Help! 6 year old rooster has broken singing, wheezing, watery eyes, and some black spots on comb.

[KevinsChickens]

Hello, so last Saturday morning (4/9) my 6 year old rooster began singing as if he were losing his voice. I checked inside his beak and everything did look normal, but my sister said he was "breathing kinda hard" (which I didn't notice). Anyways, his voice returned in the afternoon and I thought that was the end of it but Sunday morning he had the exact same singing issue and I even heard him wheezing a bit as I held his beak open and inspected the inside of it. Once again, all his issues disappeared in the afternoon. On Monday morning, I noticed his left eye was watery and swollen at the corner. At this point I knew he wasn't just losing his voice from "old age," but rather actually had something on going. I put some garlic in his water that day and his eye was a bit better Tuesday morning, but all the issues returned on Wednesday. By Wednesday I had purchased some VetRx, and put a tiny bit in his water. Not only that, but before I put him to sleep I rubbed some VetRx over his comb, waddles, the back of his head, and the base of his wings. I was hoping he'd at least wake up looking better today, but he has the same watery left eye, and I also noticed some black spots in his combs skin (not scabs) which I'm not sure come from the VetRx since he doesn't have any spots on his waddles. Please give me some advice on what to do, I don't believe this is worms but rather a respiratory issue. The thing is, there are so many different respiratory infections I just don't know what it is or how to diagnose him. Thanks for the help.

Some additional information:
My plan is to continue giving him water with VetRx daily, but rub some on him before sleep like I did Wednesday but every 2 days for 2 weeks. Is this a good plan?
He is still energetic as ever.
As of Tuesday his singing has returned fully, but it's no where near what it used to be (before Saturday).
I have videos on his "broken singing," where his voice would drop off completely in the middle of singing, and videos on his current singing which kind of sounds like a child screaming.
His voice in general does sound a bit different, kind of like when a person is sick and you can tell it in their voice.
His stool looks completely normal.
His right eye looks completely normal.
Sometimes I catch him wheezing, but it's usually in the mornings or after he chases after me. It’s very noticeable when I open his beak.
He has nothing coming out of his nostrils, they seem fine.
When I looked down his beak, I used my phones flash and didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
He has not been sneezing, coughing, breathing with his beak open, or reaching for air. Don't even remember the last time I've seen him "yawn" either.
He is extremely vocal, literally impossible to get him to shut up, but I don't think his constant chirping tired his voice out.
He has a little 5 month old hen friend, which we got him 2 months ago. She seems absolutely fine, but should we also treat her too?
Before his new friend, he was a lone rooster for around 2 1/2 years, we had another hen that died when they were both around 3.
He and his friend are silkie chicken bantams.
He has slept in a big cage covered with blankets inside of a shack in my backyard for the past 5 years.
We have been giving him "Manna Pro Mixed Grain Scratch," or food at least similar to it when we can't find it in stores, for the past 5 years.
If any treatment is recommended, please let it be on Amazon so I can get it here as soon as possible with prime.
(Picture of his eye is from Monday morning, picture of his comb is from today, Thursday morning)

 

[azygous]

Yes, the VetRX is a good idea. It's a good product and can help him be more comfortable until this upper respiratory infection either runs its course or is successfully treated.

These often clear up on their own, but if you wish to hurry it along so it doesn't infect the other chickens, find Tylan 50 and you can treat him for three to five days. It's an injectible med, but giving it orally to chickens is preferred. The Tylan 50 dose is 0.2 ml per pound of bodyweight 3-4 times a day.You can buy it at Tractor Supply or order it here. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30E07BC1-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5

 

[KevinsChickens]

Yes, the VetRX is a good idea. It's a good product and can help him be more comfortable until this upper respiratory infection either runs its course or is successfully treated.

These often clear up on their own, but if you wish to hurry it along so it doesn't infect the other chickens, find Tylan 50 and you can treat him for three to five days. It's an injectible med, but giving it orally to chickens is preferred. The Tylan 50 dose is 0.2 ml per pound of bodyweight 3-4 times a day.You can buy it at Tractor Supply or order it here. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30E07BC1-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5

Thank you so much for replying! I have a couple questions if you don’t mind, is the way I’m using vetrx good or would you change it? How long would you say it takes to clear up on it’s own? And at what point do I call a vet if no improvement is seen? Thanks!

 

[azygous]

If you wish, you may call a vet at any time to confirm this diagnosis and treatment. Tylan 50 is a good broad spectrum antibiotic, easy and safe to give orally, and available without a prescription.

You're doing great using the VetRX as you are doing. Keep it up. I'd give it five to seven days for the respiratory symptoms to clear up, but if they worsen before then, I suggest going right to the Tylan. Or if other chickens come down with symptoms, get those showing symptoms on the antibiotic.

 

[KevinsChickens]

If you wish, you may call a vet at any time to confirm this diagnosis and treatment. Tylan 50 is a good broad spectrum antibiotic, easy and safe to give orally, and available without a prescription.

Thank you very much. Sadly, it seems I cannot purchase the Tylan 50 you linked as here in California you need a vet prescription. Also, it seems the wheezing has become much more noticeable in my rooster, as although I can’t hear it from a couple feet away, I can definitely hear it when holding him, and even much more when I open his beak. Along with that, just now I began to hear a sort of croaking coming from him when he breathes. Any advice on that? Thanks!

 

[azygous]

Drat those California laws against antibiotics. Overkill.

Do you have a vaporizer or a mister? You can help him by putting some Betadine in the water and misting it over him so he can breathe better. The Betadine will help kill the bacteria that is causing the infection and it's safe for him to breathe.

Or fill a spray bottle and mist that over him every half hour or so.

 

[KevinsChickens]

Drat those California laws against antibiotics. Overkill.

Do you have a vaporizer or a mister? You can help him by putting some Betadine in the water and misting it over him so he can breathe better. The Betadine will help kill the bacteria that is causing the infection and it's safe for him to breathe.

Or fill a spray bottle and mist that over him every half hour or so.

No I do not, damn I’m missing out on a lot of poultry medicine. All I have is vetrx and diatomaceous earth. I’ve already put him to sleep but left more openings in his cage so he could breath better. Do you recommend anything else? I appreciate the help.

 

[azygous]

You can use the VetRX in water in a spray bottle to mist over him so he breathes it in. This may help him breathe easier.

 

[azygous]

This is like a human cold in that it will run its course and he'll get better. That's the usual scenario. But if he gets worse, you will need to ask a vet to write a prescription for the Tylan 50.

 

[nuthatched]

Does the laws in california also cover fish mox? Feeding him real chick food will help him maintain his health once he's well, like flock raiser or all flock. Also, pitch the diatomaceous earth it's bad for anything with lungs.