Video and pics. Help me diagnose 10 week old respiratory illness?

[JeepzPeepz]

Hi everyone. I have an 11ish week old Australorp chick (or is it pullet now?) that has been sick for a couple weeks, and I’d appreciate some help in maybe figuring out what’s going on, and how I can best help her. These are my first chickens, so I’d appreciate the input of others more knowledgeable. I apologize in advance for this being a long post.

A little info on my setup, in case it helps:

-Im located in central Maryland. The weather had been a comfortable 70-85 when symptoms started.

-I hatched chicks myself, from eggs I received from a friend who’s birds have always been healthy.

-They were brooded indoors, and moved outside to coop at about 7-8 weeks old.

-They are eating Dumor chick starter, and always have access to grit.

-They have a grass/dirt run in the yard, and get supervised free ranging almost daily.

-Coop has ventilation, but it’s lacking ( TSC prefab got another sucker right here!), so bedding is emptied and replaced every couple days until their new coop is built.

Symptoms started about 2 weeks ago:

-Sneezing with clear mucus (but only when she sneezes)
-Breathing sounded normal until this morning, where her nose sounds a bit stuffy. No wheezing or coughing I’ve heard.
-Head scratching and shaking (mouth and throat look clear)
-Eyes are clear and alert
-No odd odors coming from anywhere on her
-Diminished appetite (but happily eats treats and drinking water)
-Pale face and comb/wattle
-Puffed up feathers
-Tail down, neck pulled in
-Dark, thick poop (smelled different than the other chicks cecal poo)
-Green poop for the last couple days
-Crop seems to be filling and emptying as it should be.
-I noticed last night while she was perched on my shoulder that her belly sounds bubbly and I’m pretty sure she farted on my head



I brought her inside for about two days last week to start Corid and let her rest. She perked up and seemed to be doing better so I put her back out with the group, but symptoms returned within a day or so. I brought her back inside, where she’ll stay until I can figure out what’s going on.

I’ve treated her and my 6 other chickens with 5 days of Corid. I figured it couldnt hurt. I read on here to do 5 days on, 5 off, then 5 on again. We’re on day 4 of the “off” period. She is the only chicken exhibiting any symptoms. Taking her to a vet isn’t completely off the table, but it would absolutely take a significant toll on my finances with Christmas coming up. I have no antibiotics on hand, but Tylan can be easily acquired. Other antibiotics I’ve seen mentioned on this board could be ordered, but I’m afraid time might be of the essence?

I’m attaching pics of poo, the chicken named Nunu, and a video I took last night. In the video, you can see the labored breathing, head scratching, and sneezing. Sorry it’s so dark, but it was taken later at night.

Please let me know if there’s any other info that could be of assistance!

 

[DobieLover]

Good idea on treating with Corid.
I would get and give him the Tylan 50. He's still small so you should weigh him before treatment. The dose is 40 mg/Kg daily but I would split the dose in half and administer every 12 hours for 7 days. I just squirt liquid meds into small pieces of bread and feed it to the bird that way. It sometimes takes a few pieces of bread to get it down them. It is less stressful than force feeding but if they aren't eating then force feeding the med is necessary.
He doesn't look too bad in the pictures or video. His comb and wattles have good color so I think he's still breathing enough to have good oxygenation.
And, yes, I keep calling him HIM because he's not a pullet. He's a cockerel with that much color and comb/wattle development at 11 weeks old.

 

[JeepzPeepz]

Good idea on treating with Corid.
I would get and give him the Tylan 50. He's still small so you should weigh him before treatment. The dose is 40 mg/Kg daily but I would split the dose in half and administer every 12 hours for 7 days. I just squirt liquid meds into small pieces of bread and feed it to the bird that way. I sometimes takes a few pieces of bread to get it down them. It is less stressful than force feeding but if they aren't eating then force feeding the bread is necessary.
He doesn't look to bad in the pictures or video. His comb and wattles have good color so I think he's still breathing enough to have good oxygenation.
And, yes, I keep calling him HIM because he's not a pullet. He's a cockerel with that much color and comb/wattle development at 11 weeks old.

Haha I was thinking cockerel as well, but a more knowledgeable friend said pullet so I was going with that! I’ll grab some Tylan after work. Curious as to why the others haven’t caught it, but I’ll count it as a blessing!

 

[DobieLover]

Haha I was thinking cockerel as well, but a more knowledgeable friend said pullet so I was going with that! I’ll grab some Tylan after work. Curious as to why the others haven’t caught it, but I’ll count it as a blessing!

Could be hormonal stress. Hopefully it isn't anything too serious.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree, I would continue with the Corid and start the Tylan.

See if that makes a difference.

Any lesions or mucous inside the beak?

 

[JeepzPeepz]

I agree, I would continue with the Corid and start the Tylan.

See if that makes a difference.

Any lesions or mucous inside the beak?

Sorry to reply so late! Inside the beak seems to be clear. I’ll be starting Tylan today. I heard a few sneezes yesterday evening while I was walking the run, so I think the others may be coming down with whatever this is as well. Hopefully they’re able to kick it easily. I’d hate to have to treat the whole flock with antibiotics.

 

[JeepzPeepz]

So the sneezing and head shaking have calmed down a bit today. But this morning he had a very watery poop that came out in a thin swirl. Any idea if this is just mucus or potentially worms? It seemed like mucus, but he just left a cecal poop that had two odd sections. Any ideas? Wondering if I should deworm.

 

[Eggcessive]

That stringy poop is not worms.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is his crop emptying?