1 Month old Chicks Sneezing and Wheezing, What to do?

[Puritanbob]

I have a group of 13 Black Copper Maran chick and this is my second go at this after a Raccoon attack killed all the pullets, so I need to get this right. Anyway I noticed as I was shutting them in last night one of them was wheezing a bit, when I came this morning to let them out I could hear him from outside of their little coop. This same little guy has been sneezing so I pulled him from the flock and seperated him and started everyone on antibiotics (Duramycin-10). I then noticed another one later in the day starting to wheeze a bit so I pulled that one too, and now there are 2 in the sanitarium.

Does anyone have any advice? I just kinda have to get this one right, I want to have these Marans bad.

 

[Puritanbob]

????

 

[IroquoisEgg]

Keep giving them the Duramycin if doesn't seem to be helping you could try Tylan-50. Sounds like CRD or Chronic Respiratory Disease. Unfortunately, it is very common and very contagious. You will be able to clear the symptoms but the birds will be carriers their entire life. Do some research on BYC and that may help you make your decision on whether to treat or cull.

 

[dawg53]

It could be an environmental issue as well; soiled bedding can cause wheezing and sneezing, inhaling feed dust, pollen etc....All these issues can be corrected or eliminated.

 

[Puritanbob]

Thanks guys, I haven't seen any more sneezing and wheezing yet, I will start with cleaning their area thoroughly and I think it would be wise to take one of those ones that I have separated to a vet just to find out what exactly they have. If it is CRD I don't want to be a part of that, I want to get to the point of breeding these Marans, so I'll have to look at culling. Hopefully it's just a cold.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks guys, I haven't seen any more sneezing and wheezing yet, I will start with cleaning their area thoroughly and I think it would be wise to take one of those ones that I have separated to a vet just to find out what exactly they have. If it is CRD I don't want to be a part of that, I want to get to the point of breeding these Marans, so I'll have to look at culling. Hopefully it's just a cold.

I hate to tell you this, but chickens dont get colds. They get a specific disease.

 

[Puritanbob]

Thanks again, I just saw some of the medication for sale say "for colds in chickens" I am fairly new to this and am still figuring out what to do particularly with what looks like some disease. The symptoms haven't been too bad, just the sneezing and a bit of wheezing around bedtime. On a similar CRD thread someone wrote:

"I think you will find that the mycoplasma is pretty much everywhere, and most all chickens have been exposed to it at some point. Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that you can keep chickens that can't cope with CRD, even if they continue to show symptoms without affecting your flock as they all get to cope with it either way. What I do recommend though, is not to breed fowl that can't get over CRD on their own. This just weakens your whole flock. I am not against medicating, and keeping birds if that is your desire, but on my yard, if they can't cope with any kind of respiratory disease without meds, they get culled. This way I promote a more hearty flock, that will be more disease resistant down the road. But, to some people, it is better to medicate and keep them as they are more of a pet. You have to make that choice yourself. BTW, Baytril is some good stuff, but you need a script to get it. Tylan is just as good, and you can get it OTC. Good luck!"

He is essentially saying this MG stuff is just about everywhere and chickens either can deal with it or not. So I am wondering if the ones who haven't shown any symptoms are fine? Right now I have 4 in the sanitarium, I am just kind of hesitant to go nuclear and cull them all. Any further advice regarding this would be appreciated.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks again, I just saw some of the medication for sale say "for colds in chickens" I am fairly new to this and am still figuring out what to do particularly with what looks like some disease. The symptoms haven't been too bad, just the sneezing and a bit of wheezing around bedtime. On a similar CRD thread someone wrote:

"I think you will find that the mycoplasma is pretty much everywhere, and most all chickens have been exposed to it at some point. Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that you can keep chickens that can't cope with CRD, even if they continue to show symptoms without affecting your flock as they all get to cope with it either way. What I do recommend though, is not to breed fowl that can't get over CRD on their own. This just weakens your whole flock. I am not against medicating, and keeping birds if that is your desire, but on my yard, if they can't cope with any kind of respiratory disease without meds, they get culled. This way I promote a more hearty flock, that will be more disease resistant down the road. But, to some people, it is better to medicate and keep them as they are more of a pet. You have to make that choice yourself. BTW, Baytril is some good stuff, but you need a script to get it. Tylan is just as good, and you can get it OTC. Good luck!"

He is essentially saying this MG stuff is just about everywhere and chickens either can deal with it or not. So I am wondering if the ones who haven't shown any symptoms are fine? Right now I have 4 in the sanitarium, I am just kind of hesitant to go nuclear and cull them all. Any further advice regarding this would be appreciated.

Unfortunately there are some people that would promote a disease because their birds are pets, does that make sense? I consider my birds as pets and I have several favorites. I wouldnt like it, but I wouldnt hesitate to cull as necessary. Why risk whatever disease it is from infecting the rest of my flock? If you have the time to nursemaid and spend money on meds, that's up to you. Meds only go so far until resistance to them is built up by the disease, they are never cured. Then you have to buy a more potent medication. Even then if it's a virus, antibiotics are useless. Antibiotics may treat some of these diseases, but not cure the birds. Alot of the diseases are transmittable on clothing, hands, shoes, airborne, passed through eggs etc...and are easily passed to other birds. You have to have one heck of a biosecurity program to prevent this from happening.
Keep your sick birds away from the healthy birds unless they start showing respiratory signs. I recommend that you have bloodwork drawn or a necropsy performed on the sickest bird so that you'll know exactly what you're dealing with. You can contact your state department of agriculture or local extension office to find out how to go about doing this. Here's a couple of links for you to read if you wish; the first one is about respiratory diseases in poultry. The second one is about MG.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps034

 

[Puritanbob]

Thanks again Dawg, that is sound advice. Like I said I want to breed these birds and I certainly don't want a disease in the mix.

 

[farmgirllvo]

How?