Sick chicken? Help me!

[Sean Abbott]

I have 6 backyard chickens. It started with with just one who began sneezing, then she got a raspy voice. She then started mouth breathing. This has subsided some, but not fully. A week later another of our chickens started sneezing too. We bought vetrx for them, but there has been no major effect. What should I do?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC, but sorry about your illness. Take a look at this link and look up symptoms of infectious bronchitis (IB,) mycoplasma (MG,) coryza, and ILT: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

IB, a virus, is the most common respiratory disease in chickens, and sneezing is the most common symptom. It also infects most of the flock over several weeks. It will not respond to antibiotics. If you see any eyelid swelling, eye bubbles or nasal drainage, wheezing, or rattles, you may be dealing with MG or coryza. Those may respond to antibiotics, such as Tylan 50 injectable, given orally or as an injection.

 

[Sean Abbott]

They do have some nasal draining. The issue is that there is no vet to take them to in the area.

 

[Eggcessive]

Infectious bronchitis virus will last for about a month, and it makes them carriers for up to a year, so it is a food idea to not add any new birds or hatch any chicks for a year after the last bird is showing symptoms. With MG or coryza, it can make the whole flock carriers for life. If you lose a chicken to this illness, which is unusual with uncomplicated IB unless they get secondary bacterial infections, I would send the refrigerated body off to your state vet for a necropsy and testing. I can give you contact info for that if you need it. Your local NPIP or agricultural extension agent may also help if you want to test live birds. Tylan 50 injectable may be given twice a day orally at 0.2 ml per pound of weight for 5 days if you think it looks more like mycoplasma (MG.)

 

[Sean Abbott]

Ok, so I just went out and checked the flock, and here's what I found. 3/6 chickens are sneezing, but their eyes look fine, and they have little to no nasal drainage. The drainage looks different on the chickens. it was hard to tell but for the most part it just looks a little shiny around their noses.

 

[Sean Abbott]

So I have been looking at the link you sent me, and none of those sicknesses completely match. I would say MG matches the best. And by the way, thank you for helping me with all of this. Should I just make the assumption that it is MG and get the medicine for that?

 

[Eggcessive]

Clear nasal drainage is common with IB and MG. If it gets thick and yellowish, it can be coryza or a secondary infection. Since you have so many with it at once, my bet is on it being IB, but I am not a vet, and without testing, it can be hard to tell.

 

[Sean Abbott]

We covered them with diatomaceous earth and are giving them vetrx. Do you think that will be enough? One of the chickens has developed a thick yellow snot, while the others have lost their clear snot. However the chicken who's been sick the longest has regained her raspy breathing. I have no idea what to do, it's like their symptoms change everyday!

 

[Sean Abbott]

I also found blood in the mouths of 2 of the sick ones. I could not tell if they had been picking on each other.

 

[Sean Abbott]

We found one of our sick hens dead this morning. We also found one of our other chickens out so we think the dead one may have been trying to get out and broke its neck. Will you send me the contact info for the state vet so we can have the body tested for sickness?