Respiratory disease

[fluffy9947]

Hi Wyorp Rock, This was most helpful. I have now put Denegard in the drinkers, which is what the vet has recommended, but it is so wet here, and they are free-range, it is hard to tell how much of the medicated water they are drinking. One is now sounding much better breathing wise, the other is still 'snoring'. She has gone through a very bad moult, and is now just getting her feathers back. She did eat quite a lot of crushed peanuts tonight, so at least has something in her stomach and when I lift her into the hen shed at night she still feels quite plump, although it is possible for the internal organs to swell and give you a false signal. So far, so good. As for ventilation, I think they have plenty! The shed is not airtight! Fluffy9947

 

[CCUK]

It may be difficult to do if your chickens free-range all day but if they are on a course of medication especially like denegard that is added to the water, then this must be the ONLY source of water. This would mean keeping them penned for several days whilst they complete the course. I live in North Nottinghamshire and I know how much rain there has been over the past couple of weeks. My chickens seem to prefer to drink water from muddy puddles rather than the clean fresh water provided. It's good news that yours are making a recovery but unfortunately if it is a respiratory ailment then it will likely return at some point. You are fortunate to have a vet nearby that sees chickens, most don't!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi Wyorp Rock, This was most helpful. I have now put Denegard in the drinkers, which is what the vet has recommended, but it is so wet here, and they are free-range, it is hard to tell how much of the medicated water they are drinking. One is now sounding much better breathing wise, the other is still 'snoring'. She has gone through a very bad moult, and is now just getting her feathers back. She did eat quite a lot of crushed peanuts tonight, so at least has something in her stomach and when I lift her into the hen shed at night she still feels quite plump, although it is possible for the internal organs to swell and give you a false signal. So far, so good. As for ventilation, I think they have plenty! The shed is not airtight! Fluffy9947

So you must be dealing with MG if the vet recommended Denagard. A stressor such as molt/change in weather, etc. can bring on the symptoms of birds that are carriers of this respiratory disease. Managing symptoms the best you can is normally what keepers do since there is no cure.

I do agree with @CCUK they need to be drinking the treated water as their only source of water for it to be effective. Understandable that birds will protest being confined for a few days if they normally free range, but to get the benefit of the medication, you may need to consider doing that.

I hope they recover soon!

 

[Eggcessive]

I have never used Denagard, but have read posts about it tasting very bad. Some recommend adding flavor to it to get the chickens to drink better. Glad that your vet is helping you treat them.

 

[fluffy9947]

It may be difficult to do if your chickens free-range all day but if they are on a course of medication especially like denegard that is added to the water, then this must be the ONLY source of water. This would mean keeping them penned for several days whilst they complete the course. I live in North Nottinghamshire and I know how much rain there has been over the past couple of weeks. My chickens seem to prefer to drink water from muddy puddles rather than the clean fresh water provided. It's good news that yours are making a recovery but unfortunately if it is a respiratory ailment then it will likely return at some point. You are fortunate to have a vet nearby that sees chickens, most don't!

 

[fluffy9947]

Hi CCUK,
Your reply makes a lot of sense. My chickens, also, like to drink from random things that hold rain water. The other problem is that they are not drinking a lot now, in the cold and wet. I can keep them in the large pen, but it is like a bog now, and there is no grass. When they go out, they get onto higher ground with trees around so the earth is dryer and full of lovely insects.

 

[CCUK]

Hi CCUK,
Your reply makes a lot of sense. My chickens, also, like to drink from random things that hold rain water. The other problem is that they are not drinking a lot now, in the cold and wet. I can keep them in the large pen, but it is like a bog now, and there is no grass. When they go out, they get onto higher ground with trees around so the earth is dryer and full of lovely insects.

Mine are in a run. The grass has long since departed. It started to get awful and muddy in the winter. I have now put woodchippings down. I can go in there on the wettest of days and not end up slipping over and being covered in mud! How are your chickens doing now?

 

[fluffy9947]

Is that the only symptom you are seeing? Has there been a sudden weather change, or any wet or moldy areas around your coop? Look for bubbles in an eye, drainage or swelling of an eye, sneeze, cough, crackles or wheezes. Have hou added any new birds recently?

Hi, Thanks for your posts on this. Yes, we have had more rain here this autumn than in recorded history, and one third of the national potato crop in the UK has been lost, including ours! The hen shed is on stilts, so no mould as it is well aereated. I have checked eyes and they are all clear and no oozing and no dehydration. However, there is wheezing in this one bird (the other one died). She is kept separate at night, but also free-range in the day. Her two chicks do not seem infected and are huge and active and eating for England! They are Buff Orpingtons, well-feathered and 3 months old.

 

[fluffy9947]

Mine are in a run. The grass has long since departed. It started to get awful and muddy in the winter. I have now put woodchippings down. I can go in there on the wettest of days and not end up slipping over and being covered in mud! How are your chickens doing now?

Hi, thanks for this. It's lovely to talk 'over the water'! Jesus Christ, the wet here! Four tons of bark chippings and they have all sunk into the 'bog'. Got a huge slab of stone now bedded in below the door to the chicken shed so they have some solid footing before they jump. Also put in a staging platform, for those now in moult, as they can't fly very well. Most of my chucks very happy to be picked up and cuddled and lifted if necessary. One hen died suddenly, but had never been a layer. All the others seem healthy, plus the 5 additions (bred chicks) this year.