Sneezing and wheezing

[lucky13n3]

Ok so I have a hen that is just about a yr old. Last week she started sneezing and wheezing. I got super worried and watched her for a bit. She had no other signs of distress. In fact she looks like her normal self. Eating, drinking, still laying and dusting. She feels well enough to chase my other girls out of her favorite dusting hole. Friday morning rolled in and the wheezing was worse then I had heard before. I brought her inside and started treating her with Oxytetracycline. Today will be day 4 and I am not hearing any improvement. Again she has no discharge from her nose or mouth or eyes. She is up and at em everyday and she is still laying everyday. She has no fever either. Can someone help me to figure it out? We are in Virginia and I thought maybe it was pneumonia now I wonder if it was something like allergies. I do have a horse who is allergic to hay. Any thoughts or advice would be great. Just at a loss for what this could be.

 

[Eggcessive]

She could possibly have a respiratory disease such as infectious bronchitis, or another one. IB is caused by a virus, and won't respond to antibiotics, but the one you are using may help to prevent secondary bacterial diseases. IB and others may last for about a month, and usually other birds nearby catch the disease. Sneezing is the biggest symptom. Testing can be performed to find out what you are dealing with if you contact your department of agriculture ot state vet. Wrinkled egg shells can be a frequent side effect of the disease. IB can make chickens carriers for up to a year after recovery. Other diseases may be for life and can be chronic.

 

[lucky13n3]

Ugh....not what I was hoping for. None of my other hens are having a problem, knock on wood, her eggs are in perfect condition. It is the weirdest thing ever. Aside from all else she is doing wonderful. Just killing me and I really hope it isn't ib. Thank you so much, guess I will be doing some more research on that. Just adding to my wealth of information.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well if she has been doing this for awhile, and no one else is sneezing, then it likely is not IB. Testing is fairly easy to get done if you can contact your local extension agent or state vet. Mold can cause fungal disease (aspergillosis,) and there are several common respiratory diseases from bacteria and viruses as well.

 

[lucky13n3]

I will look into. Thank you so much for giving me some outside input. Sometimes research just makes it all seem so bleak.