my hen sounds like a percolator.

[shocked277]

She was away from the flock and in hen house this morning. I noticed that when she breathes she sounds like a percolator. I have lost 2 chickens already with what seemed like Mereks. I only have six hens and one rooster. I have had 2 die on me 2 wks apart. They had simular sysmtoms, they were both found laying in the yard with legs streached out. one died in 24 hours. the other one died 4 days after I noticed the problem 2 wks appart from the first one. This will be the 3rd hen loss if I can't figure it out. I did not notice any percolator sounds with the other 2, like I said I just found them with legs streatched out and could not move on their own. This one is walking around fine, eating and drinking ok too, Just not sure about the noise it seems to be making.... Any info would be appreciated thanks so much....Brian

 

[tasha82]

does she sound like this,

 

[speckledhen]

Sounds like a fungal infection to me. Any discharges? If not, I'd say possibly fungal in nature. Good news is that it is not contagious. Bad news is that if it isn't kicked out, she can suffocate on fluids in her trachea/lungs. That coffee pot breathing is a characteristic of that type infection. Please read this thread! https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=560301

I'm not saying 100% sure that it is, however, I just went through this and your description was exactly like what I heard from my few who developed the infection. Hot, humid weather and the wetting down of pens we all did contributed to lots of this stuff this summer.

 

[shocked277]

Yes tasha82 she does sound like that. I gave her some tetracycline hydrochloride in her water. I now noticed a nother one my daughter calls rainbow has some bubbles coming out of her nose and sounds like she is sneezing or caughing cant quite tell......any other ideas or am I on the right track with the tetracycline hydrochloride? Thanks Brian