Sick Americauna

[calelettus]

Hello.

I've got a sick Americauna hen - 16 months old. She stopped laying 6 days ago. She is eating and drinking but very little. She is lethargic. She was staying away from the others (I've got 7 Rhode Island Reds). I first attributed it to moulting or mites. (I've treated for mites but quite frankly have seen no evidence of them. She has lost some feathers around her neck.) I've given her warm baths to see if it would loosen her up but it hasn't. She is pooping a bit - normal looking but smaller.

Yesterday I noticed she coughed a few times. I've got her in a crate in our garage, separate from the others, with a heat lamp and the temperature is a steady 78 degrees. Her beak is open - she's breathing in a panting kind of way - and there is a tiny bit of moisture on her nostrils - but not dripping.

Any suggestions? Someone suggested treating her (and the entire flock) with antibiotics. All the others are doing just fine - very active and all are laying. There are no "chicken" vets around here so I'm not really able to diagnose. Thanks.

 

[ChickenDoodleDo]

Is she coughing or sneezing? She probably has her mouth open because her nostrils are stopped up. .5cc of Tylan 50 injected into the breast muscle for 5 days will probably clear it up.

 

[calelettus]

Coughing - and it was only a few times.

 

[ChickenDoodleDo]

It sounds like a respiratory infection. It's hard to say what may be causing the respiratory infection, they are usually a secondary infection. I would treat with Tylan 50, .5CC injection daily for 5 days. Keep a look out for bubbly eyes in the sick chicken or any others as this would indicate that the primary infection is MG.

 

[soler]

I just read a bunch of threads about being egg bound and internal laying - is she looking heavy on her abdomen? Sitting down a lot, straining, waddling a bit when she walks, looking a bit penguin like? Maybe you can feel her abdomen and see if you can feel a mass there.

there is a link to a longer thread as well in here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/705908/internal-laying-or-tumor-and-lameness


Is it possible she's panting because she's too hot?

 

[calelettus]

I haven't been able to feel an egg. She's sitting pretty flat. Her mouth is still open and her breathing is fairly rapid but her eyes are alert and not weepy or runny. Her nostrils are dry now. I've been giving her Duramycin-10 for the past two days but haven't seen any difference. the temperature is 78 F under the heat lamp I've got over her box so I wouldn't think that is too hot. She feels cool but she is alert. I hate to cullher but this has been going on for almost a week now...

 

[soler]

if she is still eating and drinking and the coughing stopped i would give her more time.

Does the breathing sound raspy, strained, wet, or is it just panting? I would maybe turn off the heat lamp and see if she becomes more comfortable.

I think the antibiotics should take more than 2 days, no harm finishing the course? She's a young one, would be a shame to lose her.

Is there a way to get her droppings tested? maybe it's worms of sort. no laying, lethargy, runny poops, loss of balance, staying by herself, dull comb colors, loss of appetite are symptoms of worms (not necessarily all together).

 

[calelettus]

I had the heat lamp off last night and this morning her mouth is closed, her breathing is slower - not panting at all - and she is eating a little and drinking. When I get home this afternoon I'm going to let her out in the yard to see how she does for a little while. I was about ready to give up yesterday but I'm going to wait a few more days on the antibiotics. She seems a bit better.

 

[soler]

My fingers are crossed for you!

Are you giver her some vitamins and probiotics? that will help with the antibiotics. Still think it may be worth testing a poop for worms.