Sick hens? Need help!

[ChickChickHorray]

Hi everyone, I need advice, I'm worried about my girls. I have a small flock of seven hens, all of different varieties, Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Reds, Easter Eggers, and Speckled Sussex they're coming up on a year old in April (we enjoy their eggs, and they’re our pets only) they are all eating and foraging and otherwise being normal chickens. However, when they drink, they are making a raspy duck, almost quack like sound, sometimes shaking their heads and sneezing. Not all of the chickens are doing it but a few and we are worried this may be something serious. They are on a feather fixer and another higher protein feed mixed in. They were all vaccinated for mericks as chicks. When they’re not drinking, they’re acting normally and making normal chicken sounds. The only new thing they’ve had recently is a new dust bath, we gave them some fresh firewood ash and newspaper ash with some DE mixed in with their sand in a little tire. Can someone please help me understand what’s happening? Is there anything I can do for them? I’m so worried. Here's a video, please turn your volume all the way up, my phone volume records softly.

 

[Eggcessive]

Upload any video to YouTube with a link posted here. Are they sneezing excessively or just occasionally. I see chickens shake their heads when they are drinking. If they are not doing any of those things when just hanging around, they are probably fine. D E can be harsh on their breathing.

 

[ChickChickHorray]

Upload any video to YouTube with a link posted here. Are they sneezing excessively or just occasionally. I see chickens shake their heads when they are drinking. If they are not doing any of those things when just hanging around, they are probably fine. D E can be harsh on their breathing.

They’re only sneezing occasionally, and they’re only making the rasping noises while they’re drinking. I’ll upload a video, thank you!

 

[adickenscoop]

Have you tried using the chicken symptom checker?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry I didn’t see that you had added the video after you edited your first post. I can’t tell much about what the chicken in the video was doing, except it does sound a little raspy when she drinks. She seems pretty perky, and usually chickens with a respiratory disease may act droopy. If several or all are doing it, it could be infectious bronchitis, a virus. If it is IB, they should recover in a month, although there can be a slowdown in laying or some wrinkled egg shells. But hopefully, it is just environmental or cold weather. Let us know if anyone seems really ill.

 

[ChickChickHorray]

Sorry I didn’t see that you had added the video after you edited your first post. I can’t tell much about what the chicken in the video was doing, except it does sound a little raspy when she drinks. She seems pretty perky, and usually chickens with a respiratory disease may act droopy. If several or all are doing it, it could be infectious bronchitis, a virus. If it is IB, they should recover in a month, although there can be a slowdown in laying or some wrinkled egg shells. But hopefully, it is just environmental or cold weather. Let us know if anyone seems really ill.

They’re all acting normally, all eating and drinking fine, they’re all running around like normal and playing with their enrichment activity toys, they’re not acting droopy. I’m hoping it’s just the weather, and that it will pass soon! Thank you!

 

[ChickChickHorray]

Have you tried using the chicken symptom checker?

I didn’t even know about that website, thank you!

 

[TashaFrancois]

We had the same and took the worst of the bunch to the vet. There are a lot of meds we can’t get anymore but she found an antibiotic for their water that saved our little backyard flock. We also kept a close watch, kenos their noses clean, used VetRx and nutridrench as directed. I know it sounds crazy to some, but if one got really bad we gave her a warm bath with babyshampoo and used the hairdryer to warm them as they dry. We swear by it.

 

[ChickChickHorray]

We had the same and took the worst of the bunch to the vet. There are a lot of meds we can’t get anymore but she found an antibiotic for their water that saved our little backyard flock. We also kept a close watch, kenos their noses clean, used VetRx and nutridrench as directed. I know it sounds crazy to some, but if one got really bad we gave her a warm bath with babyshampoo and used the hairdryer to warm them as they dry. We swear by it.

This is only happening when they drink their water, was it the same for your flock? I’m glad yours are all ok! Is VetRx and nutridrench something you need to have a vet prescribe to you? Or is it something you can give regularly to give them an extra boost even when they’re feeling fine? We’re new to chickens and are still learning! Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Both of those are available at most feed stores. Vet Rx is an herbal oil remedy with some camphor arromatic, similar to Vicks salve. I have not used it, and it is non-medicated. Poultry NutriDrench is a good tonic that contains vitamins, trace mineral, electrolytes, and amino acids.