Bedding for chicken with chronic respiratory condition

[MaeM]

Hi all. I have a hen who has an unknown chronic respiratory condition. I've seen 3 vets and no treatment has been able to cure her, but she has improved to the point that she can have an almost normal chicken life. But I have to take special care of her. She had pulmonary edema and, even though there is no more fluid in her lungs, she lives with mild respiratory distress. According to an X-ray, she has a lesion in her air sacs. So if -for example- she exercises more than she should (running too much, etc.), she may end up with shortness of breath and weird noises in her breathing. I compare it to human asthma attacks. In fact, the vet prescribed her an oral bronchodilator to relieve her if she is having one of these episodes.

It's been 3 months since the issue started, and I've noticed that the hen is used to it. I mean, she seems to know when to stop - she won't run a lot if she doesn't have to, and if she is feeling tired, she relaxes in her favorite bush until she recovers her breath.

Today, she returned to the main coop by herself (she lives in a smaller coop to keep the rooster from mounting her), and I found her having an "asthma attack" in the nest box. I took her out of there and medicated her, then I realized: I use shavings as bedding for the nest boxes, and shavings can be quite dusty. The other hens do not mind but she has special needs.

So my question is: what bedding should I try?

 

[nuthatched]

Shredded paper maybe? Wood chips?
How often do you clean it to keep her from her own dander?

 

[MaeM]

Shredded paper maybe? Wood chips?
How often do you clean it to keep her from her own dander?

I clean the coop whenever it needs it. Since she's the only one in that smaller coop, I'd say I clean it once a week on average. She uses it only to sleep - she free roams during the day.

I like the idea of using shredded paper! So far I put some old newspapers in her coop... Let's see how it works

 

[janiedoe]

Have you tried these?
Is it possible that your hen had brooder pneumonia? It is fungal, not viral, so she wouldn't be contagious, but it might cause lesions on her lungs. It can be treated, with oral antifungal medication.

 

[MaeM]

Have you tried these?
Is it possible that your hen had brooder pneumonia? It is fungal, not viral, so she wouldn't be contagious, but it might cause lesions on her lungs. It can be treated, with oral antifungal medication.

She was actually treated for aspergillosis, too. I think it's the same as brooder pneumonia?
But she wasn't improving - in fact, she was getting worse. The vet decided to interrupt the treatment by day 20 because "it could kill her liver" (that's what he said).

I haven't used that but I'm gonna try!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Hemp might be a good option. It has very minimal if any dust, very absorbent and soft on their feet.

 

[janiedoe]

She was actually treated for aspergillosis, too. I think it's the same as brooder pneumonia?
But she wasn't improving - in fact, she was getting worse. The vet decided to interrupt the treatment by day 20 because "it could kill her liver" (that's what he said).

I haven't used that but I'm gonna try!

Antifungals are hard on human livers, so I imagine he is right.

 

[MaeM]

Antifungals are hard on human livers, so I imagine he is right.

Yes, and the hen had lost her appetite - a sign of toxic hepatitis.

She started feeling better when the vet retired the antifungals AND we gave her another round of antibiotics* because that partially worked the first time. The problem is that antibiotics do not cure her and I don't know why they relieve her symptoms if she supposedly has a fungal infection, not bacterial... But this is the only vet I have access to.

I recently finished the 2nd round of antibiotics and the respiratory distress is a bit stronger, she is more sensitive to dust, etc. Honestly, at this point, I'm thinking about giving her antibiotics for the rest of her life - or until she develops resistance?

* 21-25 days of doxycycline

 

[janiedoe]

Yes, and the hen had lost her appetite - a sign of toxic hepatitis.

She started feeling better when the vet retired the antifungals AND we gave her another round of antibiotics* because that partially worked the first time. The problem is that antibiotics do not cure her and I don't know why they relieve her symptoms if she supposedly has a fungal infection, not bacterial... But this is the only vet I have access to.

I recently finished the 2nd round of antibiotics and the respiratory distress is a bit stronger, she is more sensitive to dust, etc. Honestly, at this point, I'm thinking about giving her antibiotics for the rest of her life - or until she develops resistance?

* 21-25 days of doxycycline

I think the antibiotics are given to treat secondary infections that develop, related to the fungal infection. A human with COPD, developing pneumonia, would be treated for the pneumonia. The doctor gives antibiotics to treat the bacterial pneumonia. The pneumonia is related, in that the patient, with copd is more susceptible to it, but the antibiotic treatment doesn't cure the prior condition, copd. It would, however, ease the discomfort of the related respiratory symptoms, by killing the bad bacteria . Unfortunately, the good bacteria will die too, causing an imbalance.
You will need to monitor for yeast infections, and to give a probiotic. I'd ask the vet about that.
But, I'm just guessing at all this. I wish you, and your hen, the very best of luck!