Possible Respiratory Infection - What do I do?!

[victoriaLiz25]

I have two chickens who seem to be sick and I’m seriously lost on what to do. One of them, my Black Australorp who just turned 5 months a few days ago, has started to make this gurgling sound along with her right eye being closed shut. The tips of her comb have become dark and she seems to have lost her energy. The second one is my Ameraucana who is of similar age but seems to have different symptoms. She’s breathing weirdly, it almost looks like she’s gasping for air and she sometimes makes these weird high pitched noises. For now they are both separated from the flock. I’ve been looking online but I can’t seem to find a solid answer. These two are the sweetest girls ever, I will literally do anything to get them better I just need to know what to do. If anyone can help me out, I’d be so grateful!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

Welcome to BYC!

How many chicks do you have in total? It's just suspicious that two come down with something at that age around the same time.

Is there something different you've been feeding them or something environmental, like neighbors spraying for bugs, painting a house, etc.? Any new birds added to your flock recently or are they in a new coop or area than they've been in?

I would put them all on Poultry Cell or the like, vitamin water. If it's just a simple respiratory infection, most of the time they can get over it themselves, sometimes though they need an antibiotic. You can get one of those online, but I'm not sure that's the issue yet.

Are they eating and drinking okay?

Tylosin is an antibiotic helpful with MG/respiratory symptoms. Dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 5 days.

https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder?_pos=1&_sid=c3b5b9991&_ss=r

https://thecanaryfinchstore.com/product/tylosin-powder-for-birds/

https://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/

 

[victoriaLiz25]

Hi,

How many chicks do you have in total? It's just suspicious that two come down with something at that age around the same time.

Is there something different you've been feeding them or something environmental, like neighbors spraying for bugs, painting a house, etc. Any new birds added to your flock recently?

I would put them all on Poultry Cell or the like, vitamin water. If it's just a simple respiratory infection, most of the time they can get over it themselves, sometimes though they need an antibiotic. You can get one of those online, but I'm not sure that's the issue yet.

I have 10 chickens all around the same age because I got most of them as chicks around the same time. I haven’t added any new chickens and I don’t plan to anytime soon. They’ve been eating the same things and I don’t use any chemicals for my garden or anything like that. Their coop and run isn’t anywhere near any of my neighbors so I don’t think that could be what caused it. I’m also not sure if it’s just a simple respiratory infection, as I said they both have different symptoms and are very low energy.

 

[Debbie292d]

I have 10 chickens all around the same age because I got most of them as chicks around the same time. I haven’t added any new chickens and I don’t plan to anytime soon. They’ve been eating the same things and I don’t use any chemicals for my garden or anything like that. Their coop and run isn’t anywhere near any of my neighbors so I don’t think that could be what caused it. I’m also not sure if it’s just a simple respiratory infection, as I said they both have different symptoms and are very low energy.

It sounds like perhaps they just got something in the wind then, as it does sound more respiratory.

For the one with the eye closed, is it swollen or is there any yellow gunk in it?

 

[victoriaLiz25]

It sounds like perhaps they just got something in the wind then, as it does sound more respiratory.

For the one with the eye closed, is it swollen or is there any yellow gunk in it?

It’s more swollen she doesn’t seem to have any gunk around it. I’m constantly outside with my chickens and yesterday they seemed just fine running around, this literally happened overnight! I will admit this is my first time raising chickens on my own, I’d help around when my parents had chickens but I never experienced any of theirs to have these problems.

 

[victoriaLiz25]

Hi,

Welcome to BYC!

How many chicks do you have in total? It's just suspicious that two come down with something at that age around the same time.

Is there something different you've been feeding them or something environmental, like neighbors spraying for bugs, painting a house, etc.? Any new birds added to your flock recently or are they in a new coop or area than they've been in?

I would put them all on Poultry Cell or the like, vitamin water. If it's just a simple respiratory infection, most of the time they can get over it themselves, sometimes though they need an antibiotic. You can get one of those online, but I'm not sure that's the issue yet.

Are they eating and drinking okay?

Tylosin is an antibiotic helpful with MG/respiratory symptoms. Dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 5 days.

https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder?_pos=1&_sid=c3b5b9991&_ss=r

https://thecanaryfinchstore.com/product/tylosin-powder-for-birds/

https://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/

Thank you!!! I’ll try the Tylosin!

 

[Debbie292d]

It’s more swollen she doesn’t seem to have any gunk around it. I’m constantly outside with my chickens and yesterday they seemed just fine running around, this literally happened overnight! I will admit this is my first time raising chickens on my own, I’d help around when my parents had chickens but I never experienced any of theirs to have these problems.

This could be she got pecked or poked in the eye and unrelated to any respiratory thing going on. Terramycin ointment fights infections in the eyes, should you see anything starting.

Are they getting layer feed? Just making sure they're able to fight illnesses better. I'd get some chicken vitamins and give them to them a couple of times a week. We use Poultry Cell in their water and Rooster Booster granules in their feed occasionally.

 

[victoriaLiz25]

This could be she got pecked or poked in the eye and unrelated to any respiratory thing going on. Terramycin ointment fights infections in the eyes, should you see anything starting.

Are they getting layer feed? Just making sure they're able to fight illnesses better. I'd get some chicken vitamins and give them to them a couple of times a week. We use Poultry Cell in their water and Rooster Booster granules in their feed occasionally.

Yes they’re getting layer feed and I just restocked their vitamins! I’ll keep giving it to them.

 

[victoriaLiz25]

I have two chickens who seem to be sick and I’m seriously lost on what to do. One of them, my Black Australorp who just turned 5 months a few days ago, has started to make this gurgling sound along with her right eye being closed shut. The tips of her comb have become dark and she seems to have lost her energy. The second one is my Ameraucana who is of similar age but seems to have different symptoms. She’s breathing weirdly, it almost looks like she’s gasping for air and she sometimes makes these weird high pitched noises. For now they are both separated from the flock. I’ve been looking online but I can’t seem to find a solid answer. These two are the sweetest girls ever, I will literally do anything to get them better I just need to know what to do. If anyone can help me out, I’d be so grateful!

UPDATE:

My Ameraucana got worse but the Tylosin just came in today so I’m hoping it helps. The black Australorp seems to have improved, she can hold herself and the gurgling breathing isnt there anymore. She’s now drinking water on her own (which she hasn’t been doing before). However, she does not eat on her own, I’ve had to be syringe feeding her a mush of her crumble but she doesn’t eat much. I’ve also tried cooking her an egg but even that she didn’t want to eat. Now she’s doing this thing where she looks like she sneezes or coughs something up and liquids come out. I haven’t done much research on sour crop but could this be it?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would start cleaning the eye by flushing it with saline or cleaning with a slightly wet clean cloth or tissue. Then apply some plain Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment into the eye, just a small dab by opening the lower lid and applying it. Those will help until you get Terramycin. The Tylosin dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 5 days, and it can take a week to arrive. Change it every other day minimum.