Respiratory disease, virus?!

[Chicken❤️er]

Several days ago one of our juvenile polish hens began scratching her “Afro.” Soon she began scratching out her head feathers and the remaining feathers began to develop a smelly and greasy coating. Her eyes are watery and she looked very miserable. I gave her the spa treatment and she looks a little better, but her Afro is still very crusty and caked into clumps. No sign of lice or mites. Two of our barred rocks, Twig and Olive, now have something similar, except they aren’t itchy or crusty; probably because they don’t have an Afro like the polish hens. Watery eyes, and the occasional snort/gurgle of phlegm in the throat. I quarantined the three, cleaned the food and water dishes, cleaned the coop, and put electrolytes in the sick chickens’ water.
Is this just a little virus that will pass in a couple days’ time or is it something more serious that I should be worried about?
Thanks

 

[Saaniya]

Several days ago one of our juvenile polish hens began scratching her “Afro.” Soon she began scratching out her head feathers and the remaining feathers began to develop a smelly and greasy coating. Her eyes are watery and she looked very miserable. I gave her the spa treatment and she looks a little better, but her Afro is still very crusty and caked into clumps. No sign of lice or mites. Two of our barred rocks, Twig and Olive, now have something similar, except they aren’t itchy or crusty; probably because they don’t have an Afro like the polish hens. Watery eyes, and the occasional snort/gurgle of phlegm in the throat. I quarantined the three, cleaned the food and water dishes, cleaned the coop, and put electrolytes in the sick chickens’ water.
Is this just a little virus that will pass in a couple days’ time or is it something more serious that I should be worried about?
Thanks

Hmm seems like respiratory infection see chicken virus of respiratory is not like that's untreatable ..
U can treat it on the sake of the disease will stay for lifetime and at anytime will wake up ND make sickness where I have seen chickens with viruses live longer with good immune system ND care



Ur symptoms feels like a respiratory infection do u have antibiotic ?

 

[Chicken❤️er]

Most respiratory infections are viral, right?? What kind of antibiotics would I use? Also what does ND mean?

 

[Saaniya]

Most respiratory infections are viral, right?? What kind of antibiotics would I use? Also what does ND mean?

Yes , most happen in weather change
Cause chicken have higher body temperature and a lil drop of temp or rise make them sick if their immune system is weak.

For respiratory u can use many but I preferred board spectrum so
My first choice is

1. Enrofloxacin 10%
2. Tylosin
3. Doxycycline

 

[Chicken❤️er]

How do antibiotics work against viruses if they’re meant for bacteria?

 

[GirlsMommy18]

They don't. Basically, it could be viral, or it could be bacterial. You're taking the gamble unless you get a vet to test. They can stop secondary infections though.

 

[Chicken❤️er]

They don't. Basically, it could be viral, or it could be bacterial. You're taking the gamble unless you get a vet to test. They can stop secondary infections though.

But if u give the chicken the wrong antibiotic there’s a chance that they’ll have an adverse reaction.

 

[Saaniya]

But if u give the chicken the wrong antibiotic there’s a chance that they’ll have an adverse reaction.

Virus with antibiotics only hide the symptoms
If u have doubt then go for blood test first

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Typically it's viral. But- viruses open things up for bacteria to hop into eyes, sinuses and lungs. Then chickens die. That's why usually we treat with antibiotics- because secondary infections are a huge danger and there's no way to tell by looking.

Tylan, doxycycline, baytril, duramycin- all good options for treatment depending what you have access to. In a pinch, injectable tylan 50 can be given orally instead. Tractor supply co should carry that.

 

[GirlsMommy18]

Broad spectrum antiobiotics work on both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. If it's bacterial, it will treat it unless it's an antibiotic resistant strain. If it's viral, then it will keep any bacterial infections from adding to their current misery, which might be what their immune system needs to fight the virus off.