Sneezing and Breathing- Please Help!!!

[BrowncoatChicks]

My 5 year-old Easter Egger hen seems to finally be getting a bit worse, but the progression is extreeeeeemely slow. She's sneezing a lot and her breathing occasionally sounds screwed up, especially when she's on the roost at night. No discharge from the nares except for some normal chicken mucous when she sneezes (that's normal, right?). I've heard that I should be looking for a smell. What kind of smell? It's been about two and a half months since I first noticed symptoms, and it's taken this long for me to think that it's getting any worse. I've just been keeping an eye on it up until now, because based on everything I'd read on respiratory infections in chickens, it would either get better or get worse, and it wouldn't take two and a half months for one or the other to happen!!! I was hoping it was something non-infectious like a chicken allergy.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Stiggy]

If she has no nasal discharge then it doesn't sound like a cold or sinus infection, Given her age it could be just a slow progression of old age, bad lungs etc. It could also be scar tissue, if she has been sick in the past she may have scar tissue and or an irritated nasal tract which can make them sneeze. the smell you would be looking for is really putrid, it reeks , and it is clear and green yellow with puss in it ( at the severe stage)

 

[BrowncoatChicks]

Thanks! So the smell would be identifiable as something I haven't smelt before, I take it?

 

[Stiggy]

um its hard to explain but it stinks really bad. if you sniff near the beak and you smell it and it stinks then its likely to be a sinus infection

 

[inbarcation]

With those couple of symptoms I would be looking at her eyes for any discharge if she has it could be a sighn of early bronchitis - if not it could be just a cold as chickens get them the same as us..
What are her droppings like are they watery or firm ? Has she got a normal appetite ? Has she lost any weight ? What type of bedding do you use ?
I'm only asking you these questions to get a clear picture of what itcould be as sometimes it could be a simple thing like the bedding sawdust can give respiratory disorders that can present the same as this

 

[BrowncoatChicks]

She's had some watery droppings on some days as evidenced by some poo stuck to the feathers around her vent, but her most recent poo that I saw happening was fine. I attributed the poo on the feathers near the vent as being the result of drinking a lot on hot days, even though my other hen doesn't have that problem right now, but I thought maybe their feathers were different. Behaviour is fine. Weight seems fine. I use pine shavings in the coop and the nest boxes and dirt in the run and fenced-in yard.

 

[inbarcation]

Hi
Well it is good you are using pine shavings so its not the bedding. The droppings seem OK so I wouldn't worry about it being something nasty .
My chickens are starting to moult now so that could be why her feathers look a bit different - But !! That can be a sighn of a respiratory disorder the next thing I would do is get the patient in the house put her on the work surface and put your ear on her back inbetween her wings and have a listen, You want to hear nice deep breaths if you hear a crackling sound she will have respiratory disorder ( crd ) due to age or a cold - just give her a lot of TLC and let her retire gracefully
I hope it all goes well for you and I hope this has helped you in some way
There is a book if you look on the internet called "The Chicken Health Handbook " it has nearly ever disease/disorder/virus a chicken can get with diagnosis guides as well , its by Gail Damerow - just put free downloa d after its name
Just pm me if there are any other developments
All the best

 

[BrowncoatChicks]

I own a hard copy of The Chicken Health Handbook. It may be my imagination that it's gotten worse, it may have just stayed at the same level and she had a particularly sneezy day. I know her breathing sounds screwed up; that's the problem!