Sneezing and Squeaking Hens!

[bowmanspeeps]

About 3 weeks ago I noticed a hen or two making a squeaking noise. Then 2 weeks ago, those hens started sneezing. I removed them from my pen and started them on antibiotics and also put Vix on their combs, wattles, and under wing. Then a couple of days later more were sneezing so I decided to medicate the entire pen. I am finishing up my second week of antibiotics this week and the sneezing is lessened but some are still sneezing a lot. There are no other physical symptoms, just the sneezing. We are throwing a lot of eggs away right now and I am hoping that we can stop the antibiotics this weekend but worried that they still may have something...

If anyone has any advice or solution, please let me know!

Thanks!

 

[ND]

What antibiotic are you using?


First, you should know that chickens don't get 'colds', they get respiratory diseases that are chronic and leave them carriers for life. This means they can relapse under stress (moving, cold, heat, molt, etc) and they can/will infect other birds.

MG is a very, very prevalent respiratory illness... mild strains can present with symptoms like yours are showing.
Tylan 50 injectable, Baytril (Rx only) are what you want for respiratory illnesses... or perhaps Denagard (I haven't tried this yet, but is supposed to be no egg withdrawal).

You can choose to treat, but even if they recover and never show symptoms again, they are carriers. They can infect new birds. They shouldn't leave your property alive... no sales, trading, showing, etc. It can also be passed via hatching eggs to the chicks.

MG isn't the only CRD illnesses, but a likely one in your case. Many of the others are more tell tale symptoms, like Coryza is associated with a very bad smell around the face/head/beak, etc. Infectious Bronchitis is known for it's effect on eggs (misshapen shells, 'wrinkled' shells) during active infection.

A quick google of MG+chickens will give you a lot of information...and symptoms lists. (they may or may not show ALL symptoms listed... symptom lists are just common ones shown. Some MG strains are pretty mild and only will show sneezing/coughing and often small eye bubbles, or wet nostrils) Some of the soluble antibiotics that say they treat CRD illnesses do take care of some of the symptoms... like they may clear up the eye bubbles or dry up any 'wet' sneezes, but none seem to really tackle the sneezing/coughing very well.

IMO, Tylan 50 injectable works as well as Baytril on mild strains of CRD for a fraction of the cost and without the vet Rx. I'm interested in Denagard though, it sounds very interesting.


FWIW, a lot of people will cull any chicken that shows respiratory symptoms because they are chronic and will always infect new birds. I am not opposed to treating mild cases BUT I think then it becomes an issue of bio-security responsibility to NOT infect potential clean flocks of others...which means no selling birds, chicks, or hatching eggs. No bird leaves the property alive. I personally think this is the ONLY responsible stance if you choose to treat your flock. Clearly, others don't necessarily agree--- or there wouldn't be such an epidemic of these things in backyard flocks (though, they can, at times, be transmitted via wild birds), but IMO, allowing carrier birds to knowingly leave your property is...irresponsible, at best.