Possible Coryza? Or just plain respiratory infection?

[KrazyKatLady]

On Wednesday I swapped a couple of my silkie roos for a couple of girls. About halfway home my daughter heard one sneeze.

When we got home I transferred them from the carrier to a holding box for isolation. I noticed the smallest hen that was sneezing had an unpleasant smell. Not knowing anything about bird illnesses, I didn't give it much thought. Just figured she had been cooped up in a small carrier for several hours during transport and she needed some fresh air. I saw her sneezing but no discharg.

Thursday morning I looked her over and told she was stinky but noticed her eyes and nose were clear. She was alert and eating/drinking, but still sneezing.

I decided to get some VetRx and by that afternoon her nose was crusty. I cleaned her up, dabbed some VetRx on her comb and beneath her wings. Neither of the other two showed any symptoms. Oh, I also thought she felt warm to the touch too, like she might have a bit of fever.

This morning she had a bit of dried mucous on her nostrils and it looked like one of her eyes was a bit watery. I decided to run up to TSC and get some meds. This is when I started asking Google to give me anxiety.

Iended up not getting anything for the chicken but it was several hours before I got home. I checked on her and saw that all her symptoms were gone, including the sick-smell, except for the sneeze. The other two birds I got with her do not seem to have any signs of whatever is going on here.

So....how do I know if this is the dreaded coryza or just a run of the mill bad weather bug?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

On Wednesday I swapped a couple of my silkie roos for a couple of girls. About halfway home my daughter heard one sneeze.

When we got home I transferred them from the carrier to a holding box for isolation. I noticed the smallest hen that was sneezing had an unpleasant smell. Not knowing anything about bird illnesses, I didn't give it much thought. Just figured she had been cooped up in a small carrier for several hours during transport and she needed some fresh air. I saw her sneezing but no discharg.

Thursday morning I looked her over and told she was stinky but noticed her eyes and nose were clear. She was alert and eating/drinking, but still sneezing.

I decided to get some VetRx and by that afternoon her nose was crusty. I cleaned her up, dabbed some VetRx on her comb and beneath her wings. Neither of the other two showed any symptoms. Oh, I also thought she felt warm to the touch too, like she might have a bit of fever.

This morning she had a bit of dried mucous on her nostrils and it looked like one of her eyes was a bit watery. I decided to run up to TSC and get some meds. This is when I started asking Google to give me anxiety.

Iended up not getting anything for the chicken but it was several hours before I got home. I checked on her and saw that all her symptoms were gone, including the sick-smell, except for the sneeze. The other two birds I got with her do not seem to have any signs of whatever is going on here.

So....how do I know if this is the dreaded coryza or just a run of the mill bad weather bug?

Keep them all quarantined for several weeks.

There really are no "run of the mill bad weather bugs". There are contagious respiratory illnesses. Chickens do not get colds. A chicken may sneeze occasionally due to dusty conditions, mold, sensitivity to ammonia, etc., but with the symptoms you are describing it almost always means a contagious respiratory illness/disease.

There are many respiratory illnesses with similar symptoms, Infectious Coryza is usually associated with a bad odor, so if this continues or re-appears, the I would suspect Coryza.

Keep a close eye on her. If there is pus/discharge developing in the eye, then clean it out and apply some Vetericyn or Terramycin eye ointment. If she worsens, antibiotic treatment may be necessary or seek a vet's help. Antibiotics will not "cure" respiratory illness, but can help with any secondary infections. Only treat the one(s) showing signs of illness.

Keep in mind, that respiratory illnesses are contagious and birds exposed are usually considered carriers for life regardless if they ever show any signs of illness.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...tion-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens/
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/82/infectious-coryza/
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/78/infectious-bronchitis-ib/

 

[KrazyKatLady]

So if I want to take chickens and chicks to swaps or to sell as pets or such, this is a cull situation? I really don't know if I can bring myself to do that. From the sounds of it on other forums there is a lot of respiratory stuff going around. Does that mean all the "local" birds are pretty well carriers?

Please excuse my ignorance. I'm trying to learn!

 

[quackersandfern]

Hi there KrazyKat Lady

A useful tool that might be of help to you is PoultryDVM's chicken symptom checker tool.

I am really surprised at how little people know about it! It has helped me out so much on many occasions.

Good luck!

 

[KrazyKatLady]

Thank you for the links!

As of this morning there is no mucous discharge, eyes are clear, appetite and energy level seems normal. I can't smell any funk but they all smell like vetrx so I guess that could mask it. Still no sneezing or symptoms present in the two that came with her. Is it possible she might not have passed it to them?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So if I want to take chickens and chicks to swaps or to sell as pets or such, this is a cull situation? I really don't know if I can bring myself to do that. From the sounds of it on other forums there is a lot of respiratory stuff going around. Does that mean all the "local" birds are pretty well carriers?

Please excuse my ignorance. I'm trying to learn! There is always the potentially that a respiratory illness could have been passed to the other two. I am glad that her symptoms seem to be clearing up and she is eating and drinking well.

Are you able to contact the person you got them from to ask if they had been treated prior to your getting them?

As for whether to cull or not, that would be up to you. It sounds like your goals are to swap, sell, give away chick, chicken or hatching eggs. Careful consideration and research will help you determine what you need to do.

If you do decide to cull, then a necropsy would be a source of valuable information.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/quarantine-of-backyard-chickens-why-and.html