can damage the birds muscle. Have you had any trouble with this?

I have heard that Tylan can cause that, but many people use it safely all the time. I gave it once for 3 days to one of my chickens and she is fine. That is the only time I have used it. There is a Tylan powder for the drinking water also. Zyfenda seems to be an herbal wormer. If I was treating somehting serious such as a large worm load, gapeworm, or blackhead from cecal worms, I would treat with fenbendazole (SafeGuard) or albendazole (Valbazen.)

 

[Wyandottes7]

Thank you. I have heard that Tylan can damage the birds muscle. Have you had any trouble with this?

I've used Tylan twice, and it hasn't harmed my birds (its cured them every time). I've heard that it can cause muscle damage too, but I haven't had any trouble with it. To reduce the chance of muscle damage, alternate sides of the breast muscle when injecting and use small diameter needles (20-22 gauge).

 

[mithious]

I've used Tylan twice, and it hasn't harmed my birds (its cured them every time). I've heard that it can cause muscle damage too, but I haven't had any trouble with it. To reduce the chance of muscle damage, alternate sides of the breast muscle when injecting and use small diameter needles (20-22 gauge).

If your bird has a respiratory disease, no antibiotic will cure them...some will become carriers for life, others might not get ill, but still become carriers for life also...they will get better, but can relapse with stress. Most people recommend the tylan as it works the best, but again, it is NOT a cure, but will help them recover from the current episode, in most cases!

Best to you and your chicken!

 

[nikkinewlin]

I picked up Duramycin and Safe guard horse paste. My local feed store does not carry Tylan.
I put the Duramycin in her drinking water. I am going to administer the de wormer tomorrow.
She has stopped eating and drinking all together, but her wheezing sounds better today, and she has also perked up a bit. (that confuses me)
I have started syringe feeding her water with the antibiotics mixed in this afternoon.
She wont eat cat food, tuna, chicken feed, or cracked corn. I have syringe fed her some olive oil.
Do you guys have any suggestions on what kind of foods may be more appealing to a sick bird?
Quote:

 

[Wyandottes7]

I picked up Duramycin and Safe guard horse paste. My local feed store does not carry Tylan.
I put the Duramycin in her drinking water. I am going to administer the de wormer tomorrow.
She has stopped eating and drinking all together, but her wheezing sounds better today, and she has also perked up a bit. (that confuses me)
I have started syringe feeding her water with the antibiotics mixed in this afternoon.
She wont eat cat food, tuna, chicken feed, or cracked corn. I have syringe fed her some olive oil.
Do you guys have any suggestions on what kind of foods may be more appealing to a sick bird?

Personally, I'd wait to give the Safeguard until you've finished with the antibiotics. Both deworming and using antibiotics can stress a bird out, and doing both at the same time will stress one out even more. I never deworm sick birds, unless I have a good reason to believe that the problem is a worm infestation.

Moistened chicken feed is often easier for sick birds to eat, so you could try moistening some. Even healthy birds love moistened feed usually. Sick birds may also like applesauce, yogurt (but don't give a lot-- too much dairy products can be harmful, as it gives a chicken too much calcium), scrambled eggs, and mealworms.

If she doesn't eat, you may need to think about tube feeding her. I've never done it myself, but several members on this forum do it routinely. Here are some helpful links:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...h-my-bird-pics-for-visuals-very-detailed-post
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/722041/how-to-t-feed-a-sick-chicken-and-give-subcutaneous-fluid

For more information on tube feeding, you could PM Casportpony. She has had a lot of experience with tube feeding, and has helped many members on this forum.