Sudden sneezing and raspy chickens. So far 4/32 and 0/8 chicks

[RobinS1217]

we came home this morning after errands to sneezing chickens with very strange sounding calls. Identified 4/32 to be effected- possibly more. They’re quarantined while I figure this out. Combs seem red, we saw this each in nesting box within last 3 days. Speckled Sussex, black Australorp, Easter egger and GLW affected. 2-3 years old.

Video of wheezing and sneeze

Our chickens are our pets. We spend time with them daily. I clean their pine shaving bedding 2 times a week and sift their poop boards (which is a combo of sweet pz and first Saturday lime) twice a week as well. They have plenty of water, eat 5lbs of organic crumble daily. Meal worms as treats. We get about 18 eggs a day. I’ve noticed it’s gone down to 12-16 but we’ve introduced the chicks and we have a few broody.

Their run is very large and open air though they do have a 10x10 covered run as well. It is a mixture of pine pellets (dissolved) and fresh mulch from a tree I had mulched last summer. We add that as needed for moisture control but also enrichment/foraging as they no longer have grass in their run. They get 2-4 hours of grass grazing every evening.


Can anyone give me an idea of what I’m dealing with? Vet isn’t an option.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Any discharge from the nostrils, eyes, or mouth? How do their crops feel evening and morning?

 

[RobinS1217]

Any discharge from the nostrils, eyes, or mouth? How do their crops feel evening and morning?

I do not observe any discharge. Crops aren’t rock hard but do not resemble the sour crop/impacted crop we’ve dealt with in the past with other birds.


My only “leads” are we gave them some brown rice last night that had sat on the stove overnight. I forgot to pack it up for leftovers so we tossed it to them. Also, their prefab coop has been getting wet during rain. We’ve been dealing with the water but couldn’t find the source. 2/4 nesting boxes are completly rotten at this point and the shingle roof is soft. So I’m assuming it’s been a roof leak this entire time that was running off into the 2 nesting boxes. Could it be mold? The sneezing and rattling sounds just came on so sudden.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Have you introduced new birds recently? If so did you quarantine them for a few weeks before introduction?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I would bet on the rice. Cooked rice that’s sits out overnight will develop Bacillus cereus and yes chickens can get sick from Bacillus cereus. The first sign in chickens is usually respiratory distress because Bacillus cereus causes lung inflammation in chickens and then will start to cause gastrointestinal issues.

 

[RobinS1217]

I would bet on the rice. Cooked rice that’s sits out overnight will develop Bacillus cereus and yes chickens can get sick from Bacillus cereus. The first sign in chickens is usually respiratory distress because Bacillus cereus causes lung inflammation in chickens and then will start to cause gastrointestinal issues.

Gosh I wouldn’t have imagined it would develop so fast! Ugh. What a dumb move. So treat symptoms with VETRX? I heavily cleaned coops yesterday and replaced all bedding and roost materials. I gave them a water dose of Corrid because I was so afraid. I never had used it but had it on hand. Is their egg with drawl for either? Would you continue both to be safe? I monitored them a lot more than usual last night and I have 6 total birds with noticeable symptoms and of the other 26 I could hear sneezes and coughs but cough never figure which it was. Should I continue quarantine? They are noticeably anxious to get back with their flock.

 

[RobinS1217]

Have you introduced new birds recently? If so did you quarantine them for a few weeks before introduction?

I have had 8 chicks since May 9th who have been totally separated. Just the other day I started giving them grass time in what we call our quarantine coop. So it’s out in the yard where the big birds can see them and get used to them but no shared feeders and the bird birds can’t get in that coop to forage around at any time even when not being used by chicks. now the chicks are not getting grass time at all because I don’t want them sick as well and the quarantine coop is occupied

 

[StinkyAcres]

I have had 8 chicks since May 9th who have been totally separated. Just the other day I started giving them grass time in what we call our quarantine coop. So it’s out in the yard where the big birds can see them and get used to them but no shared feeders and the bird birds can’t get in that coop to forage around at any time even when not being used by chicks. now the chicks are not getting grass time at all because I don’t want them sick as well and the quarantine coop is occupied

It could have been the rice. None of the chicks have symptoms? If not or you've done a strict quarantine (i.e. shower and change clothes between new and old birds) you probably don't have to worry about a contagious disease from the chicks.

I gave them a water dose of Corrid because I was so afraid. I never had used it but had it on hand. Is their egg with drawl for either? Would you continue both to be safe?

Corid only treats coccidiosis which is usually not a respiratory illness. Corid does not have an egg withdrawal period. Unless you are seeing other symptoms such as diarrhea and/or blood in the poops, they don't need to be on that.

You can continue the VetRx. VetRx does not cure respiratory illness but it may lessen the symptoms and help them get through it. There is no egg withdrawal for VetRx.

 

[RobinS1217]

It could have been the rice. None of the chicks have symptoms? If not or you've done a strict quarantine (i.e. shower and change clothes between new and old birds) you probably don't have to worry about a contagious disease from the chicks.


Corid only treats coccidiosis which is usually not a respiratory illness. Corid does not have an egg withdrawal period. Unless you are seeing other symptoms such as diarrhea and/or blood in the poops, they don't need to be on that.

You can continue the VetRx. VetRx does not cure respiratory illness but it may lessen the symptoms and help them get through it. There is no egg withdrawal for VetRx.

I do not shower and change clothes between interactions. I have one pair of “coop boots” that stay on our property. the chicks are moved using a Rubbermaid tote that it solely for their use. Never been stored with our older birds or used for other purposes. They’re in an elevated brooder coop in our carport unless led to the “quarantine” coop. We then moved the coop to fresh ground that the chicks had not been on before putting the sick birds in the quarantine coop after the chicks returned to their brooder to stay until this is under control.

Thank you for the info on withdrawal. I will not continue corrid as it is probably useless in this case. It was the only thing I had and I wanted to feel like I was doing SOMETHING.

If it is the bacteria from the rice, does that need antibiotics? I’m fairly certain a low passed in our state where I can’t buy antibiotics at TSC anymore.

 

[StinkyAcres]

If it is the bacteria from the rice, does that need antibiotics? I’m fairly certain a low passed in our state where I can’t buy antibiotics at TSC anymore.

Same law was passed here where we can't buy antibiotics without a prescription. If you can't get antibiotics I'd keep up with the VetRx. Others might know of something else you can try. Hoping for the best with your flock!