Respiratory illness medication suggestions

[Yvonne49]

Hi All, we inherited an Australorp Chicken, approx 4 years old. She seems to have a stubborn respiratory infection. It was so bad that when she put her head down to eat, she could only have a couple of pecks before having to put her head up to breathe - a gasping type of breathing. I’ve taken her to the vet - they are not super familiar with treating chickens.
We have tried doxycycline, baytril and flagyl. She seemed to respond best to the baytril, but the condition has not completely gone. She is not eating as much as she was when on the baytril, but is no longer doing the thing where she has to put her head up to breathe. Does anyone have any suggestions on what medication we could try next or on how we could help her? Thank you.

 

[dawg53]

You've already used top of the line antibiotics that will normally treat (but not cure) bacterial respiratory diseases in poultry. Did the vet state what disease your hen might have?
There are other diseases such as Infectious Bronchitis (IB) and Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) that are viruses in which antibiotics are ineffective.
Since your hen seemed to respond to Baytril, you might be dealing with Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG). It is a respiratory disease and like other poultry respiratory diseases, it is contagious to other birds.
You can try using Tiamulin aka Denagard since it specifically treats MG in poultry. There is no egg withdrawal period after using the product. Hopefully you'll be able to order the product and give it to your hen.