Coughing, spreading like wildfire

[AliGabaree]

Hey guys!
I had this beautiful blue Cochin pullet that came down with a cough. She starting getting lethargic, sleeping all the time and closing her eyes and unfortunately she died suddenly one day. Now the rest of my chickens are coughing. They aren't acting lethargic or down or anything, they seem their happy ole selves but do have a cough. I've tried treating with corid but upon further research that is only going to help with cocciddiosis, which seems unlikely here. What else can I do to help them get better? I'm a first time chicken owner and have no clue. I have some chicks that will be feathered out in a few weeks and woukd like to have the flock healthy and happy before introductions are made!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Sorry to hear you've loss a hen and others are sick.

Coughing is a sign of respiratory distress usually brought on from illness.

Viruses spread quickly, bacterial infections tend to spread more slowly.

There are a number of respiratory illnesses which chickens can get. Usually other symptoms come as well which give a clue such as nasal and eye discharge, swollen sinuses, diarrhea, etc.

Infectious Bronchitis is viral, and can spread quickly. Milder strains merely present in a cough or rasping. Most birds recover with just TLC. If it hits the kidneys, a bird can go down quickly.

For viral, all you can do is give TLC with something like Vet Rx under their chins. I like to give elderberry tincture in the water. It seems to help break up the congestion too.

For bacterial infections, such as MG (Mycoplasma Gallesepticum), Tylan, which can be found at the feedstore in injectible form, can be administered by mouth. Or, you can get FishMox which is amoxicillin.

MG often presents in just coughing. If she was really congested, she may not have been able to breathe well enough. Usually MG is pretty mild, although a bird becomes a lifelong carrier. It tends to turn into CRD (chronic respiratory disease) which is basically chicken asthma. Any stressor will bring on an attack. You control with antibiotics but can never eradicate. (Industry has an all in/all out program to keep flocks clean from MG as it is transmissible to the chick in the egg).

Search on BYC for dosage recommendations as I don't have those in my head memorized.