Brooder Pneumonia

[Anabariful]

We had a hen pass away in April, then a rooster in May, and had to have another hen euthanized yesterday. We had the rooster sent in for a necropsy back when he passed and vet confirmed it was pneumonia and administer an antibiotic to the rest of my flock. Yesterday, when the second hen was very ill and euthanized, we discovered it too was pneumonia. After some research and inspections, it turns out we have Brooder Pneumonia and mold spores in the barn where we have their coops.

We moved everyone outside and thoroughly cleaned out their coops with water, apple cider vinegar w/mother, an alcohol due to me reading it was effective in cleaning out the spores.

Okay.. soo.. I am obviously going to do a thorough cleanup of the barn but am concerned that I cannot put their coops back in there this winter when things get really cold. Should I just leave their coops outside to prevent anyone getting it? I read that Aspergillosis spores are really hard to get rid of and have some resistance to fungicides. I'm essentially worried the barn won't ever be "clean" again due to it being an all wooden old barn.

Also, I read that eggs can have the mold spores inside? Is it safe to eat eggs from my hens? I don't *think* anyone else has it but chickens are good at hiding illnesses so I'm kinda waiting it out to see.

Anyone have any experience with Brooder Pneumonia? Is it best just to cull everyone and start fresh next spring with a new barn?

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you sure the diagnosis was aspergillosis, or did the vet say "pneumonia?" Brooder pneumonia is another name for aspergillosis when it affects yound chicks in a brooder. Older chickens can get many different respiratory diseases including aspergillosis from mold, mycoplasma or coryza from bacteria, and viral diseases such as infectious bronchitis, ILT, and more. Air sacculitis can occur as a secondary bacterial infection in all of those diseases. We can help you more if we know a few more details about the disease. If the problem is truly caused from mold and aspergillosis, fixing any wet areas, keeping the bedding clean and dry, adding as much overhead air circulation as possible, adding a fan to a hot coop, and preventing dust can help breathing. There is a product called oxine that can be used in coops to help with mold. Just Google "oxine use in chickens," to get more info about it.

 

[Anabariful]

Are you sure the diagnosis was aspergillosis, or did the vet say "pneumonia?" Brooder pneumonia is another name for aspergillosis when it affects yound chicks in a brooder. Older chickens can get many different respiratory diseases including aspergillosis from mold, mycoplasma or coryza from bacteria, and viral diseases such as infectious bronchitis, ILT, and more. Air sacculitis can occur as a secondary bacterial infection in all of those diseases. We can help you more if we know a few more details about the disease. If the problem is truly caused from mold and aspergillosis, fixing any wet areas, keeping the bedding clean and dry, adding as much overhead air circulation as possible, adding a fan to a hot coop, and preventing dust can help breathing. There is a product called oxine that can be used in coops to help with mold. Just Google "oxine use in chickens," to get more info about it.

Thanks for the help and post! Vet just said Pneumonia and said the rooster's lungs were completely shot. Then he gave a powder antibiotic to put in their water for 5-7 days. I can't remember the name of it.

We truly "think" Aspergillosis due to them all displaying the tell-tale signs: labored breathing/gasping, lack of appetite, increase thirst, lethargic, weight loss, seizures, spitting up fluid that is green/yellow, diarrhea, etc. I'm sure all respiratory illnesses can have similar symptoms though.

Our barn is old, wooden, and the ventilation isn't the greatest. Also, our ducks unfortunately have made a mess of things by running around knocking feed and spilling water. We do allow water in their pens as well due to the heat and their bedding gets wet often. Again, we try to change as often as possible to keep things as clean as possible. We do sweep up and clean weekly but I just figured with the heat and humidity that it may have caused the mold count to increase?

I checked the chickens all today and one hen *might* have a slight raspy sound. She'll occasionally make it then sound normal. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

The chickens and rooster are 5 months old, free range, and only caged up at bedtime.

I can't really think of any more details. I apologize. They all went downhill kinda quickly. I remember this past week the rooster had just started mounting the hens and I was thinking maybe they would start laying. Then about 2 days later she showed up in the barn with vent gleet where her bottom was completely coated in liquid white stool. I noticed she was straining a lot and she kept going in and out of the nesting box. I checked her vent internally and no egg was stuck. She then laid an egg that had blood on it. I noticed her breathing was really labored. I then immediately separated her and monitored her. She wouldn't eat but guzzled water. We kept her for 24+ hours force feeding her yogurt, scrambled eggs, mash, apple cider water, etc. She became very lethargic, sleepy, would constantly be laying down and blinking or closing her eyes, very slow walking. After that we put her down.

 

[Anabariful]