Help!

[Elitefarm]

I lost a hen a few days ago to what I thought was a heart problem, found her on her back with a purple comb however she had a gargled breath before hand, I came out this morning to my favorite hen with a gargled breath as well she is free ranging with the others and is still running to get treats and drinking, she laid an egg about half an hour ago as well as yesterday, I'm terrified because with the last hen she died the next morning! What can I do?! She seems a little tired but the whole flock is taking their mid day nap , she did sneeze. I treated them for worms last week I'm not sure if I used enough or too much, I used 1cc of ivermectin inbetween the shoulders.

 

[azygous]

Whenever I read that someone has wormed their chicken when it showed symptoms of illness, it reminds me of the old stand-by remedy of a spoonful of castor oil when a child would be acting a little "off". Both may target a rather remote issue, but are basically useless for the broad spectrum of possible illness.

When trying to diagnose a sick chicken, it helps to go from top to bottom and rule out the obvious and easily treated first.

Starting with the crop, do the chickens have access to grit? Have you checked the crops of these chickens showing "gargling" symptoms? An over-full crop that is not emptying can produce such noises when a chicken breathes. Check crops first thing in the morning to confirm a crop disorder since a crop should be perfectly empty at this time.

Respiratory disease can cause breathing sounds. Are the eyes and nares showing any bubbling or discharge? Have you looked inside the mouth for plaques that may be obstructing the airway and ability to swallow?

Examine the rest of the body for lumps and swelling and possible water retention. Compare the sick chicken to a well one to tell of anything seems abnormal.

The signs point to a respiratory disease, but you need to do these exams and observe your flock for any more signs that a CRD may be infecting your chickens, then treat the symptoms with Tylan once you boil it down to that being the issue.

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be a respiratory disease, but I would feel of her crop to feel if it is empty, full, firm, or puffy. A sour crop problem may cause a crop that is full of fowl liquid and it may back up into the throat. Rales or crackles during breathing are more from a respiratory infection. Make sure that your chickens are eating and drinking okay, and look at the other hen for bubbles in the eyes, swelling around an eye or the face, and frequent sneezing.

When losing a chicken, if the body is kept refrigerated, but not frozen, it can be sent to the state vet or poultry lab for a necropsy. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Elitefarm]

No bubbly eyes on any of them even the sick one she's eating and drinking fine, they all have access to grit, her crop looked empty this morning and is mostly empty still, I looked in her throat and didn't see anything but she is coughing and have seen one sneeze. No smell to her.

 

[Elitefarm]

Is there anything I'm missing?

 

[Elitefarm]

My two guesses is respitory or gape worm, that's why I wormed them what would I give them for respitory? I'd like to treat my whole flock so preferably a water thing.

 

[Elitefarm]

I gave her 1cc of tylan 50 she's acting really tired

 

[Eggcessive]

Tylan 50 dosage is 1/4 ml per pound given orally 3 times a day for 3-5 days. Gapeworm is best treated with Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer 1/4 ml per pound given for 5 consecutive days. Usually chickens with gapeworms are gasping and craning their neck just to breathe, and are not able to eat or drink. Hopefully, she will perk up soon. Make sure that she is drinking well, and I usually will offer sick chickens some cooked egg as well as their usual feed.

 

[Elitefarm]

Do you know the withdrawal for safegaurd? I'll give her some eggs! She's looking a little better after her nap :/ hope she gets better

 

[Elitefarm]

She's up and eating after the tylan should I treat thereat of them?