New outbreak! Help!

[HannahC1198]

Okay so I have 2 chickens they are just standard white butchering chickens that the library gives to me very year anyways I go out there today and one of them is acting weird he will open up his mouth a lot and then it's almost like he coughs but his head gets thrown back and he gets knocked over I have no idea what it is he doesn't seem to be eating a lot but he's drinking some please help me!!!

 

[JesBarthel]

Any discharge from the nose or eyes? Do they have diarrhea or weird colored poop?

 

[bantyhen]

Is his head twisted back? If so he may have botulism, a disease that chickens can get from bacteria. If so he could die. Wash out all feeders and waterers with Chlorox to prevent other chickens from getting it.

 

[HannahC1198]

No discharge, normal poop, and his neck is not twisted back and I did suspect early onset of botulism so I washed the feeders and waterers. I added electrolytes to his waterand have thought about adding sulmet I don't have any vets around me that I could take him to or ask them about it I have no idea what to do. He keeps on hitting his head on the wall and I'm afraid he's going to hurt himself. Oh and new symptom he keeps on shaking his head back and forth and he can't make any noise now. What is happening????

 

[bantyhen]

I hope that he is all right! Don't panic! Just do the best you can.

 

[HannahC1198]

UPDATE I went ahead and put sulmet in his water I figured if it helped great if it didn't it wouldn't hurt him but now he is coughing up the food and water in a slurry type mix which is why he keeps on flinging his head back and forth to get it away from his nostrals. Any idea what he has? OH and now he can make some noise but it's very faint almost like gurgling you know like babies do.

 

[JesBarthel]

My suggestions would be Infections Laryngotracheitis, Aspergillosis, or Equine Encephalitis (which commonly affects chickens despite the name).
Check out this link to symptom checker chart and description of common poultry illnesses and see if any of those match. Hope this helps!
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[HannahC1198]

Thank you so much JesBarthel! I believe it is a mild strain of infectious laryngotracheitis I believe I know where it came from too I noticed a dead mouse in their chicken tractor the other day and they had been pecking at it of course I removed it but apparently not soon enough. I am trying to find somewhere to buy the vaccine but if I can't I will probably have to humanely dispatch him.

But now I learned my lesson and I plan to set some nice mouse trap. Thank you so much!

 

[JesBarthel]

Good luck with him