hen sounds congested

[racoxy]

anyone know what to do if your hen sounds congested? she's still walking around and eating. doesn't really act like she doesn't feel well. but when I listen to her breathe you can hear like a congestion.

any suggestions?

 

[laceynoelle]

She could have a respitory infection. I know chickens can get them, but I have no idea how to cure them. I hope someone else does, and I'll bump this back to the top so someone else can take a look at it. Can you answer some questions? Like age, any other problems with the flock, any recent airborne debris, etc. Good Luck.

 

[racoxy]

She's about 1 year, 1 1/2 years. Rest of the flock doesn't sound like her, she's the only one. Just noticed it last night.

Nothing's changed with their coop or around our house.
Is a respiratory infection serious, could she die from it?

 

[chickee]

Quote:
I would look up Mycoplasma (MS) almost all flocks carry the disease. The symptoms show up when the bird is stressed or has another disease on top of it. I read that adding flax oil to their diet helps and I would give her a boost with GQF Vitamins Plus powder in the water. It is highly contagious, but your other birds won't show symptoms if they are in good condition. It can also be passed to the offspring through the eggs if the parent birds are showing symptoms. A good way to prevent the symptoms is to add Denagard to their feed to prevent outbreaks. Good luck!

 

[speckledhen]

I would look up Mycoplasma (MS) almost all flocks carry the disease.

Maybe in some areas of the country, but I would disagree with that generalized statement. Makes people lazy about biosecurity. All past tests on birds out of my flock bought by NPIP folks who test for MG have come up negative.



Could be a fungal infection. Makes them sound like a percolator. No discharges usually, they act okay, but gurgle deep down inside when they breathe because of fluid in trachea/lungs. Check out my thread about fungal infections and see if the symptoms fit. That is NOT contagious and the weather, hot and humid, that we've had, set lots of flocks up for it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=560301


If it is contagious, as MG and MS are, my only advice would be to cull. I never advise treatment for contagious respiratory illness. If you treat a fungal infection with an antibiotic, thinking it's MG, it will do nothing for the infection. Only an anti fungal treatment will have any affect on it.​