Please Help!!!!

scarletbaby

In the Brooder
9 Years
May 23, 2010
94
1
39
My only full grown chicken (6 month old cochin silkie) has had a clear discharge coming out of his nostrils for a month now and it just got really bad this afternoon.

Here are all of the symptoms:
wing droop
clear discharge from nostrils (eventually gets crusty)
little to no poop (he used to have REALLY big ones in the morning now they are the size of a dime and they have no shape at all)
sneezing/ head shaking ( my chicks are also getting the same symptoms and are progressively getting worse)
open beak breathing
Sometimes he cracks/wheezes when he breaths out of his mouth

Idk if its just normal chicken smell but he has been smelling pretty bad around his head. I dont know what other chickens smell like.

I tried bread soaked in duramycin 10 for 3 days and didnt see any improvement so i stopped. I have a feeling his sickeness is caused by the wild sparrows around our house. We dont own any other chickens except for the chicks we got 4 week ago through the mail and we dont have any other chickens around our home for a 3 mile radius.


PLEASE HELP ME DIAGNOSE AND TREAT HIM!! This is the first time i've seen him really bad and im very worried. If you need any more information, pictures/ videos i will get them for you just please help me
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I don't know what is going on with your chicks but hope someone else will be able to help you.
 
Possibilities:

Newcastle Disease-
Clinical signs: There are three forms of Newcastle disease -- mildly pathogenic (lentogenic), moderately pathogenic (mesogenic) and highly pathogenic (velogenic). Newcastle disease is characterized by a sudden onset of clinical signs which include hoarse chirps (in chicks), watery discharge from nostrils, labored breathing (gasping), facial swelling, paralysis, trembling, and twisting of the neck (sign of central nervous system involvement). Mortality ranges from 10 to 80 percent depending on the pathogenicity. In adult laying birds, symptoms can include decreased feed and water consumption and a dramatic drop in egg production

---Treatment: There is no specific treatment for Newcastle disease. Antibiotics can be given for 3-5 days to prevent secondary bacterial infections (particularly E. coli ). For chicks, increasing the brooding temperature 5°F may help reduce losses.

Infectious Bronchitis
Clinical signs: The severity of infectious bronchitis infection is influenced by the age and immune status of the flock, by environmental conditions, and by the presence of other diseases. Feed and water consumption declines. Affected chickens will be chirping, with a watery discharge from the eyes and nostrils, and labored breathing with some gasping in young chickens. Breathing noises are more noticeable at night while the birds rest. Egg production drops dramatically. Production will recover in 5 or 6 weeks, but at a lower rate. The infectious bronchitis virus infects many tissues of the body, including the reproductive tract (see Table 1 ). Eggshells become rough and the egg white becomes watery.

---Treatment: There is no specific treatment for infectious bronchitis. Antibiotics for 3-5 days may aid in combating secondary bacterial infections. Raise the room temperature 5°F for brooding-age chickens until symptoms subside. Baby chicks can be encouraged to eat by using a warm, moist mash.

Infectious Coryza
Clinical signs: Swelling around the face, foul smelling, thick, sticky discharge from the nostrils and eyes, labored breathing, and rales (rattles -- an abnormal breathing sound) are common clinical signs. The eyelids are irritated and may stick together. The birds may have diarrhea and growing birds may become stunted (see Table 1 ).

Mortality from coryza is usually low, but infections can decrease egg production and increase the incidence and/or severity of other diseases. Mortality can be as high as 50 percent, but is usually no more than 20 percent. The clinical disease can last from a few days to 2-3 months, depending on the virulence of the pathogen and the existence of other infections such as mycoplasmosis.

---Treatment: Water soluble antibiotics or antibacterials can be used. Sulfadimethoxine (Albon
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, Di-Methox™) is the preferred treatment. If it is not available, or not effective, sulfamethazine (Sulfa-Max
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, SulfaSure™), erythromycin (gallimycin
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), or tetracycline (Aureomycin
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) can be used as alternative treatments. Sulfa drugs are not FDA approved for pullets older than 14 weeks of age or for commercial layer hens. While antibiotics can be effective in reducing clinical disease, they do not eliminate carrier birds.

Infectious Laryngotracheitis
Clinical signs: The clinical sign usually first noticed is watery eyes. Affected birds remain quiet because breathing is difficult. Coughing, sneezing, and shaking of the head to dislodge exudate plugs in the windpipe follow. Birds extend their head and neck to facilitate breathing (commonly referred to as "pump handle respiration"). Inhalation produces a wheezing and gurgling sound. Blood-tinged exudates and serum clots are expelled from the trachea of affected birds. Many birds die from asphyxiation due to a blockage of the trachea when the tracheal plug is freed

---Treatment: Incinerate dead birds, administer antibiotics to control secondary infection, and vaccinate the flock. Mass vaccination by spray or drinking water method is not recommended for large commercial or caged flocks. Individual bird administration by the eye-drop route is suggested. Follow manufacturers instructions. In small poultry flocks, use a swab to remove plug from gasping birds, and vaccinate by eye-drop method.

These are only a few. This website has a table to follow.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
Hope this helps. Please keep us updated.​
 
God these all sound really bad and it looks like he has a portion of all these diseases
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If i had to pick one i would say its Infectious Bronchi. Should i try the duramycin 10 again? How should i administer the medication? I feel like he wont drink enough of the water to get a good dosage plus i don't think he drinks out of the same water feeder (we have bird baths and other "water dishes" for our pet turtles outside that i think he drinks out of).
 
i was looking up information on the internet and i was wondering: could it be some kind of worm? Gapeworm symptoms include head shaking and difficulty in breathing but it doesnt say anything about nasal discharge. I have never dewormed him so it might be a possibility right?
 
I've never had to deal with it. So I don't know for sure I can only go by what I read and the symptoms aren't drainage.

I believe that your chickie may have a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract. Hopefully it is bacterial because it can be treated with antibiotics. Viral cases cannot.

I don't prescribe or suggest medications. I don't know anything about them there for I don't suggest
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.

So hopefully you can find someone who will.

Or do a search on here to find some suggestions from other people that have had respiratory infections in their chickens.

Make sure they have good nutrition. If they are eating feed them different foods high in vit-a and vit-c.

Vit-a stimulates immunity and promotes healthy mucous membranes. And Vit-c is an antioxidant and pretty much gets rid of free radicals.

Foods high in Vit-a and b that are safe for chickens are:
Squash (which I heard protects against worms, not a cure just a prevenative)
Broccoli (A and B)
Tomatoes

There's a lot more that's just on the top of my head.

Don't forget to add in some protein. People feed their chickens eggs. I don't because I don't like the thought of it.
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I'd just use some beans.

Hope this helps. Make sure they are eating well. Nutrition is key, as my daughters doctor keeps telling me, in keeping one healthy when they are sick.
 
Quote:
Because of this, my guess would be Coryza.

Not something you were hoping to hear I know, but since you mentioned that you have other younger birds please be sure to keep them well seperated until you're sure of what you're dealing with and have it under control. Best of luck.
 
we offered him water but he wouldnt take any so im guessing he isnt dehydrated. Tomorrow morning i will be sure to give him lots of vitamins and protein along with an antibiotic that treats Coryza and the respiratory infection. Well thank you everyone for helping out, hopefully he makes it through the night.
 

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