Need help. Roo rattles when he breathes.

[dandydoodle]

I have two roos that rattle when they breath. I hatched them from eggs that I purchased. The girls I hatched from the eggs don't have the problem with the chest rattling just the boys. They are about a year old. None of my other birds have this problem. On two different occasions I have given them a course of antibiotics. I have also dewormed them. They are still rattling.

They are happy for now but, I know that this is something that is eventually gonna kill them if I can't figure it out. Does anyone know what could be wrong with them or how to fix it?


Please help!!!! I don't want to lose them.

Michelle

 

[dandydoodle]

Anyone?

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like one of the respiratory diseases such as mycoplasma or coryza that come back and are spread around. They are carriers and will keep getting sick whenever they are stressed. Tylan 50 injection 1ml daily for 3-5 days or Terramycin in the water may help. Just remember that they can keep getting it and speading it.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Daubing a little Vicks (the ointment you use on people to help when you're congested) on each roo's comb can help them breathe a little easier. Fresh garlic can give their immune system's a good boost. It is most effective if crushed rather than just cut up. You can make a damp mash by mixing with something yummy like rolled oats or green leaf lettuce or tomato along with the roos' regular feed. They might take a few days to acquire the taste, but probably will.
Probiotics are also a good natural help.

 

[dandydoodle]

It sounds like one of the respiratory diseases such as mycoplasma or coryza that come back and are spread around. They are carriers and will keep getting sick whenever they are stressed. Tylan 50 injection 1ml daily for 3-5 days or Terramycin in the water may help. Just remember that they can keep getting it and speading it.

None of my other birds have it and they are about a year old. I hatched him from an egg how could he have gotten it? If you get them as egg from someone else can they bring this with them? I have given Tylan 50 on two separate occasions and it just keeps coming back. In fact I am not sure he ever gets rid of it all together. Are you thinking I should put him down?

 

[dandydoodle]

Daubing a little Vicks (the ointment you use on people to help when you're congested) on each roo's comb can help them breathe a little easier. Fresh garlic can give their immune system's a good boost. It is most effective if crushed rather than just cut up. You can make a damp mash by mixing with something yummy like rolled oats or green leaf lettuce or tomato along with the roos' regular feed. They might take a few days to acquire the taste, but probably will.
Probiotics are also a good natural help.

I haven't tried the Vicks but, I have done the Garlic. How often are you suppose to give them the Garlic?

 

[dandydoodle]

If he does have one of these is there anyway I can get him better?

 

[Eggcessive]

I think you are fine treating it as long as you don't give away any chickens or bring in new ones. Mycoplasma gallicepticum (MG or CRD for short) is really common in wild birds, and can be spread from one farm to another that way, as well as on your shoes you wear to the farm store or animal swap meet. The hens may have developed immunity to it (although they are probably carriers of it.) You may need to switch antibiotics whenever your roosters get stressed and have a relapse. Some of the many antibiotics to treat from weakest to strongest are Duramycin10 to Tylan, and in between are Terramycin, Erythromycin, Spectinomycin, and Lincomycin. For last ditch efforts there is Denagard (tiamulin) available online--bitter and bad tasting for use in the water, and expensive, but so far it has no resistance. You may have to use one then next time if it doesn't work skip to the next. Learning to give chickens injections should be something for you to learn. Good luck.

MG is one of the diseases that can be transferred into hatching eggs.

 

[PoultryPedia]

I think some strains may be resistant to Denagard because resistance is able to be developed by bacteria when outside a bird--just not internally.

Also, there are some types of bacteria related to CRD that Denagard just plain doesn't treat.

I've given Denagard to my 3 birds who have CRD & it helped but did not clear all symptoms nor treat permanently.

Sorry if that dampens some hopes. However, Denagard is apparently much more effective than most meds for CRD & there is much less resistance to it among bacteria.

 

[PoultryPedia]

In deciding whether to keep your roo:

I've kept my 3 chickens who have CRD for over 2 years. They are generally in very good health & comfortable, but symptoms do flare up sometimes & then I have to treat with something.

One of the hens consistently does have a minor rattle which becomes significant when the disease flares up. I think her system just got too much damage before I got her & was able to treat her, so it will likely be chronic the rest of her life. But it doesn't affect her much & she seems to live happily. It took a while for her gurgling to be reduced & the same may be the case for your rooster.

You might decide the challenges are such that you put him down. You'll just have to weigh considerations.

So sorry for the stressful situation! I'm sure you'll reach some good conclusions. It sounds like you're doing a thoughtful examination of the situation.