Birds Sound Congested

[J.Dogg]

Hello,

I have several of my birds that sound like they are congested. Thay all appear to be fine. Their combs, eyes, and feathers all seem to be fine. I have apple cider vinegar in their water but is there something else I need to give them? I would appreciate any help.



Scott

 

[speckledhen]

First of all, how hot has it been? Has your humidity been very high for a long time? Is there rotting vegetation in the pen like straw where you have been wetting it down to keep them cool? Lots of folks may be finding that some birds are having breathing issues with the high humidity if the birds are not used to it. And aspergillus spores can come from wet straw that is breaking down in pens where folks are wetting down the birds continually to keep them cool in the prolonged hot weather. I had this happen to three older hens in one pen and my Del rooster is having breathing troubles right now (he's never handled heat well and runs after the hens, then can't breathe, may have heart involvement). IF this is what is happening, it's sort of like a pneumonia. If not, it could be contagious.

Separate out any that are having breathing problems if you can. If it's a virus, no antibiotic will do any good. If it's bacterial, Tylan 50 injectible is what most folks use. I will use that if it's non-contagious like pneumonia, but not if it's transmittable (since I would choose to cull for anything contagious, personally).


Oxine is the best thing I know of to fix the problem if it's a fungal infection like aspergillosis or pneumonia. I brought the three old hens into the house and put an oxine solution in my cool mist vaporizer and they got several sessions daily for several days. Their breathing is back to normal now; oxine kicked out what I'm positive was a fungal infection in their lungs (aspergillosis).


http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/oxine.htm