How to treat Coughing Chickens with New No-Antibiotic law

[Kiki]

Have you ever worMED them? Gape worm causes coughing too.

 

[Lelilamom]

I've never seen evidence that they have worms.

 

[Kiki]

One usually would never sees worms until they are actually wormed,
I was just asking because coughing is a sign of gape worm.

 

[Kiki]

What is your reason for using DE in the coop?

You may want to read through this thread...
It's only a couple of pages.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/murray-mcmurray-chick-delivery.1151233/

 

[hmlamberson]

I've never seen evidence that they have worms.

I wormed mine with safeguard as a precautionary. I hear if they have gapeworm you can generally swab their throats and see red "strings" on the cotton swab which are actually the gape worm.

 

[hmlamberson]

The original two hens who started it all had stopped coughing as of last weekend. Several others have started and stopped while others are still going. One of my original hens that started and stopped is now at it again as of today but very infrequently. I should note that she is a RIR, and has always had trouble with eating/drinking ever since we found her with string wrapped around her tongue and had a really tough time getting that string off. That was over three years ago and she's always choked and wheezed, sneezed, hiccuped and generally made alot of noise especially when she ate.

I treated them all with VetRX for a solid week. It's been almost a week since I stopped and I'm going to start again tonight. The rain and cold I feel is my worst enemy here. No sooner do they all seem to be over it that we get 45 degree weather and days of rain and they all start back again.

No break in eating, drinking or laying. I do have one girl who sounds "gurgly" when she breaths and she seems reluctant to run after treats but otherwise she isn't snickering sneezing or showing other issues.

Thanks for your quick reply. Im going to try more of the VetRX and see what progresses. Im keeping the 2 hens showing the coughing signs separate. This is exhausting as I've wormed my flock as well as using Duramycin powder dissolved in their water. The coughing hens sound gross but they look and act totally normal. They eat, drink and lay eggs as they should but it just gets under my skin they sound that way. I don't want any others to sound like this either.

 

[Lelilamom]

What is your reason for using DE in the coop?

To keep the flies and smell down. I've never seen mites but I use DE as a precaution for those as well. We dust the poop boards and coop floor after we clean and before we put down new straw.

We've processed hundreds of birds and have yet to see a worm. I haven't seen evidence of worms via any other symptom and really don't want to medicate my entire flock without reason.

 

[haejungkim]

How did you use Vetrx? I tried it on my coughing chick but I only swabbed her beak and inside of her mouth with a cotton swab. Are you really suppose to give them a whole teaspoon? Nothing in the instructions said to give them that much. Just curious if giving them that much works in curing them.

 

[chickens really]

If you can?...Heat the coop over night?...If coop is too warm?..Better ventilation ...Lots if times these things will clear up on their own...

 

[Chickenkeepr]

Where in NY are you? I'm in the northern portion and I'm dealing with something similar in my birds. Brought by some new birds that were carriers (I'm suspecting, they haven't become ill yet). I've been treating with Tylan50 injections and most of them are really improving but I have a Brahma that I may have to tube hydrate and feed tonight.