Respiratory Infection? What do you think?

[annampet]

I have an “older” hen, 6ish years old that sounds like she’s having a hard time breathing and is making a small sneezing sound every so often. I can’t upload a video but it almost sounds like she’s wheezing in and then wheezing out.

We noticed it today and none of the other ladies seem to be sick. She also laid an egg today so she’s not bound up. She has access to a clean enclosure with pine shavings in the coop.

Do chickens recover on their own from a respiratory infection? Where do you purchase your meds?

Thanks for your opinion!

 

[All4Eggz]

@EggSighted4Life @Wyorp Rock or @Eggcessive can help.
How long has she been like this? Separate her from the flock and provide her with food and water.

 

[annampet]

I believe it started today but it could have been yesterday. I don’t remember her wheezing when I did my bed check last night.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she is having stridor and occasional sneezing or snicking. She may have a respiratory disease. Do you see any bubbles in her eyes, or mucus from nostrils? Tylan or Tylosin may help if it is MG. If she has a virus, it will have to run it’s course. Make sure that she is drinking plenty of water, and has good ventilation in her area. This video around the 40 second mark has a chicken with stridor and sneeze—is this similar?

 

[annampet]

Her eyes and nostrils look clear. Are respiratory infections contagious? I just integrated 4 6 week old chicks this morning into the coop. They are behind a temp fence but sharing the same area

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you watch the video in my edited post above, and see if that looks like what you are seeing? She doesn’t look too sick. Maybe she just has a piece of feed stuck in her airway? Chickens have stridor sometimes from that, and it usually clears within a few hours.

 

[annampet]

It does sound similar to that! Tone is a little different but she’s a different breed. I’ll see if I can upload my video and share it here.

 

[annampet]

Can you watch the video in my edited post above, and see if that looks like what you are seeing? She doesn’t look too sick. Maybe she just has a piece of feed stuck in her airway? Chickens have stridor sometimes from that, and it usually clears within a few hours.

 

[annampet]

@Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, that sounds like stridor. It may go away overnight, at least I hope so. It does usually, and a small piece of feed may have been inhaled. I had a hen who had this a couple of times, right after eating eagerly. It always was gone by the next morning. So let us know if she is better then.