How long to see results in duramycin for hen with respiratory illness?

[Catfish M]

My hen is around 9 months old now my first egg layer and great eggs some of which are jumbo and doubled yoke.. She has had a squeel sound and labored breathing and almost a wheez with no other signs of respiratory illness. She has all her color bright eyes no swelling anywhere still wants to play hunt bugs and drinks and eats normally and still lays an egg everyday and eggs look normal. I have her isolated in a coop byherself with deramycin in her water for the past 4 days. Her squeel "wheez" is the same and she still looks good. Been tossing her eggs but eggs still look normal. My question is when will the meds start working and when should I throw in the towel. I know the meds say she can have it for up to 14 days but when can I expect to hear normal sounds and no wheezing? She also has nothing coming out of her nostrils they are dry and look good. Please help....

 

[speckledhen]

You're assuming it isn't viral or fungal, neither of which will respond to antibiotics.

The sound you describe can also be something stuck in her windpipe--had that happen once to one of my own hens. Gave her oil by mouth and massaged her throat and it was fine by morning. A ruptured air sac could possibly cause that sound as well, but there's nothing you can really do for that other than hope it would resolve itself if you cannot find an air bubble under the skin to poke to let air escape.

If it was bacterial respiratory, I couldn't tell you how long since I won't treat contagious respiratory illness with antibiotics and have never had any here anyway.

*What I mean by that, before you ask, is that I (or any true breeders) would not treat contagious respiratory stuff due to the carrier nature of it--most of those diseases leave the bird a Typhoid Mary in your flock. If that happens here, we will cull.*

 

[Catfish M]

Thanks for the reply..I tried the oil down the throat and will check tommrow to see if it worked.If this doesn't work I am not taking chances and will cull.I have a very small flock and need all the healthy hens and eggs I can get.