Hen sounding congested with a smelly mucus coming from beak!

[Liz Birdlover]

Thank you! I am going to talk to the vet tomorrow about a necropsy so I can be sure. At this point, I am willing to pay the price just to know! I guess there is still the possibility that it isn’t Coryza, and her face could be swelling due to something else. Do you know if fowl pox or any other sicknesses cause a puffy face?

My friend with the MG, her Roo's eyes swelled. When she pushed a bit, mucus would come out of the eye, nares & globs of it in the beak cleft. The bad breath odor was nasty. She said the lab guy did swab tests to diagnose her Roo & a few hens...while alive, they do not have to be dead for testing. You need to get this bird tested so you know what you're dealing with.

MG & Coryza have similar symptoms.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chickens-eyes-swelling-have-pics-please-please-help.990792/

https://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/mycoplasma/

Medicines used (some survive, some don't)
Coryza
Erythromycin and oxytetracycline are usually beneficial. Several new-generation antibiotics (eg, fluoroquinolones, macrolides) are active against infectious coryza. Various sulfonamides, sulfonamide-trimethoprim, and other combinations have been successful.
MG
The efficacy of treatment with single dose administration of 5 drugs at different dosages to layer hens naturally infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum was studied. The drugs were tiamulin, which was administered orally, tylosin (parenterally and orally), spiramycin (orally), long-acting oxytetracycline (parenterally) and tylosindihydrostreptomycin (parenterally). Cure was assessed by the absence of nasal discharge. The cure rate was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in treated hens than in untreated hens, as early as 1 day after treatment. Remission for 33 days was achieved in 60% of hens treated with 100 mg oxytetracycline, in 100% of hens treated with 100 mg or 200 mg spiramycin, in 92% and 85% of hens treated with 100 mg tylosin, parenterally and orally, and in 89% and 88% of birds given 100 mg tiamulin and tylosin-dihydrostreptomycin, respectively.

 

[Raeganmh02]

I talked to the vet I know. He said I probably know more about chickens then he did, but he told me he could do a saliva test or another kind of live test, but he said it would be very expensive. He told me my best bet was to send it in to the Purdue Extension for a necropsy. It would be much cheaper that way. I am considering this option, since the one hen is getting really bad anyway and she is in a lot of pain. I am also kinda broke right now Has anyone ever sent in their bird for a necropsy? I have read that you take it to your nearest department of Agriculture. I am sure there is a certain way to cull it and bag it. I will continue research on this.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a list of your state vets for necropsy, and this link has some info about keeping the body before necropsy:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

You can get mail in testing done privately but more expensively through Zoologix lab in TX:
http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is another link about sending a body through the mail overnight, although taking it in person is much less expensive and quicker:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-in-california.73562/

 

[Raeganmh02]

Thank you for the links and advice! If I for sure do a necropsy, I’ll probably take it in to them since it’s cheaper and less of a hassle.