Emergency---chicken can't breathe

[chrys64moore]

My chicken started sneezing yesterday, and was gasping for air this morning. She's been inside with a heating disk since last night. We have given her drinking water w/ Tylan200 and doxy, and because I'm not sure if she's drinking, we also gave her Tylan200 orally (1/2cc). I don't think there's a whole lot we can do from this point on, but I thought I'd ask...would a humidifier be helpfull? Seems like it would only add to what she's experiencing with her breathing problem. Thanks~Chrys

 

[Michael Apple]

Did you look in the back of the bird's mouth? No gape worms? Tylan and Doxycycline at the same time is too much. There's a antibiotic called Denagard that is very effective against upper respiratory problems. Even so, an injection of Tylan 50 at 1/2 cc under the skin on the back of the neck would get in the bloodstream quicker. For quick relief, some warm VetRX soaked on a Q-tip might help. Take the soaked Q-tip and dab it on the roof of the bird's mouth near the back of the throat. If the nostrils are clogged, you could try a sinus flush. Here's a thread for it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/78831/clogged-nostril-on-my-silkie-hen

 

[chrys64moore]

Can I give the Denagard today, or do I need to wait for awhile after giving the Baytril? Honestly, I don't see her making it through the day, she's getting weaker and weaker. Thank you so much for your reply, I was hoping someone would be able to tell me more.

 

[Michael Apple]

The only way I know of to administer the Denagard would be 16cc per gallon of water. If the bird isn't drinking that could be a problem. With respiratory stress you want to be careful force feeding/watering with a syringe as to not get liquid in the bird's lungs. You used Doxy, Tylan together and Baytril? Too much at one time. If you had time, I'd say wait a day or two with vitamins/electrolytes/probiotics in the water. I hope it isn't too late for your bird. You might as well use the Denagard and nothing else except the VetRX like I mentioned. I wish I had more answers. Perhaps someone else can help.

 

[dawg53]

Can I give the Denagard today, or do I need to wait for awhile after giving the Baytril? Honestly, I don't see her making it through the day, she's getting weaker and weaker. Thank you so much for your reply, I was hoping someone would be able to tell me more.

Not knowing what respiratory disease you're dealing with is a problem. Baytril is a good choice for most respiratory diseases, denagard is specifically for mycoplasma diseases (MG,MS,MM.) If it's coryza, sulmet in conjunction with tylan or baytril will treat it. However, you can tell if it's coryza because there's a foul odor that accompanies the disease.
If it were gapeworms, your bird would be dead by now. Medications added in water for birds to drink is useless, sick birds wont drink, if they do, it's not enough to be effective treatment. Injecting with tylan is best. You have to give medications time to do their job, it wont happen overnight.

 

[peepinator]

I hope you figure out how to treat her. I had something similar happen this week and after feeding and medicating with a dropper/syringe, I lost her about an hour or so ago. She was weak and had some rattling going on in her breathing. I'm not sure if I over medicated or overfed her with the syringe. She was pooping, but it was runny and I thought if I could keep water & yogurt in her, she'd do better. I don't know...this is the second time I've tried to save an ill hen and both times after a few days they died. It might be for the better though as I wasn't sure if she had Infectious Bronchitis or not and I hadn't read anything positive about reintroducing a bird back into the flock after having had that as it doesn't go away and can later infect other birds. My biggest concern now is...if what she had was contagious, how long of an incubation period before my other chickens get it? I moved her into a seperate area by herself for a couple days inside the coop and then after her stopping eating and drinking, I brought her up to the house and have been nursing her since Friday...but lost her today. Do you have your hen quarantined away from your other birds?

 

[chrys64moore]

Michael---sorry, I keep writing Baytril instead of Tylan, maybe because I wish I could get my hands on some...it's just the Tylan and doxy. I searched all over for Denagard this afternoon, no luck. I'm wondering if I can get it here in the state of Maine or if it's controlled up here. I don't know if I have any time to wait with her, but I am thinking maybe I should have been paying more attention in the first place. Thank you for the information, though.

 

[chrys64moore]

Thanks, dawg53---not knowing *is* the problem, you're right...I will try Tylan as an injection. Although I'm not sure when I can give her that---I dosed her orally at 11am this morning, so how long should I wait? There's no smell, just gasping in and wheezing out, head and neck outstretched. No secretions from eyes or nose that I can see. She's made it to this afternoon, which is about 18 hours longer than I had expected, so all I can do is wait. If she makes it through the night I'll be shocked. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[chrys64moore]

Peepinator---I have a feeling this is something chronic that comes out when the birds are stressed...I have another one who had this problem right after I got her, although not as severe, who recovered after a few days on antibiotics. The one that has it now had to be separated from the other birds and put into a holding pen inside the coop because she kept fighting with the rooster and had a bloody bare spot on her neck that I was worried would send the other birds into a pecking frenzy. She could still see the birds, and they all cuddled up together next to the wire at night, but she was obviously very upset about being in the pen None of the other birds are showing any symptoms, but I'm treating them all anyway. I brought her in last night when I found her and put her in a warm, dark room in a carrier with a heating disk. I opened the door this afternoon so she could get out if she wanted to, but she doesn't seem to want to come out. Or she's too weak, maybe. She layed an egg sometime this afternoon, poor thing. But yes, she's away from the other birds. So sorry about your hens---hope none of your other birds get sick!