Sick Chicken

[Vicki1957]

I have a sick chicken. She makes a rattling breathing lung noice and a half sneezing kind of noise. Her waddle is flapped over and pale. She looks so tired and I find her sleeping allot. She eats well enough but very stationary. Its been going on for quite a while. Just lately I have notice another chicken behaving the same way. I have a flock of 30 chickens and just these two seem sick. Any experience with this out there or suspicions of what this may be?

 

[Perris]

It could be a lot of things, but whatever it is, it is spreading, so you should separate the infected birds until you know what you are dealing with. You would then also be able to identify their poop, which might help indicate what's wrong.

Rattling breath indicates a respiratory infection of one sort or another. Mycoplasma is the most common one, but it doesn't follow that that is what your birds have got. Read up about respiratory infections in poultry and make a shortlist of the ones that best match the symptoms your birds are showing. Then post again with as much detail about your birds' symptoms as you can, and where in the world you are, and the experts here will be able to help you much better.

I'll flag up some now so they know your situation; @azygous @dawg53 @Wyorp Rock and hopefully they will chime in in due course.
Good luck!

 

[azygous]

As @Perris has said, it could be a respiratory illness. But the pale floppy combs point to something more sinister. I would try treating these two with an antibiotic for the symptoms.

However, if one or the other dies, I strongly recommend a necropsy from your state lab to find out the cause of death. Those symptoms match those in my flock of chickens dying from tumors on organs caused by lymphoid leucosis.

I found out my flock was carrying this avian virus around eight years ago when an eleven-month old cockerel died after suffering similar symptoms.

Whether it's a respiratory disease or some other virus, they're all so contagious, all your chickens have been exposed by now, and it would be futile to separate these sick chickens for that reason, but it would be easier to monitor them, as @Perris pointed out.

 

[Vicki1957]

Thank you very much for this info. Where can I get the antibiotic for them? I am seeing a vet this week for my 15 year old husky but imagine the vet doesn't do chickens.... of course I will inquire. Are chicken medicines available outside of a veterinary clinic?

 

[azygous]

This is what I usually use. https://www.kvsupply.com/item/aqua-mox-250mg-capsules-100-count/P06184/

Others:
Tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, and macrolides are the most effective anti-mycoplasma agents. They are widely used to suppress mycoplasma infection and contamination of cell cultures

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4947986/

Most vets don't treat chickens for the main reason being that in our culture, they are simply food. But if you have a regular vet for other pets or livestock, they will often be agreeable to do simple stool testing for you as well as supplying an antibiotic when you need it for the chickens as long as you reassure them you will be responsible for the treatment.

 

[Vicki1957]

Thank you to all for caring and helping with my sick chickens. Being sick is misery for any living thing. I will order this medicine today. And maybe the vet would be willing to help also. I will keep you posted

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a sick chicken. She makes a rattling breathing lung noice and a half sneezing kind of noise. Her waddle is flapped over and pale. She looks so tired and I find her sleeping allot. She eats well enough but very stationary. Its been going on for quite a while. Just lately I have notice another chicken behaving the same way. I have a flock of 30 chickens and just these two seem sick. Any experience with this out there or suspicions of what this may be?

Can you get some photos of the hens and their poop?
How old are these hens?
Do they lay eggs?
Any feeling of bloat/fluid in the abdomen?
Crops emptying overnight?
Any mucous from the nostrils, watery or bubbly eyes?

IF it is a respiratory disease like Mycoplasma then I would ask your vet for Tylosin or a "Cycline" to treat. MG has no cell wall, so Amoxicillin is not effective as a treatment.
Infectious Coryza is another respiratory disease that responds to antibiotic treatment, but a Sulfa drug is usually the best choice. IC reportedly has a bad odor and generally there are symptoms of pus in the eyes along with mucous/coughing, etc.

Infectious Bronchitis is a virus, but secondary bacterial infection is a possibility.

Hard to know if you are dealing with respiratory disease or something else a video of how they sound may also be helpful. Upload to youtube and provide a link.

 

[Vicki1957]

This is smarty the sick chicken. Her butt is a mess. I don't want to cause her too much more stress cleaning it until I can get her feeling better. My video "The sweetest things in life" is Smarty before she was sick. I have her isolated but the other chickens got noisy while photoing her.

 

[azygous]

From her appearance and behavior, she likely has a chronic reproductive infection or tumors. You can try an antibiotic, but I wouldn't expect a miracle. I'm sorry your chicken is so sick.

 

[Vicki1957]

I don't expect her to last the night she seems even sicker tonight. Called vet and they will not treat her. The office offered/referred 2 places but seemed unsure and away in other towns. I have been a chicken owner now for 11 months. There is allot to learn about chickens. Thanks again chicken lovers for the help