Sick Silkie rooster

[Happy Henny]

Hello,
I think my 6 month old silkie rooster, Nugget, is sick with I think maybe a respatory disease/infection. He always sneezes and has been doing that for a long time(which I thought was because of his very puffy beard) but tonight I noticed one of his eyes was watering. The water coming out of his eye was perfectly clear. Since he was a little chick when i would pick him up and he would puke up water (I dont know what to think of that and I don't know if it has anything to do with his possible disease). He is very energetic and dosent act lethargic at all other than Sneezing, temporary watery eyes, and ocasionally slightly gasping for air. We live in VA right now so it is very cold out and lately it has been getting lower than 30 degrees at night. He lives in a coop with 5 other chickens and none of the others are showing any signs of what he has. Please help me figure out what is happening to him! He is the sweetest rooster I have ever owned in all 6 years of owning chickens. TIA

 

[azygous]

It's possible he has a respiratory illness. But it's also possible his symptoms are due to a crop disorder. The throat is directly connected to the eyes and fluid backup could theoretically come out of his eye in addition to leaking from his beak as you handle him.

To verify a crop disorder, it's necessary to feel his crop now for a baseline, withhold food and water overnight, and then check it first thing tomorrow morning before he eats.

If the crop is full in the morning, use the info in my article to decide which crop issue you're dealing with and then you can start to treat him. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If it turns out to be a respiratory issue, not a crop issue, Tylosin is a good antibiotic, available at most feed stores.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

6 month old silkie rooster, Nugget, is sick with I think maybe a respatory disease/infection. He always sneezes and has been doing that for a long time(which I thought was because of his very puffy beard) but tonight I noticed one of his eyes was watering. The water coming out of his eye was perfectly clear.

Since he was a little chick when i would pick him up and he would puke up water (I dont know what to think of that and I don't know if it has anything to do with his possible disease). He is very energetic and dosent act lethargic at all other than Sneezing, temporary watery eyes, and ocasionally slightly gasping for air.

I agree, I would check his crop.

Tell us something - he occasionally gasps for air - when do you notice him doing that - is it when you pick him up/hold him, when he's been eating/drinking - is some activity or action related to the gasping?

You mention Temporary watery eyes. What's the fluff like on his face? Does he need a trim around the eyes - maybe feathers are getting into his eyes?

The Sneezing - when do you notice that - when he's been eating/drinking, dust bathing, etc.? Any action/activity that is connected to the sneezing?

Lastly - can you get some photos of Nugget? One of all of him (we LOVE photos), a couple of his face showing his eyes and beak?

 

[Eggcessive]

Tylan or tylosin antibiotic which is used to treat MG, a respiratory illness, is only available online nowadays. Here is a link for it:
https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/
Be carefull handling and accidentally squeezing the crop when you pick him up. That can make him regurgitate water or food.

 

[Happy Henny]

It's possible he has a respiratory illness. But it's also possible his symptoms are due to a crop disorder. The throat is directly connected to the eyes and fluid backup could theoretically come out of his eye in addition to leaking from his beak as you handle him.

To verify a crop disorder, it's necessary to feel his crop now for a baseline, withhold food and water overnight, and then check it first thing tomorrow morning before he eats.

If the crop is full in the morning, use the info in my article to decide which crop issue you're dealing with and then you can start to treat him. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

If it turns out to be a respiratory issue, not a crop issue, Tylosin is a good antibiotic, available at most feed stores.

I agree, I would check his crop.

Tell us something - he occasionally gasps for air - when do you notice him doing that - is it when you pick him up/hold him, when he's been eating/drinking - is some activity or action related to the gasping?

You mention Temporary watery eyes. What's the fluff like on his face? Does he need a trim around the eyes - maybe feathers are getting into his eyes?

The Sneezing - when do you notice that - when he's been eating/drinking, dust bathing, etc.? Any action/activity that is connected to the sneezing?

Lastly - can you get some photos of Nugget? One of all of him (we LOVE photos), a couple of his face showing his eyes and beak?

Tylan or tylosin antibiotic which is used to treat MG, a respiratory illness, is only available online nowadays. Here is a link for it:
https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/
Be carefull handling and accidentally squeezing the crop when you pick him up. That can make him regurgitate water or food.

The last time I held him (which was a couple of days ago) he was very light and I could feel his breast bone as clear as day. I'm worried that he is malnourished even though he eats plenty. Whenever I hold him I make sure not to squeeze him. He occasionally gasps for air when I hold him, randomly when he is just walking around and right after he drinks water. Last night I went out to collect the eggs and he stood up to come greet me. As that happened he was gasping just slightly and then he sneezed a couple of times. When he sneezes there is not really anything/anywhere that makes him sneeze, its just randomly all of the time. He doesn't have sneezing fits, it's just one sneeze per time. Here is a pic of Nugget, you can see he doesn't have puffy head feathers but he does have a really puffy beard.

P.S. I will send the body pic of him later because I don't have it available to me right now

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you seen any bubbles in an eye, or swelling around an eye?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He occasionally gasps for air when I hold him, randomly when he is just walking around and right after he drinks water. Last night I went out to collect the eggs and he stood up to come greet me. As that happened he was gasping just slightly and then he sneezed a couple of times. When he sneezes there is not really anything/anywhere that makes him sneeze, its just randomly all of the time. He doesn't have sneezing fits, it's just one sneeze per time.

He's cute!
Are his nostrils clear and free of any blockages? Sometimes they can get food/debris in the nostrils and this makes it difficult to breath and they will sneeze. https://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/PluggedNare/PluggedNare.html

Also it's always a good idea to look inside the beak just to make sure there is no canker or white/yellow cheesy patches in the beak or throat.

 

[Happy Henny]

Have you seen any bubbles in an eye, or swelling around an eye?

Not recently, but a couple of weeks ago I saw tiny bubbles in the corner of his eye. No swelling.

 

[Happy Henny]

He's cute!
Are his nostrils clear and free of any blockages? Sometimes they can get food/debris in the nostrils and this makes it difficult to breath and they will sneeze. https://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/PluggedNare/PluggedNare.html

Also it's always a good idea to look inside the beak just to make sure there is no canker or white/yellow cheesy patches in the beak or throat.

Thank you! There isn't any dirt or anything blocking his nostrils.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is she doing any better?