Wheezing and coughing hen, very worried please help!!

[Moolie]

My blue/grey maran hen in the past day has started making loud wheezing noises and coughing as though to dislodge something in her throat. Her throat rattles slightly and her glands and ears feel slightly swollen. She seems to be eating and drinking fine, she's just finding breathing extremely labouring.
I'm really worried because last week my light Sussex developed the same symptoms which eased up and I thought nothing of it until two days ago it started again and I came home from work to find her slumped over and dead in the run.
I obviously checked all the others for problems but they all seemed ok, but of course its hard to know how long they've all been exposed to the disease. As you can imagine I'm extremely worried as whatever it is must be contagious as now another hen has developed the same problem and I don't want my whole flock ending up diseased or having to be culled.
Does anyone know what she could have and how I could self-treat ( cannot pay for a vet ).
I'm from England so I don't know if diseases are universal?

Thanks so much if you can help!

 

[Suzie]

Sorry to hear that - hopefully you will get a variety of possible causes here - meanwhile you should isolate the sick chicken - you can give her an antibiotic such as tetracycline for chickens - your local Vet should have the medication and should prescribe this for you ( you may have suggestions of other antibiotics from the USA or further afield - the UK can prescribe tetracycline or Baytril through your Vet. Normally it comes in a powder form which you can put into their drinking water - DO treat the whole flock and do not eat their eggs for 10-14 days after you finish treatment.

I do hope you get some useful suggestions very soon to help you!

Best of luck

Suzie

 

[Moolie]

Thanks so much for the advice, I will see if I can possibly pick up some antibiotics tomorrow. One other thing, is it safe to consume the eggs now before treating or would it be putting our health at risk too?
I've just hatched out 9 chicks under my broody a couple of weeks ago, should I, or is it safe to give them tetracycline with the other hens?

Thanks again