Chicken with a cold? Wheezing

[3homeschoolmom]

Went out to the chickens this morning and found our almost-2yo Buff Orpington hen raising her head like she was crowing, but a wheezing hiss sound coming out. Her crown and "gobble" are a funny color, too. We brought her up to the garage.

It's like she has laryngitis. Her crop is empty, so she's not been eating. We offered her water and food, but she seemed to have trouble with it b/c of trying to breathe.

My son said she just shook her head and some snot came out.

Could she just have a cold? What can we do? We won't lose her over this, will we?

 

[sammi]

most likely she will need antibiotic..
but for now..keep separated and warm.
try some ACV in the drinking water to help clear the mucus. (1-2 tablespoons in 1 gallon of water, preferably warm or tepid)
if she has trouble drinking..try drops on beak.
try and get some commercial electrolytes asap, and use in warm water.
others might have suggestions for you.
please post back for update.

 

[3homeschoolmom]

Internet trouble and couldn't reply.

I found the "sick" hen on Sat. We went out and checked the others, and found 2 more. One doing the wheezing and stretching her neck, one roo with rattling congestion.

We brought them in the house, put them in the tub and turned on the vaporizer. That seemed to help, and they stopped wheezing and started making their clucking sounds. Roo kept congestion, though.

Sat. night we moved them to the basement in a playpen I tented with the vaporizer. Sun. morning all were eating well, drinking, clucking, and the rattling seemed better. (Oh, one hen had escaped and was roosting on a clothes line!) And I got an egg. I fed them fried eggs and yogurt.

Today (Mon.), the roo started crowing! Gotta be a good sign! The first hen is clucking up a storm, but I still hear a little wheezing. Nobody is straining to breathe, though.

I read that chickens don't get "just colds", it would be a virus or bacterial infection. Of course, a cold is a virus.

Could it run it's course in a week or so, like with people? I plan on keeping them inside until all symptoms are gone, although they aren't happy about it anymore.

Does it sound like they should be okay?

 

[sammi]

keep warm, give extra protein and good feed..
some vitamins..

if they don't get better in a couple days..I'd try an antibiotic..my preference is Tylan 200 or Tylan 50 injectible, or erythromycin.
if you aren't comfortable with that..take to vet for diagnosis of viral or bacteria illness..

maybe others will have suggestions for you.

 

[kstaven]

Have you checked the coop bedding closely to see if there is mold growing in it? That will cause what you describe also.

 

[3homeschoolmom]

Moldy bedding? Hadn't thought of that, but we did take all the bedding out of the chicken shed as soon as we found the sick chickens. Our fresh straw is very clean and dry.

They all are acting and sounding better, but we found another one with congestion yesterday. She seems to be responding to the warmth and vaporizer, too.

Two are very unhappy being cooped up. I thought I'd keep them in for a week, and if they seem better, I'd put them back outside, then keep a close eye on them.

Thanks for your input. I've gotten a lot of info from this forum.

 

[N.A.P.P.]

I hav a buff orpington too, and she is wheezing. She eats and drinks normally and is running around! but her sneeze and breathing is just disturbing!!!

 

[urbanfarmer101]

When mine wheeze, I use therapy grade cypress oil on them. I put a drop on my finger or q-tip, rub it across their nose slits and down their neck feathers. Usually clears them up in a day or two. If they are really bad, they get to spend the night in the bathroom between two laundry baskets with the cold air vapor with cypress oil in it, plus the above mentioned. It works great. Just not so great with chickens in the bathroom.

 

[AndreaS]

I found this post today from threehorses. Figured i would share it here. It doesn't seem like she is on the forum much anymore, but she ALWAYS has the best advice. Here is information on boosting your birds immune systems and health to help fight a respiratory issue.....you do all of this along with whatever medicine you end up using....

If you end up needing to use Tylan 50 or some other injectable, she has an article on how to do injections i just found as well. Let me know if you'd like a link.

I am having some respiratory issues with my girls as well. I wish you the best of luck with yours.

 

[AndreaS]

somehow i posted without adding the link to threehorses article!

Ugh...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2788452