I suggest that you take one of your actively sick birds or an already deceased bird to your local government extension or if you’re in the US, get into contact with your State of Agriculture veterinarian for testing to be done. There are also online laboratories that you can fill out a form for and send in as well. I’ll link them below.
There are many many MANY different respiratory diseases and they all have symptoms that mimic one another. It’s very difficult to pinpoint a specific disease, however, there are small details within these diseases that can make them unique. Are they eyes filled with puss? Do they have thick yellow snot coming from their nostrils? Sniff around their nostrils and beak for a nasty foul smell— similar to that of a fishy-like smell or a dead carcass smell. If there is a smell, then you’re most likely dealing with a respiratory infection called Infectious Coryza, which is caused by a bacteria called Haemophilus Paragallinarum. Infectious Coryza is a chronic lifelong disease of poultry. This infection is know. For its foul smell and pus buildup within the eyes of sinus cavities. Infectious Coryza can cause thick yellow-to-whiteish mucus from the nostrils as well as causing fluid to build up within the trachea.
Another common respiratory disease called Chronic Respiratory Disease (also goes by the name of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG)) is a bacterial disease of poultry caused by the Mycobacterium/Mycoplasmosis bacterium and is the number 1 cause of respiratory infections worldwide. About 60% of backyard flocks already carry or have been exposed to this bacteria sometime in their lifetime. Most birds will show mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, making them asymptomatic carriers of the bacteria. When symptoms do become more severe, most birds will have swollen eyes or sinus cavities as well as chronic sneezing and coughing.
Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus (ILT) is a viral infectious of chickens. It is a distant cousin of the Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) and is caused by the Gallid Alphaherpesvirus 1. ILT can cause a high mortality of death because the trachea can be filled with thick, bloody mucus, causing birds to slowly suffocate to death. Some birds may never cough up blood, while others may. ILT mimics MG/CRD more than any other respiratory disease. Sadly since ILT is caused by a virus— it cannot be treated nor cured. All birds that are infected with ILT will remain as lifetime long carriers or the virus as well as spreading it the same way as I’ve stated above.
Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) is also caused by a virus — therefore, making it untreatable and incurable as well. IBV is caused by the Avian Coronavirus which can affect both the respiratory tract or reproductive tract. IBV can cause no to severe permanent reproductive issues, causing eggs to be laid misshapen, loss of pigmentation of the egg shell (color), soft or no egg shell as well as increasing the risk for Lash Eggs to occur or an egg breaking internally. As for the respiratory tract, IBV can cause mild to moderate sneezing, coughing and ocular discharge.
Infectious Coryza and MG/CRD are easily managed and treatable with antibiotics, however, it does not cure either disease. Almost ALL respiratory diseases are chronic infections of poultry and symptoms will return during stressful situations (new home, new coop, weather or season changes, etc), therefore, making birds actively sick again. Unfortunately, they will carry the disease and spread/shed it through feces, feathers, dander, respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids (blood, saliva, etc). So it is recommended to keep a closed flock— meaning no bringing in new birds into your flock and have no birds leave your flock. As awesome as MG/CRD is, it can also be spread through the eggs to the offspring, making hatching chicks already infected with the bacteria— so it’s also not recommended to breed and sell chicks or hatching eggs to others.
I hope this little bit of information can help you. As I stated above, I recommend testing so you can rule out what it could be or not be. As for the online laboratories that you can fill a form for, I’ll list them here:
Research Associates Laboratory/Vet DNA (RAL) - https://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird
Zoologix - https://www.zoologix.com/avian/index.htm
There are many many MANY different respiratory diseases and they all have symptoms that mimic one another. It’s very difficult to pinpoint a specific disease, however, there are small details within these diseases that can make them unique. Are they eyes filled with puss? Do they have thick yellow snot coming from their nostrils? Sniff around their nostrils and beak for a nasty foul smell— similar to that of a fishy-like smell or a dead carcass smell. If there is a smell, then you’re most likely dealing with a respiratory infection called Infectious Coryza, which is caused by a bacteria called Haemophilus Paragallinarum. Infectious Coryza is a chronic lifelong disease of poultry. This infection is know. For its foul smell and pus buildup within the eyes of sinus cavities. Infectious Coryza can cause thick yellow-to-whiteish mucus from the nostrils as well as causing fluid to build up within the trachea.
Another common respiratory disease called Chronic Respiratory Disease (also goes by the name of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG)) is a bacterial disease of poultry caused by the Mycobacterium/Mycoplasmosis bacterium and is the number 1 cause of respiratory infections worldwide. About 60% of backyard flocks already carry or have been exposed to this bacteria sometime in their lifetime. Most birds will show mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, making them asymptomatic carriers of the bacteria. When symptoms do become more severe, most birds will have swollen eyes or sinus cavities as well as chronic sneezing and coughing.
Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus (ILT) is a viral infectious of chickens. It is a distant cousin of the Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) and is caused by the Gallid Alphaherpesvirus 1. ILT can cause a high mortality of death because the trachea can be filled with thick, bloody mucus, causing birds to slowly suffocate to death. Some birds may never cough up blood, while others may. ILT mimics MG/CRD more than any other respiratory disease. Sadly since ILT is caused by a virus— it cannot be treated nor cured. All birds that are infected with ILT will remain as lifetime long carriers or the virus as well as spreading it the same way as I’ve stated above.
Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) is also caused by a virus — therefore, making it untreatable and incurable as well. IBV is caused by the Avian Coronavirus which can affect both the respiratory tract or reproductive tract. IBV can cause no to severe permanent reproductive issues, causing eggs to be laid misshapen, loss of pigmentation of the egg shell (color), soft or no egg shell as well as increasing the risk for Lash Eggs to occur or an egg breaking internally. As for the respiratory tract, IBV can cause mild to moderate sneezing, coughing and ocular discharge.
Infectious Coryza and MG/CRD are easily managed and treatable with antibiotics, however, it does not cure either disease. Almost ALL respiratory diseases are chronic infections of poultry and symptoms will return during stressful situations (new home, new coop, weather or season changes, etc), therefore, making birds actively sick again. Unfortunately, they will carry the disease and spread/shed it through feces, feathers, dander, respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids (blood, saliva, etc). So it is recommended to keep a closed flock— meaning no bringing in new birds into your flock and have no birds leave your flock. As awesome as MG/CRD is, it can also be spread through the eggs to the offspring, making hatching chicks already infected with the bacteria— so it’s also not recommended to breed and sell chicks or hatching eggs to others.
I hope this little bit of information can help you. As I stated above, I recommend testing so you can rule out what it could be or not be. As for the online laboratories that you can fill a form for, I’ll list them here:
Research Associates Laboratory/Vet DNA (RAL) - https://www.vetdna.com/test-type/avian-bird
Zoologix - https://www.zoologix.com/avian/index.htm
