My rooster seems to be having respiratory issues his breathing sounds very crackly and he’s very congested. I’ve called just about every single vet in my state and no one takes chickens. What do I do?
1. Contact @casportpony, @Eggcessive, @Wyorp Rock and @rebrascora (they know about things like this.) 2. Note additional symptoms. Any darkening of the comb? Weird poop, odd stance? Anything visible at the back of his throat? 3. Describe the age of the bird and the conditions in which he's kept. Anything changed recently? Sprayed any bug killer on your lawn or anything? 4. Document. Pictures of the bird, pictures of his poop. 5. Location. You're likely to get a recommendation for an antibiotic. If you're in CA, it's probably going to cause cancer, and therefore is illegal, so you might need to work around that.
Hi @HippieChickenz Welcome To BYC I'm sorry to hear about your rooster. Can you post some photos of him or a video of what he sounds like? (for video, upload to youtube, provide a link) How old is he? How long have you had him? Have you added any new chickens lately? Crackling with congestion could be respiratory disease. Sometimes respiratory issues are also environment (molds, ammonia, etc.) So narrowing down what's going on with him is a good idea. Infection from respiratory diseases can be treated with an antibiotic like Tylan50 which can be found in most feed stores like Tractor Supply. Dose is 0.25ml per pound of weight given orally 3 times a day for 5 days.
Welcome to BYC. Crackles or rales when breathing sounds like mucus in the airway, probably due to a respiratory infection. MG, infection bronchitis, ILT, and coryza are some of the common diseases with different symptoms. Tylan or tylosin is a usual treatment that can help symptoms of MG, but viruses will have to run their course over several weeks. Do you see any watery eyes or bubbles in an eye, sneezing, or swelling of the face?
Thank you, I’m gonna order some Tylan from my local Tractor Supply. My rooster has had that crackly breathing since I got him last year in September. He’s about 2 years old now.