Sick Chicken

[Zgm12]

One of my red star chickens is sneezing and a lot of fluid is coming out of her nose. She has seemed a little lethargic lately and hasn't been roosting. She sounds like she is congested sometimes while she is breathing. Please help me identify this sickness and cure the chicken. Thank you.

 

[seminolewind]

Is she the only one of your chickens that has it? Did you recently get more chickens? Are these chickens new?

 

[Zgm12]

Is she the only one of your chickens that has it?  Did you recently get more chickens?  Are these chickens new?

She seems to be the only one. We have had her for years. We got some new chickens early this summer, but she hasn't been sick until now, though.

 

[seminolewind]

Is she eating? Does her crop fill during the day and empty the next morning? What does her poo look like? Can you feel her breast bone?

Right off the top of my head you could give her Tylan, a teaspoon per gallon of water. You can get it at Tractor Supply and maybe feed stores. Someone else may have some good advice too.

 

[MohawkJEn]

Also we just learned a nice thing today, because one of our chickens is sick.
Give her an Epsom salt soak.
Fill a big mixing bowl with war/hot water (like how hot you would want to take a bath) put a 1/4 cup of Epsom salt in it. Put your hen in it, and cover her with a towel. She will snuggle down into the water. You can kind of help her along too, but she will squat down in it. They actually like it. Then let her snuggle in for about an hour. Or until the water cools off. Take her out and blow dry her, which she will also like. The epsom salt works wonders for humans that are sick and it does the same with the chickens. Plus they really love it, it helps them relax a lot. Our chicken looked a lot better, even though she is still ill, it seemed to give her a little feistiness back. Anyway, no harm in trying. Good luck!

 

[jonalisa]

I would be concerned about coryza or MG.
Is there any swelling on her face?
How long has she been sick?
You might want to separate her until you know more. It's tough at this late hour, but hopefully someone with more experience than I will come on soon.

 

[Eggcessive]

One of my red star chickens is sneezing and a lot of fluid is coming out of her nose. She has seemed a little lethargic lately and hasn't been roosting. She sounds like she is congested sometimes while she is breathing. Please help me identify this sickness and cure the chicken. Thank you.

There are a few common respiratory diseases such as infectious bronchitis and mild strains of mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) that can cause those symptoms. MG can also involve swelling around the eye or face. Tylan and oxytetracycline are sometimes used to help symptoms, but respiratory diseases are chronic and make carriers. ILT, coryza, and aspergillosis (from mold) are other common ones that you may want to read about in this link: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Zgm12]

I would be concerned about coryza or MG.
Is there any swelling on her face?
How long has she been sick?
You might want to separate her until you know more. It's tough at this late hour, but hopefully someone with more experience than I will come on soon.

As soon as I noticed her symptoms I separated her. I will be checking her more thoroughly today to see more symptoms that could help identify the illness. I have a medication for chickens and will post the name as soon as I can. Yesterday I didn't notice any swelling, but her face and comb were covered with small white dots. Another thing I didn't think about until now was that I could feel the bone in front of her body (Breast bone maybe). Thank you both for all the help!

 

[Zgm12]

There are a few common respiratory diseases such as infectious bronchitis and mild strains of mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) that can cause those symptoms. MG can also involve swelling around the eye or face. Tylan and oxytetracycline are sometimes used to help symptoms, but respiratory diseases are chronic and make carriers.  ILT, coryza, and aspergillosis (from mold) are other common ones that you may want to read about in this link:  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

It sounds like it could be coryza, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, or MG. I will check for more symptoms. I have a medicine for chickens and will tell the name as soon as I can. Thank you so much!

 

[Zgm12]

She seems a little better today. I noticed she is puffed out, but no swelling anywhere. The medicine I have is Oxytetracycline will that help? Here is a picture of her this morning: