Chicken slept out in rain and wind for 3 days

[HardyBlue7]

I had a silkie that slept out in the wind and rain for 3 days and when we found him he had foamy eyes and a respiratory infection (sneezing, coughing and rattly breath sounds). He did die about a month ago.
Now the entire flock that he was with is sick. It seems like a cold they just can’t beat. Can a chicken ‘catch’ a cold from bad weather or do you think he had something in him before and the bad weather brought it out? He’s from a NPIP certified hatchery and wasn’t exposed to any new birds.

I wish I would have saved him to be tested.

 

[True Patriot]

"colds" are from bacterial or viral infection. Being out in the weather probably compromised his immune system. When he came back he infected the flock. You can try something like vetrx or any of the other remedies on this site. If it's not too bad they'll probably work. If you can, bring one bird to a vet and have it tested. Treatment differs from bacterial to viral. Make sure they're staying hydrated, would be a good idea to add vitamins and electrolytes for a couple of days. Holding off on treats and keeping them on a well balanced feed will also be beneficial. I don't have much experience with respiratory infection so hopefully someone else will be able to tell you more specifically.