From my experience, knowledge and research, this, to me, looks like it could be one of these 4 diseases:
1. Aspergillosis
2. Mild form Infectious Bronchitis Virus
3. Mild form of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus
4. Gapeworm (just know that Gapeworm is rare for a bird to contract, especially if you’re in a climate where the seasons change.)
Aspergillosis is pretty much caused by mold from the bedding/litter or wet soil. When water is constantly sitting, it can cause the aspergillus fungi to grow and the spores of the fungus become airborne, where is where your bird can get it. Have you cleaned your coop recently? What kind of breeding/litter are you currently using? Symptoms of Aspergillosis may include coughing, gasping/gaping for air, wheezing, head shaking, weight loss and a slow or loss in production of eggs. Aspergillosis can be treated, but it’s not always effective.The sad part is, that the spores will never go away in the birds lungs and can be dormant until “activated” again. This fungus can permanently damage lungs and airsacs of birds.
Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) is a viral infection of poultry. The virus targets the trachea, possibly the lungs and reproductive system, causing respiratory distress and oddly shaped or poor quality of eggs. There is no cure or treatment for this virus, you’d have to let your birds let the virus run it’s course, but you can provide supportive care to help their immune systems fight off the virus. IBV is one of the only respiratory diseases that are not chronic, which means once your birds fight it off, that strain can’t affect them anymore, making them immune to that IBV strain. Birds remain asymptomatic carriers of the virus up to 4-6 weeks after initial first symptoms. Sadly this disease can’t badly damage a hens reproductive system, making recovered hens more prone to Salpingitis (Lash Egg), egg bound or a soft shelled egg more likely to break inside their bodies. Some hens may never lay again or lay every so often. Symptoms of IBV can include symptoms such as, gasping/gaping, sneezing, coughing, slight facial swelling, poor egg quality, misshapen eggs, wrinkly eggs, soft eggs, permanently loss of the ability to lay again and weight-loss.
Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus (ILTV) is a chronic viral respiratory infection of chickens. This disease primarily attacks the trachea, lungs and airsacs of a bird, causing potential death. The ILTV does not have a cure or treatment to help, but supportive care can help a lot push a bird through this horribly devastating disease. This disease causes bloody mucus to form in the trachea and lungs, causing a bird to sound congested and gasp for breath. Symptoms of ILTV can include, coughing (bloody mucus may or may not be coughed up), gurgling/congestion sounds from the lungs and trachea, slight facial swelling, clear jelly-like mucus in the nasal cavity, hardened yellow cheesy like pus forming around the opening of the trachea and rapid weight-loss. ILTV is a horrible disease that you shouldn’t let your bird go thru, this is my personal opiniontho because I went thru this with my flock and it’s sad and the birds are suffering. ILTV is chronic for life and any “recovered” birds will be immune-compromised and carriers of the virus for life, spreading it thru feces, bodily fluids, feathers and dander. This disease can also be transmitted thru the egg to the ovo (an embryo of a developing chick), making any newly hatched chicks sick and carriers of this disease. Chicks will almost always die from this disease. The ILTV is also a reportable disease in the United States of America, to the USDA.
Gapeworm Infestations are a parasitic infection of poultry, they are pretty rare to happen, but it’s certainly NOT impossible for your birds to get, especially if you live in a climate where is warm all-year-round. Birds can become infected by ingesting infected snails, slugs, earthworms or by already infected birds that shed out the eggs in their feces. These worms are only more common in a warmer climate because they have a chance to grow, where as in climates where seasons change all-year-round, they can’t. The Gapeworm worm eggs can remain dormant in the soil up to 2-4 years, which means you’ll have to give your birds a worming schedule. The symptoms of a Gapeworm infestation can include, gasping/gaping, difficulty breathing, coughing (may or may not cough up a worm), wheezing, head shaking and potential death if not treated right away.
Just keep in mind that not all symptoms for these disease may show, especially if it’s a mild form of the diseases. I highly suggest that you get your bird tested before treating so you don’t hurt them. You can get your birds tested here:
1.
https://www.zoologix.com/avian/index.htm
2.
http://www.vetdna.com
Good luck!
