Chicken asthma?

[pvidaurri]

So my chicken vet can’t figure it out … my 2 year old girl has no parasites, no infection, no discharge anywhere, she’s eating fine, preening, dirt bathing, everything normal. Except, she will periodically gasp and wheeze for a few minutes, then stop, and she hasn’t been laying, and she is molting. This has been going on for about 3 weeks now. It’s almost like an asthma attack that humans have. Could this be part of molting? My other two ladies are just fine.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I suspect mild CRD, Chronic Respiratory Disease, which is common in chickens (50% transmission, only 5% death). Often obtained through mother to egg. Comes and goes. Acts like asthma, especially when the weather is changing or the immune system is lowered (molting).

There really isn't anything you can do to treat it other than support the immune system unless the infection is acute. Then antibiotics help. I found fresh garlic in the feed and elderberry tincture in the water helped.

Be aware that if it is CRD, it is contagious, though many birds show no symptoms.

LofMc