Bird isn't breathing right , sounds like liquid in the air way , all help is appreciated

[Chicks in VA]

I haven't seen any , i will look into the float

 

[FunClucks]

Coop for 7 of them is 4x5 I believe, and 3 of them are in a mid sizes dog crate

How large is their run? Do they free range all day without a fence? If you have a fenced or enclosed area for their run, how large, and what is it made of?

 

[FunClucks]

I haven't seen any , i will look into the float

Fecal float is a good idea, to rule out worms, or identify any they may have. It should be relatively inexpensive at the vet and you only have to bring an example of fresh poo from the affected chickens, not the chickens themselves. Some respiratory infections can be present in a flock for years, but they only show symptoms at times of stress. An overload of worms could be causing enough stress that they are starting to get sick from the respiratory ailment. But that is just one possibility.

 

[Chicks in VA]

How large is their run? Do they free range all day without a fence? If you have a fenced or enclosed area for their run, how large, and what is it made of?

Electric poultry netting , it's 100ft total

 

[FunClucks]

Electric poultry netting , it's 100ft total

Rule of thumb on this forum is 4 square feet per chicken inside the coop, and at least 10 square feet per chicken in the run. My birds need more space than that because they're flighty breeds and some are large and tend towards bullying.

4'x5' = 20' / 4' = space for up to 5 hens in your coop

My XXL dog crate is only 4' x 30", and is a bit small for 3 hens. Your crate is midsize, so probably smaller, and suitable for less than 3 hens.

100' of fencing could be 100 square feet or slightly more, if you stake it out in a circle instead of a square.

Total space available to your chickens, assuming 14 square feet per chicken (in both run and coop) should be 140 square feet. Sounds like you've got ~120 square feet.

Once your chickens are better, I'd seriously consider getting them more space in the coop and also possibly the run. 100 square feet in the run is sufficient for 10 chickens, but only if they have at least 4 sq feet per chicken in the coop and they have 24/7 access to the coop.

Having enough space prevents behavior issues, minimizes disease and stress, and makes life easier when integrating new birds.

In my first flock, I had 17 chickens in 200 square ft. It was not a good time. Bullying, feather picking (very HARD to stop, if it's even possible), and stress in the flock was just not good for them. I had planned to convert a shed to a coop, but ended up not doing it, and winter added more stress, and by the end of it I had to cull my rooster and rehome 4 of my girls in order to have the proper amount of chickens for the space and deal with behavior issues that had come up. After I did that, everyone was so much happier and less stressed!

Good luck figuring out what's wrong with your birds. I wish you the best.

 

[Chicks in VA]

My XXL dog crate is only 4' x 30", and is a bit small for 3 hens. Your crate is midsize, so probably smaller, and suitable for less than 3 hen

They are bantam sized pullets , I'm not sure if they are bantams or not , I also don't know their age?

Total space available to your chickens, assuming 14 square feet per chicken (in both run and coop) should be 140 square feet. Sounds like you've got ~120 square feet.

Im building another coop right now

In my first flock, I had 17 chickens in 200 square ft. It was not a good time. Bullying, feather picking (very HARD to stop, if it's even possible), and stress in the flock was just not good for them. I had planned to convert a shed to a coop, but ended up not doing it, and winter added more stress, and by the end of it I had to cull my rooster and rehome 4 of my girls in order to have the proper amount of chickens for the space and deal with behavior issues that had come up. After I did that, everyone was so much happier and less stressed!

Good luck figuring out what's wrong with your birds. I wish you the best.

Im Workin on making more space also I plan on selling 2 of them, moving two of them to my free range pasture after this mess, so at least four of them are leaving the area maybe more.

I was literally just about to move the four then they started getting sick and I didn't want to move them and spread this.

Thank you and I promise I am working on making more space for them!!!!

 

[FunClucks]

They are bantam sized pullets , I'm not sure if they are bantams or not , I also don't know their age?

Im building another coop right now




Im Workin on making more space also I plan on selling 2 of them, moving two of them to my free range pasture after this mess, so at least four of them are leaving the area maybe more.

I was literally just about to move the four then they started getting sick and I didn't want to move them and spread this.

Thank you and I promise I am working on making more space for them!!!!

So glad you're working on getting them more space! I think you'd mentioned something about that previously, but since the space issue threw an unexpectedly large wrench in my chicken keeping, I thought I'd share.

Please get a firm diagnosis on what's wrong with your birds before you sell any of them. Once chickens get sick, they are carriers of that disease for life, regardless of whether they recover. In my opinion, it's morally wrong to sell along a bird with a contagious illness, even if it's in remission or they recovered from it, unless you give full disclosure to the person buying it. They may already have that disease in their flock and be fine with it, but there are so many diseases out there that can devastate people's flocks permanently. Full disclosure is, IMO, the responsible path forward.

 

[We love chooks]

No I just haven't been on byc much recently!

Thanks

Here is my best way to describe what's going on:
My hens are getting sick 1 about 3 years the other few are like 3 months.
They seem to have some sort of liquid or flem in there airway and makes it sound like there not breathing well, there also lethargic and seem to sneeze a lot, a few of them wheeze when I pick them up, my buff Orpingtons comb is turning black slowly and she's not laying eggs anymore.
They have been showing signs for about a week and a half but I didn't think much of it at first.
There are 10 birds in the pen and half of them have the same symptoms,no signs of trauma or bleeding.
They are eating and drinking , they are dinking a ton of water , like so a concerning amount.
I feed them kalmbach 17% layer feed!
Poop seems normal and healthy,I haven't done any treatment,.

I'm trying to find out what's wrong so I can fix them and I don't have to get a vet involved , I found one just in case though. They don't have a real coop ,they sleep in a large metal cage with a oosting pole and a tarp ( I'm working on building a coop)

You could try vetrx.
It helps with colds and breathing isues.
I use it.
Google it.
I think you might have to order it.
Maybe you can get it at the fodder store.

 

[Chicks in VA]

You could try vetrx.
It helps with colds and breathing isues.
I use it.
Google it.
I think you might have to order it.
Maybe you can get it at the fodder store.

Luckily they are better now , I did use vetrx !