sneezing chickens and one dead

[OHChick]

i think i have read before about this, so i apologize if this is a duplication, my internet is not stable and i need to figure out what's up with this.

i went to the coop tonight to gather eggs and under the feeder, a dead chicken. everyone was fine last night except for one or two who were sneezing. today another one or two are sneezing, but i have so many, i'm not sure if the one who died was one of the sneezers or not.

what do i need to check? do i need to be concerned for my flock? we put terramycin in the water tonight, to try and head off any infections in case the others are sick and i know i can't eat the eggs when they are on this (how long after is it safe to eat the eggs?).

anyway, suggestions/thoughts/etc are appreciated. she's a NH Red and was one month away from being a year old.

i don't want to lose any more. help.

 

[sammi]

any other symptoms?

wheezing/rattling/gurgling
swollen eyes, head or wattles

please describe droppings..color and consistency

what bedding are you using?
has the coop been aired or cleaned recently?

I don't think terramycin is enough.
Ery-mycin (erythromycin/gallimycin)
Tylan 200 or 50 injectible.

 

[OHChick]

no symptoms other than sneezing. i had some that are snoring at night but during the day they seem fine, so i assume they are just snoring like people.

poop is normal.

bedding is pine shavings, coop has not been scraped out in maybe 2-3 weeks but they aren't in there except at night, so its not really dirty. we have stall dry in there to absorb the smell from the wee, so it doesn't even really smell.

they are around alpacas all day and have run of a huge (like maybe 5000 sq ft) barn during the day, where they have hay. they may be eating cat food that we put out for the barn cats... that's the only thing they could have got into.

 

[dlhunicorn]

How old are your birds and what are you feeding them (including treats)...what is the breed of the ones you are having trouble with? Need more specific info if we are to help you.

and have run of a huge (like maybe 5000 sq ft) barn during the day, where they have hay.

Now I know a lot of ppl use hay for bedding and have their birds in the barn with other animals. I do not...I do not let my birds anywhere near hay or straw for several reasons the main one being that it often is a source of mold spores and such (sneezing) and weed seeds (some toxic which the birds can ingest) and can easily hide grains and such which under the right conditions can transmit mycotoxins in addition to if they eat it (which they often do) it will cause crop impaction issues.
I suggest you give your birds a good general poultry supplement like AviaCharge 2000 (one of the few complete balnced supplements I know of >you can purchase from McMurray or Strombergs online).... clean out your coop and have a good look for wet areas and replace the bedding material... ensure your feed does not have an "off" or moldy smell to it (there have been several members reporting bad feed here lately)...
These are all supportive measures...birds are often weak after a winter period.​

 

[CUDA]

Quote:
Are you sure the sound you are hearing isn't a rattle coming from the chest, and not snoring? If so, it is probably the early signs of CRD. You can find out more about this at my site HERE . Good luck!

 

[OHChick]

Feed is Purina Layer crumbles, its fine, its dry, not moldy or anything.

the only thing they ever get for treats is either left over people food (which they have not had in over a week) or a handful of scratch.

the birds with the sneezing are all New Hampshire Reds. i also have 5 Barred Rocks, all are fine.

they are all one month short of being a year old. i got them as chicks on 5/14/2007.

 

[OHChick]

Quote:
if its CRD, would they have all the symptoms? the only symptom i know of is the sneezing, but i will check them out closer when i get home.

 

[CUDA]

No, they won't all necessarily show symptoms. When they are on the roost tonight, take a good listen to them for a mucusy rattle from the chest area. I have seen birds that don't rattle until they go on the roost. I have never heard a chicken snore...lol.

BTW, if they are rattling, it is a good idea to treat them all, whether they all show symptoms or not in my opinion. Good luck!

 

[OHChick]

thanks for the info, i really appreciate it.

i'm totally freaked out, i love my pets, i hope they are okay.

the snoring one, was on the front roost, turned around with her head on her back, snoring. it was weird.

but i will listen tonight.

i am going to run out to TSC to see if they have any of the meds you listed off. i called, they claim they have it but its for cattle only, but i think they're just wrong.

thanks again, will keep u posted.

 

[CUDA]

If you click on the medications on my site, you will see details, and find that most meds aren't for chickens, but I have the dosages you need. Chickens don't rank up there like cattle, pigs, and horses! lol Tylan is an excellent respiratory antibiotic, and will know out most respiratory problems. Good luck!