Can you stop a respitory infection before it starts??

[Dez]

We have had a bad week for our chickens.

I had 2 hens just start of laying. A EE and RIR. Last week a raccoon raided the coop when when we did not get home before dark to shut them up. The coon killed my RIR leaving the EE as the only chicken.

Worried that my EE would be lonely we went down the street and picked up another chicken. This was on Saterday. This chicken was a little smaller. We showed the new bird to the EE and she pecked her back a few times but besides that it was the only interaction.

We kept the new bird separate. After having the new bird 8 hours I noticed she had one watery eye.. then began to notice she was very rattley when she breathed and breath with her mouth open...there was clear nasal discharge. I became increasing worried that we had gotten a sick bird and took her back to the farm I got her on Monday morning. (So I had this new bird Saturday morning to Monday Morning)

I disinfected the coop with spray that says it kills flu, bacteria and fungus. I even sprayed some of the grass in the area the new bird had been hanging out... . and changed all the bedding.

I gave our EE some electro light water

Last night was the first night she spent in the coop since the raccoon attack (we been letting her sleep in a dog crate in the house and the other bird was sleeping outside in the coop) . She was reluctant to go in.

This morning I find her sleeping by the door of the house with her head tucked. If i listen closely I hear a soft 'growling sound' almost like she is snoring. She has coughed two times... once while drinking water and another when she was sleeping and woke up.

Her eyes are bright and not watery and no snot. But I am soooooooooooo worried she caught some sickness from this sick chicken even though they where not interacting together.


Is there anything I can do or give her to ward off an Respiratory infection before it starts??? I have also not gotten any eggs from the EE since the raccoon.. unless she is laying them somewhere other than the coop.

I really want to bring in another bird companion for her too..

 

[Dez]

Should I run down to tractor supply and get some Tylan 50 and give it to her just in case??

I also have some Orbax oral antibiotic for some of my lizards.. its an oral antibotic in the baytril family.

 

[top of the hill]

Not sure this will be all that helpful,
but I have a couple sneezing girls (I myslef am sneezing) so I added Denegard to their drinking water. Here is the thread I just wrote or better yet, there is tons of info on the product on BYC site.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=577694

I've also read something about Oxine - you mist it into the coop.

Hope this helps!

 

[Dez]

Well I went down to Tractor Supply .. I didn't see any Denegard but they had Tylan 50 injectable.

When I got back my EE was weezing a bit more so she has already gotten worse since this morning. Still no discharge and no watery eyes.

I injected 1/2 cc of tylan into her breast on the the left side. She took it without a flinch.

Hopfully she will start acting like her old self soon.

From everything I read that even if she appears to get better she may always be a carrier of the sickness and because of this people suggest having a closed flock... Thing is she IS the flock. She is the only chicken left since her buddy Penny was killed. I really wanted to bring in another hen to keep her company..

 

[top of the hill]

I hope she starts showing signs of recovery fo you! I had to order my Denegard online and it took a few days to arrive.

you should find your girl a buddy, chickens are very social.... perhaps try again when your EE is feeling better?? at the very least, perhaps a small stuffed animal could keep her company (people have done it with chicks, not sure about hens)

keeping my fingers crossed for you!

 

[Dez]

I just wanted to give an update

Our hen has recovered and is acting like a chicken once again!

For 4 days (Mon-Thurs) she has slight gurgling in her throat but had no discharge or watery eyes at all.. Her eyes remained bright throughout. Other symptoms where; she was not very active.. was puffed up and had her tail down. I am not sure if this was all her feeling sick or it was reaction to getting a shot and being sore from the injections.

Still ate and drank normally. Poop was a little watery at first but had returned to normal.

I started Tylan 50 injections on day one. I gave her a total of 4 injections or .5 CC over 4 days I also gave her some Safeguard wormer on day 2 in the slight chance her gurgling and occasional gaping was actually Gapeworm (doubt it but hey why not)..

Gave her some plain yogurt on Thursday and she ate it up

Friday morning she popped out of the coop seeming to be all better. For the last 5 days she has been acting like her old self. Though she has not laid an egg since the Raccoon attack on 9/23

I am not exactly sure what was ailing her and I fully understand the 'carrier status' I don't plan on breeding and hatching my own chickens but I do plan on getting her one or two companions for her soon

I did order some Denagaurd to have it on hand if I need it in the future.