Strange Breathing

[bray]

I've had a few of my hens have this issue the past week or so, I've attached a link to a video so you can hear what she/they sound like. We bought 12 chicks last February and this is the first sickness we've seen. They will occasionally get off the roost and roam around the yard, but not for long. Sounds like a raspy/rattled breathing, laying has stopped on all my hens, and they don't seem to be eating as much. They have a well ventilated coop and have access to the yard during daylight hours. I keep Grit and Oyster shells available at all times. I think 3 of them sound like this currently. The others seem fine for now, but none of them have laid an egg for the past 4-5 days.

 

[bray]

Just noticed that it looks like her left eye is swollen shut as well.

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be a respiratory disease such as mycoplasma (MG) or possibly coryza. Coryza may have a bad odor. Antibiotics such as Tylan and tetracycline may be used to treat symptoms, but these diseases are chronic and may make carriers of the flock. Coryza is better treated with Sulfadimethoxine or Sulmet.

 

[bray]

Thanks, I went and picked up Tylan 50 yesterday and just gave her the 2nd dose (.5ml orally) this morning. I also got Oxytetracycline water soluable and put it in their water to help prevent any sickness in the rest of the flock. I noticed this morning that she could open her eye a little which she couldn't do at all yesterday.

 

[Michael Apple]

Open the bird's mouth and look to the back of the throat with a head lamp or flashlight. Does it look clean? Also, feel the crop to see if it is swollen with fluid or hard in the morning. You can tell how well ventilated a coop is by the smell when opening it up in the morning. It should not smell musty or air heavy with humidity.

 

[bray]

At this point I'm pretty certain its mycoplasma, all the symptoms match including one of the hens having small bubbles in the corner of her eye. I'm on Day 3 of Tylan 50 and all the Hens are back out in the yard running around, still have some runny noses and raspy breathing but it looks like the worst has past. None are back to laying eggs yet though.

 

[Eggcessive]

It's common to slow down egg laying, lose weight, and have a lower food intake with MG. After you Tylan 50 is finished it would be helpful to give them some probiotics such as Probios Dispersible Powder 1 tsp per gallon of water for a few days. It is also good to use once or twice a week just to help with intestinal health. Grow2Max is another good brand that is specifically for poultry. Here are a couple of good articles about MG that you may be interested in reading:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps034
http://umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/