Americauna with raspy breathing.

[Brittany Herbin]

One of my Americaunas is sneezing, wheezing and is coughing. I picked her up and it sounded like there was a slight gurgle. I watched her today and she seems to be acting fine, such as eating and drinking normally. I know that it has been raining a lot here in Georgia and I'm wondering if it's because of that. I have raked and put new straw down to dry up some of the mud. Can someone please tell me what I can do for my babes?

 

[Abriana]

VetRx. You can buy it on a website called Jeffers or at Southern States. Also oregano (fresh or dried) mixed up with some hardboiled egg (crushed) is great for respiratory issues. The VetRx comes with directions on how to use it, and you can find instructions online as well. In some extreme cases though, this may not do the trick and antibiotics are needed. If she doesn't get better at all or gets worse, just call your vet (if they know about chickens).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @Brittany Herbin Welcome To BYC
Can you post a video of her?
How often is she coughing, wheezing and sneezing - any mucous from the nostrils or discharge from the eyes?
How old is she?

Check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight, look inside of her beak to see if it's clear of any food/obstruction and keep watch on her. There are many causes for respiratory symptoms- mold, dry dusty food/bedding, ammonia from droppings and respiratory illness are fairly common.

Treating first with a product like VetRx as @Abriana suggested won't hurt. If she develops more symptoms or declines, then it would be best to seek vet care or re-evaluate the cause. Antibiotics can help with secondary infections caused by respiratory illness, but won't cure the illness.http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
Keep us posted.

 

[Brittany Herbin]

She's really flighty so catching her will be a chore in it self. No, there is no mucus after you mentioned that.

 

[as110]

I have two hens that sound the same in the last two days. About 10 days ago I put DE on the floor to kill leg mites and put it on the feed to prevent worms. I got this from youtube form Becky's backyard. Then I read here that it is a respiratory irritant and should not be used. Yesterday I scraped the floor and cleaned the coop. I was hoping to see improvement but they are still snotty and gurgly, although I heard less gurgling when they went to sleep.
I hope it was an irritant and not some virus. It isn't the season for flu yet and we have not had any rain for two months. It is hot and dry no humidity either. The wild fires were smoky but the air is clear in the last few days.
Fingers crossed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have two hens that sound the same in the last two days. About 10 days ago I put DE on the floor to kill leg mites and put it on the feed to prevent worms. I got this from youtube form Becky's backyard. Then I read here that it is a respiratory irritant and should not be used. Yesterday I scraped the floor and cleaned the coop. I was hoping to see improvement but they are still snotty and gurgly, although I heard less gurgling when they went to sleep.
I hope it was an irritant and not some virus. It isn't the season for flu yet and we have not had any rain for two months. It is hot and dry no humidity either. The wild fires were smoky but the air is clear in the last few days.
Fingers crossed.

Hi @as110
I'm sorry your girls are sounding sick.
Have you added any new chickens to your flock lately?

It's possible that the combination of DE and dry dusty weather has contributed to their symptoms. Do the best you can to keep the nostrils cleared of mucous. You can definitely try the VetRx to see if there is any improvement. If symptoms worsen or they develop watery eyes, facial swelling, coughing, sneezing, go off feed or become lethargic, then you may want to see about treating with an antibiotic. Tylan 50 can usually be found at feed stores like Tractor Supply or online.

fwiw - In my opinion - DE is not effective as a de-wormer or a way to kill external parasites. I think it could be mixed into dust bathing areas o.k., but it is an irritant (at least to me) so I don't use it. If you are having trouble with Scaly Leg Mites, then treating each chicken that is affected would be better - wash the legs in warm soapy water, gently scrub any loose debris off the legs/feet, dry then apply any oil that you have (coconut, castor oil, vaseline - some people use cooking spray, etc.) You may need to repeat the soaking a few times - and reapply the oil for a couple of weeks.
For treating the coop - look at this thread:https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-we-have-mites.1192577/#post-18855450 POST#3

 

[as110]

There is no new chicken and we removed a rooster that was causing a lot of stress. It is quieter now.
They don't have any other symptoms except the clear mucous in the nostrils and the gurgling sound but it isn't getting worse. They shake their heads to clear it. I hope all of them won't get sick. They don't look sick otherwise, and they are still laying eggs, eating, drinking, running after treats and do what normal chickens do. It is a mistery.