Four year old australorp with a cough

[Mugento]

Hello, I noticed that our australorp has developed a cough. She is still eating and drinking, and doesn't seem out of sorts. The cough does not sound phlegmy and she'll just have one cough here and there. It sounds like a cross between a cluck and a cough. No one else in the flock seems affected. Yet. The chickens have a large (40m2) pen and they are not locked in the house at any point. We do have sparrows that are always on the prowl for dropped pellets but it is winter here so the sparrow numbers have been low. The weather has been chilly over the past couple of weeks (~5-15C) and we have had a fair bit of rain but the chicken house is pretty large (~6m2) so there is plenty of room for her to come inside and stay out of the weather. Does she need antibiotics or are there any home remedies that I should try? What should I be looking for to know if this is a vet visit?

 

[Eggcessive]

It doesn’t sound very serious if it is occurring occasionally. I would continue to just watch her and listen, and make sure that she is eating and drinking, and acting normally. Respiratory diseases usually cause other symptoms, such as sneezing every few minutes, watery or bubbly/foamy eyes, swelling around an eye or the face, nasal drainage, and crackly breathing. Some diseases are caused by virus, bacteria or mycoplasma, or mold fungus. There can be some symptoms from environmental reasons, including dust and pollen.

 

[Mugento]

It doesn’t sound very serious if it is occurring occasionally. I would continue to just watch her and listen, and make sure that she is eating and drinking, and acting normally. Respiratory diseases usually cause other symptoms, such as sneezing every few minutes, watery or bubbly/foamy eyes, swelling around an eye or the face, nasal drainage, and crackly breathing. Some diseases are caused by virus, bacteria or mycoplasma, or mold fungus. There can be some symptoms from environmental reasons, including dust and pollen.

Thank you, that help a lot!