Rooster has runny nose and slight heavy breathing.

[Tanya22]

Hello everyone! My rooster Brownie is 5 years old and today I observed that he was opening his beak a little bit to breathe (not always but from time to time though right now it has stopped) and was making light sounds while doing it. It sounded alarm bells in my head so I'm posting this. I put him on my lap for a while to listen to his breathing and it seemed mostly fine. He has a bit of a runny nose too. I clean his nostrils regularly and did so today as well after seeing all this. There's no coughing as of yet or any other symptom.. but if there's anything else I should look out for, please let me know.
I've given him 1 slightly crushed garlic clove (he ate it whole) and turned up the heater in his room as the temperature here has dipped very badly. He has never been through such a harsh winter and even though he lives inside the house, it is still very very cold. He also has a habit of standing on the cold floor.
His diet consists of a mix of pearl millets and finger millets and his poop is fine. I checked his crop as well just an hour or so back and it seemed okay. I will check in the morning as well.
But I would like to have your opinion on what this could be and if I should keep any medicines at hand. I don't have any vets here who know about chickens and would like to keep antibiotics or whatever necessary just in case. Thank you!

 

[goats-n-oats]

I'm not an expert but it sounds like a respiratory infection and I'd likely give him lincomycin-spectinomycin powder:

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...MIyaCH04CIhAMVKAutBh0ESwtaEAQYASABEgLboPD_BwE

possibly a vet could write a script for an online pharmacy.
If you can't get antibiotics, try isolating him from the rest of the flock in a warm area and give him probiotics, organic apple cider vinegar, and egg yolk.

Edit: it could also be mycoplasma. The treatment for that is oral tetracycline, like this: https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=eef416f0-418c-45ea-a240-df2dabedf627 you probably don't need that much but for illustration.

@azygous

 

[nuthatched]

I've given him 1 slightly crushed garlic clove (he ate it whole)

I'm very sorry, if he starts getting listless, you need to find someone to put him down or prepare yourself do it yourself, that's likely more than enough garlic to kill or cause major issues. Hopefully it was only a small clove and he's a big boy, so he'll pull through.
If he lives through the next 2-3 days, he should be ok.
There's no need to heat him and that could be causing some of the distress. He doesn't even begin to need heat unless it's under -12C.
Any new birds? Is he acting normal?

 

[goats-n-oats]

I'm very sorry, if he starts getting listless, you need to find someone to put him down or prepare yourself do it yourself, that's likely more than enough garlic to kill or cause major issues. Hopefully it was only a small clove and he's a big boy, so he'll pull through.
If he lives through the next 2-3 days, he should be ok.
There's no need to heat him and that could be causing some of the distress. He doesn't even begin to need heat unless it's under -12C.
Any new birds? Is he acting normal?

I was just about to say, I've found that putting them under a heat lamp can revive them.
A lot of my young birds like to sleep on the floor, which is less optimal than roosting, because of the draft like you mentioned and rsts. Try to find him a place to sleep that's off the ground.

 

[Tanya22]

I'm not an expert but it sounds like a respiratory infection and I'd likely give him lincomycin-spectinomycin powder:

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...MIyaCH04CIhAMVKAutBh0ESwtaEAQYASABEgLboPD_BwE

possibly a vet could write a script for an online pharmacy.
If you can't get antibiotics, try isolating him from the rest of the flock in a warm area and give him probiotics, organic apple cider vinegar, and egg yolk.

Edit: it could also be mycoplasma. The treatment for that is oral tetracycline, like this: https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=eef416f0-418c-45ea-a240-df2dabedf627 you probably don't need that much but for illustration.

@azygous

I think I've used tetracycline or doxicycline before for Brownie and another chicken of mine a few years back. I'll get it from the pet store tomorrow. I was also talking to my mom just a few hours bak about getting ACV for him and will add probiotics to the list too! Since, we dont use animal products, please let me know if there's anything other than eggs that I can use or if the above things would suffice. Also, I read your reply below this one about helping his sleep off the floor.. dont worry, he has his own room which is covered by clothes at night and there's a thick baby blanket that I fold to create a softer bed for him. Would that be enough or should I add more things there?

 

[Tanya22]

I'm very sorry, if he starts getting listless, you need to find someone to put him down or prepare yourself do it yourself, that's likely more than enough garlic to kill or cause major issues. Hopefully it was only a small clove and he's a big boy, so he'll pull through.
If he lives through the next 2-3 days, he should be ok.
There's no need to heat him and that could be causing some of the distress. He doesn't even begin to need heat unless it's under -12C.
Any new birds? Is he acting normal?

I've given him garlic before and he's eaten it whole many times which is why I tried it again today, but still I will keep an eye out.
Actually, we live in india and generally the temperture here is high. He is not used to such cold winters. But he responds well to heaters as I've been using them for him since he was a chick during winters. However, I switch them on only for a little while and then switch off so that it doesnt get too stuffy, but I will switch it off now.
I dont have any other birds though pigeons come to play and eat in our balcony. He is acting normal and I pick all of his poop and keep an eye on it as well. He hung out in the sun today per usual.

 

[goats-n-oats]

I think I've used tetracycline or doxicycline before for Brownie and another chicken of mine a few years back. I'll get it from the pet store tomorrow. I was also talking to my mom just a few hours bak about getting ACV for him and will add probiotics to the list too! Since, we dont use animal products, please let me know if there's anything other than eggs that I can use or if the above things would suffice. Also, I read your reply below this one about helping his sleep off the floor.. dont worry, he has his own room which is covered by clothes at night and there's a thick baby blanket that I fold to create a softer bed for him. Would that be enough or should I add more things there?

Yes! I knew I forgot something. Oregano oil is a very potent antiviral and antibacterial agent:

https://www.amazon.com/Nubiotic-Con...MIj9vH9YuIhAMV0hKtBh0mUwSGEAQYASABEgJK5_D_BwE

 

[Tanya22]

Yes! I knew I forgot something. Oregano oil is a very potent antiviral and antibacterial agent:

https://www.amazon.com/Nubiotic-Con...MIj9vH9YuIhAMV0hKtBh0mUwSGEAQYASABEgJK5_D_BwE

Thank you so much! I'll add it to the list!

 

[goats-n-oats]

Hello everyone! My rooster Brownie is 5 years old and today I observed that he was opening his beak a little bit to breathe (not always but from time to time though right now it has stopped) and was making light sounds while doing it. It sounded alarm bells in my head so I'm posting this. I put him on my lap for a while to listen to his breathing and it seemed mostly fine. He has a bit of a runny nose too. I clean his nostrils regularly and did so today as well after seeing all this. There's no coughing as of yet or any other symptom.. but if there's anything else I should look out for, please let me know.
I've given him 1 slightly crushed garlic clove (he ate it whole) and turned up the heater in his room as the temperature here has dipped very badly. He has never been through such a harsh winter and even though he lives inside the house, it is still very very cold. He also has a habit of standing on the cold floor.
His diet consists of a mix of pearl millets and finger millets and his poop is fine. I checked his crop as well just an hour or so back and it seemed okay. I will check in the morning as well.
But I would like to have your opinion on what this could be and if I should keep any medicines at hand. I don't have any vets here who know about chickens and would like to keep antibiotics or whatever necessary just in case. Thank you!

One more thing, you wrote that he just eats millets. That might not be enough complete nutrition for him. I'd try supplementing sunflower seeds, mealworms, or some commercial layer feed like Purina or Dumor.

 

[Tanya22]

One more thing, you wrote that he just eats millets. That might not be enough complete nutrition for him. I'd try supplementing sunflower seeds, mealworms, or some commercial layer feed like Purina or Dumor.

Ahhh the amount of times I've tried to give him pumpkin/sunflower seeds! He's hated them since childhood. I tried making plant milk from them as well to trick him into eating but he's very sharp so he doesnt even touch it.
I do give him multivitamins, though with age I've reduced them since I was told that it might put pressure on his heart. These days im giving just once or twice a month. Should I increase that? Earlier I used to give him once or twice a week and sometimes I would mix b complex in some water and give that too.
I also give him treats like peanuts, almonds, cashews, green leafy vegetables and fruits.