My hen is making strange noises

[owl_sk8r]

My sweet hen Milly has been making these strange congested cough noises for about two weeks now. I didn't think anything of it at first because we live in Arizona and I thought she was just dehydrated or something. But now I am worried. Her cough/bleet (it kinda sounds like a sheep bleet) is now more frequent. And it seems like her breathing is a little raspy. And she is sneezing quite often. She has no nasal discharge or eye discharge. And she is still eating and drinking. She isn't laying any eggs right now but that is probably because she was broody about a week ago and I finally got her off the eggs. They weren't fertile. Anyway what do you think is wrong? Because of the lack of mucus or discharge it doesn't seem to fit into any normal illness category. And also what can I do to help her if its just a cold or something? What kind of vitamins or medicines can I give her? I would love to try to fix it without taking her to the vet if possible. Thanks guys!

 

[silkiechicken]

Sounds like a respiratory infection. Most are viral and all you can do is wait it out. Some give antibiotics to try and knock out any secondary infection by bacteria which may take advantage of the virus making the bird weak.

 

[threehorses]

First to better help us help you (accurately) could you please possibly answer the questions from the sticky post listed below - but answer into this thread so we can read it? That will give us a better idea of the environment as some respiratory illnesses are fungal/environmental, or ammonia caused, and the other info will help us with the illnesses that aren't of that type.

The sticky post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3569

To that I'd add these questions: If you open her mouth and look inside, do you see any nodules, anything cheese at all at the roof of her mouth?

Many very common respiratory illnesses are indeed bacterial primarily (MS, MG, cholera/pasteurella, bacterial pneumonia, coryza, etc), and viral respiratory illnesses often have secondary bacterial consequences (IB, ILT, END, etc). Of course, the ideal situation is that you would take the bird to an avian vet (or any vet), have them swab the secretions and the choana (cleft in the roof of the mouth), listen to the lungs, and grow out the culture into a "culture and sensitivity" to tell you exactly what the name of the bacteria is (if there is one), and exactly what medicines to use.

In the mean time, if you choose to treat on your own there's a bit of guesswork that goes on with that and it's never guaranteed. Please do know that.

With your bird, because of the coughing and bleeting, I would be concerned about a lower respiratory issue (of any origin - bacterial or fungal or viral) as well as an upper respiratory issue (sneezing though no nasal discharge, etc). Also because of that, I'm concerned about it being infectious bronchitis (viral) which doesn't have a treatment per say.

I also think that her being broody is part of it as this is about 2 weeks in duration. Is the coop dusty at all? Does it have excellent ventilation? Any chance of dust mites?

For all illnesses, there is a set of supportive care that helps the bird to heal. With any question of respiratory illness, I like to hit it from all angles: Nutritional, probiotic, medicinal (if applicable), environmental, and supportive treatments. Here's what I do and recommend based on my success and what I've researched about each part.

First, nutritional: for any respiratory illness or irritation, vitamin A is a good vitamin to use (with care - it's an oil vitamin so you don't want to over load it). This doesn't sound like a vitamin deficiency as there is a lack of clear discharge from the eyes, cheesiness there, etc. (The throat question will help rule that out.) That being said vitamin A is still very important for respiratory healing and a little boost will do nothing but good. Because she's not apparently deficient, I'd recommend something like a good balanced poultry vitamin/mineral supplement like Aviacharge in the water. Alternately, I really like using Enfamil's PolyViSol vitamins as they contain a nice vitamin A and if you give 3 drops in the beak daily for a week, you don't have to worry about light degrading the vitamin A before she gets it. There are other vitamins as well (D, E, B, etc) within a nice range.

Make sure the bird is getting 95% of their diet is a completely fortified age-appropriate feed (pellets or crumbles). If pellets and the bird is reluctant to eat, I break them into crumbles in my blender. If they're still reluctant, I offer some damp (not wet) mashes. More on that below. It's important that the bird get a richness of nutrition, balanced for poultry, especially when any questionable health issues or symptoms come up.

Make sure the bird is eating and drinking. Sick birds (like people) often don't feel like eating and drinking. We must facilitate both. Be particularly careful, however, about giving them water as they are less able to swallow carefully with mucus in their throats. You don't want to aspirate them. I never recommending pouring anything into a chicken's throat or back of its beak. If I give anything, it's in drops or small a mounts of paste that can be tongued back safely past the airways.

Just know that as poultry stewards we're responsible for making sure they still eat and drink during illness. If a bird won't drink much, using an electrolyte solution (for poultry - as labeled) helps tremendously. Do not mix with meds.

For illnesses not including protazoa (coccidiosis, etc) then you can consider adding some extra protein for healing. Boiled/mashed eggs are great for this - especially in hiding some of the healthy things you will want to add, like the vitamins and probiotics. As with all things, don't overdo it. Use it to your advantage however.

Probiotics: Any time there is stress, illness, and particular with respiratory situations (because any interior drainage will drain through the roof of the mouth from the eyes/nose into the digestive tract) I recommend using probiotics. PRObiotics are non-medicinal live bacteria that bolster the number of already existant live bacteria upon which the digestive tract depends. Sinus drainage, stress, etc can decrease the number and quality of good bacteria - leaving the digestive tract more susceptible to opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections. So I give more live bacteria of the type that actually colonize the gut: lactobacilli . If you're not treating with a med that ends in -mycin or -cycline (see the label of anything you use) then you can use something as simple and cheap as plain yogurt. It has live lactobacilli in it, is tastey to most birds, and is readily available even in the middle of the night. If you use one of the above mentioned meds, then use either acidophilis capsules (for humans, vitamin section of the drug store, walmart, many grocers) or a prepared live-bacteria probiotic like Probios. (read the label - it must say something about CFU numbers to contain live bacteria.) The powders require less bulk and can easily be hidden in some yolk of a boiled egg mixed with water. The birds won't even know they're being tricked into a healthy treat.

Supportive treatments: These are non-medicinal but really help. I really do like using VetRx for any birds with congestion, sneezes, anything upper or lower respiratory. VetRx (of any variety) is available at many feedstores and often at TSC (call first). It is an herbal fuming remedy like a chicken-safe Vicks (Do NOT sub vicks). Its use is that it helps open airways and help with congestion and mucus so that the birds breathes better. Birds that are more comfortable heal better. Birds that can't breathe do not eat or drink; birds that don't eat or drink don't heal. I mix equal hot water and VetRx in a cup. I mix that with a q-tip. One end of the q-tip for each spot, a new q-tip for each bird. Use the mixture to swab each nostril clean, to swab the choana (cleft opening in the roof of the mouth) to send fumes into the sinuses and into the lungs. Swab under the eyes near the tear ducts (not in them) and even where the bird puts his head at night to sleep. One small 2 ounce bottle (around 6 dollars) lasts a very long time used this way. If you can't find VetRx, big chain petstores may carry Marshall Pets Peter Rabbit Rx (pronounced 'rix'). It's the same formulation - use it the same way.

Environmental: make sure the bird has lots of good ventilation - never stagnant air, particularly during illness or suspected possible illness. Well always really. Sunlight is a brilliant disinfectant and is very healthful to birds (within extremes). If you can get them in some light with some fresh air, they will do better. Feel better = heal better. Make sure their bedding is less dusty than usual but very absorbant and dry. Keep them a little more warm than usual if it's cold outside, but of course keep them at a good safe temp in warm times such as this time of year.

Check particularly for any mildew as birds will be more sensitive to mildew and fungi and fumes during periods of respiratory problems.

Other: Be sure to always take care of your sick bird last. Using a man's shirt or something that you put over your clothes helps lessen the spread of disease. We use anti-bacterial alcohol gel on our hands leaving the sick bird (so we don't contaminate doorknobs) and then wash our hands inside. Separate the bird into a place where they can readily access feed and water.


In your case, I'd do all the support of a respiratory illness as that will really help all healing. Then I'd try to determine if it's a lower respiratory bacterial problem (even if secondary) and if so, treat correctly. Unlike most respiratory illnesses, a lower respiratory illness sometimes responds to penicillin. This is a hard call as we're not vets, and there's not a vet to make a culture. But definitely put your ear against her and figure out where in her body the congestion is. If you can tell us that, we can help you figure out what to do about treating.

In all cases, please let us know what happens with this girl. We're very sorry she's ill, and some of us are subscribed and will be waiting for your reply . It may be something viral, but congestion like that concerns me so any changes are important.

This is a LOT of information. Please feel free to ask here, PM, or email if you have any questions on the above personal recommendations. Thank you!

 

[owl_sk8r]

Thanks so much for the suggestions and help! To answer your questions Milly is about 2 years old. She is a Mille Fluer D'Uccle Bantam. She isn't actually broody anymore but she was a few weeks ago. She is being kept in a penned off area of the yard. So she is free to run around in the open air all the time. I don't know what her poop is like because she is also in the pen with another chicken so I don't know which is hers and which is his. Also I looked in her mouth and there doesn't appear to be any "cheesiness" as you put it. As for the listening for where her congestion is I don't know exactly how to do this. Do you just put your ear to her chest and listen? I tried this and from what I heard there didn't seem to be any lower congestion. Just upper congestion. But in such a small bird its hard to tell. From this information what do you think would be the best way to combat the illness? Her behaviors haven't changed any. She still eats and walks about like normal. And her sneezing and bleeting are the same.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Yes, you did it exactly correctly and were able to differentiate between upper and lower congestion - which was the important point. This *most likely* makes it upper respiratory (which is frankly easier to treat). No guarantees, but most likely.

And yes - birds in general love to mask any symptoms because that makes them less vulnerable to predation.

I'd do all the nutritional support and heavily use the VetRx. Then if you really want to medicate, I'd use Tylan injectable. It's a three day IM injection and very effective for the bacteria that it effects (not all bacteria - there is no antibiotic that truly treats all bacteria respiratory-wise).

Alternately, you could do all the supportive treatment and then get Oxine and consider using that as a mist. Let me know if you need more information on that.

Or you could do both.

 

[owl_sk8r]

Hey thanks for the info!
I finally did get the VetRX (actually no feed stores near me had it so I got the Marshalls stuff instead) and I got the Enfamils PolyViSol too. It doesn't seem like what she has is contagious because she always is hanging out with my silkie roo and he hasn't gotten sick. She still doesn't really sound like she has lower congestion when I listen to her but I don't really know what I'm listening for. I can tell she has a lot of phlegm because her breathing (in general) is a little noisy. Is there anything else I can do to combat the phlegm/congestion? Thanks!

 

[threehorses]

Sure! For the phlegm and congestion, you can use organic apple cider vinegar in the water (1 teaspoon per gallon of water) to help reduce mucus. Continue to use the VetRx - errr Rabbit Rx and the vitamin supplement for another week. The vitamin A is good for respiratory health.

You know, if you have it, you could sprinkle some tumeric (the seasoning) on her feed. And on the boy's food as well. These treatments are all non-medicinal and are immune and breathing-supportive and will not hurt him. Tumeric is said to help boost immunity against all things - viral, bacterial, etc. So it could help. Cayenne is also said to have similar properties when used lightly.

Hugs to your Milly from our Mr. Fonzworth, our new mille fleur D/anver cockerel.