Runny nose, lethargic Cochin. Advice?

[Frizzlett]

I bought 3 Calico Cochin roosters thinking 2 of them were hens but all were roosters. Anyway I got them home and immediately began seeing sneezing and "coughing" if you can call it that. I think they have a respiratory infection and I can treat that. But I also think one of them has a touch of Coccidiosis which this is the second time I've had to treat my chickens for it. One of them is doing pretty bad. He's lethargic (has a lot of energy when you approach him though) and has some nasal discharge. Not much but it's there. I took him inside and cleaned off his beak because he had some stuff on it. Not all was the discharge from nostrils. I gave him some Corid in his mouth and he seemed like he was having trouble swallowing. So then I gave him water in an eyedropper and again, he looked like he had trouble swallowing. He was also making a soft noise repeatedly when he was running around. It looked as if he was dying which he wasn't. He's still fine. He is eating which was a surprise to me because I thought he wasn't. We put him a pet crate in a safe barn away from the others. When we put food in there, he immediately began eating which was the first time I've noticed him eat all day. Should I start VetRx? I was going to sell these roosters but that has been put on hold for now. One of my other chickens that I've had for over a month now, was "coughing" a week ago but I haven't heard it from her for a day or 2 now. I need to get them better so I can sell them because I have too many roosters.

 

[Frizzlett]

Well I'm getting off of here for the day but any advice by morning would be appreciated! Well, my morning. It's 8:20pm where I am lol. Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Respiratory diseases such as mycoplasma, coryza, infectious bronchitis, and ILT are contagious and make carriers of the flock. This chickens need to be put down if you are not going to keep them. They can get better with antibiotics such as Tylan 50 injections or given orally, but they will still be carriers for life. You can't ever sell this birds, or you will infect other flocks. People with birds like these that chose to keep them should close their flocks to new birds or birds going out. MG (CRD) and coryza are are 2 more common respiratory infections, and you can read about them in this link: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Frizzlett]

Thanks for the link! None of these appear to be the problem mine has. Thank God it's only one... For now. I think the main problem is coccidiosis. He was acting fine before the Coccidiosis. I'll see what happens when the Coccidiosis is over with. He seems better than he did earlier.

 

[Frizzlett]

He was doing much better today. He was eating and he swallowed the Corid very well with no trouble at all. I'm going to try VetRx first and if that doesn't work I'll get the antibiotics. No runny nose today either!

 

[Frizzlett]

So in a little while I'm going to go to TSC and my first thought was VetRx. But I'm short on cash and can only get either the VetRx or the Tylan 50. I really don't want to give them antibiotics if the VetRx will work. I can use VetRx for multiple things such as scaly leg mites. One of my chickens has a pretty bad case of leg mites. I've been putting Vaseline on him and it's worked only a little. SO would it be better to get the Tylan 50 knowing it will work although I don't want to give them antibiotics, or the VetRx that I can use for many different things but it might not do anything for the respiratory infection.

 

[Eggcessive]

Vet Rx is a 100 year old remedy. It contains only scented oils such as camphor which may only do what Vicks Salve did for us as a child. I would not spend money on that myself. Cough, runny nose, or sneezing are symptoms of a respiratory disease. Infectious bronchitis has those symptoms, and is a viru which will not respond to antibiotics. Antibiotics may help with MG and coryza, and can help to prevent secondary infections. If it were me, I would wait to see if his symptoms change or worsen, and save my money. If I bought either I would get Tylan 50 and some syringes with needles (22 gauge.) Below are the ingredients of Vet RX, and you could probably make your own:

Active Ingredient(s): Made with 3.3% (v-v) alcohol U.S.P. The mixture contains Canada balsam, camphor, oil origanum, oil rosemary, blended in a corn oil base.

 

[Frizzlett]

Thanks! I read up on some respiratory diseases and illness but none of them really sounded like what he has. The closest ones to what he has would be Newcastle, Infectious Bronchitis or Coryza.

 

[Eggcessive]

Newcastles Disease, at least Exotic Newcastles is not found in the US. Coryza usually has a very bad rotten odor. MG and IB can look similar if the strain of MG is mild. IB will run it's course over a month, and can leave carriers for 5 months to a year. IB tends to spread throughout the flock quickly also. It can cause wrinkled shells in eggs, and watery white albumen inside the egg, but not in every case.

 

[Frizzlett]

The day I started this thread, he (we've decided to name him Teddy) was chirping and trembling a little. Looked like he was maybe gasping for air. One of his nostrils was blocked. He has clear to sometimes yellow-ish liquid coming from his nose. I've had to clean his nose twice in 3 days. There's not much discharge though. He's more active, I think his biggest problem is Coccidiosis which all of my chickens are being treated for it. I'll treat all of them for the respiratory infection as well. Most of them have it already. Not anywhere near like Teddy has it. Just a little sneezing here and there. Ah! I just love his name!