Resporitory on top of somthing else, what it it?

LittlePip21

Songster
Feb 5, 2017
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Hi, I had posted before about having problems, but due to recent events I have more of a specific problem now, and figured I'd post again to give a fuller view of the situation. here's a bit of back story from the previous thread. is this Ascites? or a respiratory problem? or something else?

So, I've been having problems with several hens, I will do a summary for each.
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Sunny, 3-4 yrs, has a limp due to an unrelated event. When I fist brought her in she had a slightly runny nose, and breathing problems, these seemed to improve when away from the coop, but did not disappear. She has a slightly swollen abdomen, and a infection smell coming from it. Poop: large and frequent, almost as if it is several poops jammed together. they have lightened in color and seem almost more "airy" than usual, increased foamy white cap. also, she poops smaller ones, which are very wet (sometimes even dark green bits in it). I'm noticing more cecal poops. Crop in normal. She groans when I pick her up.

Skittles, 4+ yrs, has strange bumps on feet that have increased in size recently. She is also having respiratory, and it sounds like there may be fluid involved when she sneezes. She may has a squishy abdomen too, but I cant tell if it's just my imagination. Crop seems relatively normal. poop, again, lighter in color, some darker, jammed together, large and frequent. also has the same infection smell coming from vent. It smells bad, but not like infection when she poops. She groans when she poops.

Wasabi, still in prime, maybe 3? She has been wheezing, she seems to have a squishy abdomen too. No infection smell. she has been wheezing a little, and she has been puking water. (not lethargic at all.) Not sure about her poop, but I'm noticing the same kind of poops from the entire flock. Crop is normal.

Pip, pullet, not laying but soon. No symptoms except for sneezing like the rest of the flock, and sometimes she seems to swallow fluid after she sneezes.

Pot Pie, rooster, 3yrs. seemed lethargic, but has improved, poop is small but the same color as the others. Sneezing like everyone else.

Treatment. I have cleaned out the coop as best I can, but due to design flaws I am limited in how clean I can get it. I have given them antibiotics to the flock and sick chickens. (see other thread for more details) I have added a little ACV to every ones water. Also have given some of them bread dipped in olive oil. feeding the isolated ones (Skittles and Sunny) egg and sometimes the crushed up shell along with regular feed. I put the symptoms in the poultry symptom checker, but I go very broad results, although Acites got a high score, and I plan to order a syringe to drain them if that ends up being it.

so, what should I do? has anyone ever seen this before? any advice for treatment would be appreciated.
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Olive oil will do nothing for respiratory disease symptoms, and can cause more diarrhea. When they have a respiratory disease such as infectious bronchitis, MG, or others, they may develop diarrhea, and eat/drink less. Sometimes the crop becomes very slow to empty. That can cause more white urates or green poop because of dehydration. ACV does nothing for most chicken illnesses. I used to use it because everybody recommended it, but I only use clean water changed every day. Ascites can develop in the lower belly in some hens with heart problems, or liver disease, and may be seen in egg yolk peritonitis. The belly looks very tight. In pst #4 here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/853726/ascites-in-desperate-need-of-some-help-and-guidance the picture shows the tightness like a drum, and the poster shows how she drained the belly with an 18 gauge needle. Your main problem is a respiratory disease, it sounds, and I would try to get some testing done locally to find out what you have going around the flock. Antibiotics are difficult to obtain without a vet prescription, and will treat but not cure symptoms of MG and coryza. They will not affect infectious bronchitis< ILT, or other viruses. Tylan 50 injectable is about the only thing you can still find for respiratory disease treatment in most feed stores. It can be given orally or by injection into the breast muscles. Here is a list of poultry labs for testing, and you may also call your state vet for info:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

Here is a good reference for common diseases and symptoms:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
 
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Hello, sorry I have not replayed in so long. I have been working on getting the coop as clean as possible, and the respiratory symptoms are almost gone! I don't hear any wheezing, and everyone seems healthy.(I added some probyotic and electrolyte to there water to help them get through it, and that seemed to help) unfortunately, my sick chicken sunny has gotten worse. She breaths hard, and yaws frequently. her abdomen is enlarged and hard, and her dropping a a grayish green. her poop and abdomen smell like infection. I'm thinking it is internal laying since she has not laid since i have separated her. she most likely has been inactive even before that. I have a syringe I can try to drain her with, but I'm not sure what she has. Could it be something else? any advice would be appreciated. PS: i am almost sure her breathing is not from respiratory, though it could have triggered it, its more like what I've seen in other ascites hens. Should I drain her?
 

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