Respiratory issues

[monicamarie83]

Hello! Something is going on with my chickens and I need help! It started about 2 weeks ago I discovered a chicken blowing snot bubbles ! It's a bit dusty in places in their yard so I thought it got some dust up there or got a cold .. then 3 days later she was dead and I started noticing 2 other chickens acting off .. just standing there ruffled feathers, huddled up, 2 days later , dead... My handicap chicken too that day even though she wasn't acting sick, I was heartbroken! I've been giving them electrolyte vitamin water, vet rx and even corid at first because I thought coccidia was back... I've lost 6 chickens in 2 weeks... I have a few that sound a little raspy but acts normal and one that acts perfectly normal but gasps for air and the rattle in his chest makes me want to clear my throat! It's bad but he's been like this for about a week .. what is going on?! How can I help them Without getting a vet involved? I live in Virginia, we had a wet and hot week before they started to get sick .. please help me save my chickens!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've been giving them electrolyte vitamin water, vet rx and even corid at first because I thought coccidia was back... I've lost 6 chickens in 2 weeks... I have a few that sound a little raspy but acts normal and one that acts perfectly normal but gasps for air and the rattle in his chest makes me want to clear my throat! It's bad but he's been like this for about a week .. what is going on?!

I'm sorry for your losses.

How old are they?

What do you feed, including treats?

Can you post photos of them and their poop?

Are their crops emptying overnight?

Have you added any new birds recently?

Have you checked the feed to make sure it's not rancid/moldy or old, do they have access to a compost pile or could they have gotten into anything toxic or dead?

Have you dewormed - if so, with what (dose and product)?

You thought Coccidiosis was back - is Coccidiosis an ongoing issue within your flock? When was the last treatment prior to this? You treated with Corid, did you put anything else in the water besides the Corid (electrolytes or vitamins containing B1(Thiamine))

Do you have a history of respiratory illness in your flock?

Do you have any antibiotics on hand - Tylan/Tylosin, Tetracyclines, Tiamulin (Denagard), Baytril?

 

[monicamarie83]

I'm sorry for your losses.

How old are they?

What do you feed, including treats?

Can you post photos of them and their poop?

Are their crops emptying overnight?

Have you added any new birds recently?

Have you checked the feed to make sure it's not rancid/moldy or old, do they have access to a compost pile or could they have gotten into anything toxic or dead?

Have you dewormed - if so, with what (dose and product)?

You thought Coccidiosis was back - is Coccidiosis an ongoing issue within your flock? When was the last treatment prior to this? You treated with Corid, did you put anything else in the water besides the Corid (electrolytes or vitamins containing B1(Thiamine))

Do you have a history of respiratory illness in your flock?

Do you have any antibiotics on hand - Tylan/Tylosin, Tetracyclines, Tiamulin (Denagard), Baytril?

Hello and thank you for responding! Those who died were all about 6-8 months old ,my "teenagers" but I have a mixture of ages in my coop. I feed them all a mixture of scratch and layer feed I get from a grainery ... Come to think of it there was some moldy chunks from the bag getting wet, I didn't feed them that but was the whole batch bad?! I never thought of that! I also feed them cucumbers, squash and tomatoes from the garden (organic) ... I recently got a bag of super food feed from Walmart (never knew they sold it!) I really like that feed btw and so do they! Its hard to come across their poop they are in a 50x50 yard but I pay attention when someone does go and all looks fine, I have noticed tan watery poop but nothing with blood... I had an outbreak of coccidia back in spring with a batch of chicks ... The first one that died was a survivor of that batch .. that's what got me thinking it was back... so I treated with corid just in case and then they got electrolytes and vitamin water along with access to regular water... I've never really dewormed them, and I have no idea about emptying crops. I don't know what kind of antibiotics to get.. this is the first time having to deal with this.... Everyone has been healthy since I started my flock over a year ago besides the coccidia outbreak and when that happened too they were not in the same coop. That setup is not there anymore... Hope I answered your questions and any advice is appreciated!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, if you find chunks of moldy feed in the bag, get rid of it, it can spread.

Photos of the birds and their poop may be helpful.

To check to make sure their crops are emptying, feel the right side of the breast when they have been eating - you'll feel a bulge there, that's the crop. They fill the crop during the day and before bedtime and should got to roost with food in the crop. Feel the crop again first thing in the morning before they eat/drink, that same area should feel empty or flat. If it's not emptied, then let me know.

As for why you're losing birds, it's always a good idea to have a necropsy if you lose another, this will give you the most info so you know how to treat.

To treat symptoms of respiratory illness, you can try Tylosin to see if that makes a difference, you'll have to order it online.

https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder?_pos=1&_sid=619e341e7&_ss=r

 

[ChickenFeeds]

Breathing issues and sudden death sound like poisoning from avocados. Did you feed your chickens avacado recently?

 

[monicamarie83]

Yes, if you find chunks of moldy feed in the bag, get rid of it, it can spread.

Photos of the birds and their poop may be helpful.

To check to make sure their crops are emptying, feel the right side of the breast when they have been eating - you'll feel a bulge there, that's the crop. They fill the crop during the day and before bedtime and should got to roost with food in the crop. Feel the crop again first thing in the morning before they eat/drink, that same area should feel empty or flat. If it's not emptied, then let me know.

As for why you're losing birds, it's always a good idea to have a necropsy if you lose another, this will give you the most info so you know how to treat.

To treat symptoms of respiratory illness, you can try Tylosin to see if that makes a difference, you'll have to order it online.

https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder?_pos=1&_sid=619e341e7&_ss=r

I'm just now seeing this! The guy who was fine but having issues passed away yesterday... Not sure if it was related to his illness or the fact that a tree limb fell on my goat shed and scared him to death? Probably the illness and just coincidence.. I picked up a couple of my chickens this morning and didn't notice a full crop so I guess they are emptying.... I'm definitely going to order that... Need to have some on hand regardless!

 

[monicamarie83]

Breathing issues and sudden death sound like poisoning from avocados. Did you feed your chickens avacado recently?

No I don't like avocados so they are safe from that lol

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm just now seeing this! The guy who was fine but having issues passed away yesterday... Not sure if it was related to his illness or the fact that a tree limb fell on my goat shed and scared him to death? Probably the illness and just coincidence.. I picked up a couple of my chickens this morning and didn't notice a full crop so I guess they are emptying.... I'm definitely going to order that... Need to have some on hand regardless!

I'm sorry to hear this.
If one is already not well, a scare could push them over the edge I suppose.

Are the others doing any better?

 

[monicamarie83]

I'm sorry to hear this.
If one is already not well, a scare could push them over the edge I suppose.

Are the others doing any better?

I lost another yesterday ... I think hers might have been heat related, she was laying on her back and wasn't showing signs of illness, she was my lavender Orpington so a big girl .. im afraid to go out there this morning because 2 of my Old English Game Bantams I hand raised was not doing good yesterday... My poor little Rosie just hid behind the waterer and I came home yesterday to little Fern just standing in the yard hunched over... She was the runt of the bunch , half of the size of the others so she slips through the fence when I'm in the yard .. I don't know what to do... I have about 25 more chickens, at least 5 have a raspy cough and runny nose. I don't know what is causing this so I can fix it. I don't know how to fix this, I give them electrolytes and vitamin, I can't afford a vet bill, I can't separate the sick ones , my extra pen has chicks in it... This is heartbreaking to me... Sorry to vent ... Here's a picture of Rosie I took yesterday...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry that things are not getting better.

Were you able to get some Tylosin to see if that helps with the symptoms?