Wheezing Chickens

[MINchick]

This morning I found one of our chickens was wheezing. Her comb had a slight purple tint and she rattles/gurgles when she breathes. She is walking around, eating, albeit not as active as she usually is.

This evening I checked on the chickens and now four of them are making similar sounds and have similar symptoms. Maybe I just didn't notice this morning.

This morning I gave them warm oats with garlic, oregano, acv, nutridrench and pumpkin seeds simply because I don't have anything else helpful for this situation on hand. We've had chickens for four years and have never had an issue like this.

No new additions to the flock, all birds are between 1-3 years old of various breeds and were healthy until this morning. We have 12 chickens and two turkeys in a 320sf coop and they could go outside if they wanted but they choose not to. My only thought is that the recent weather (two weeks with highs below zero) really put a strain on their immune system.

I wanted to get them some Tylan but you can't get that in stores or without an RX apparently and we aren't about to being four chickens to the vet. Is there something else that can help them?

 

[azygous]

Here's where you can get it without a prescription. And you lucked out. It's in stock. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/ Easy to use. Mix into the drinking water.

Tylan soluable powder dosage is 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Make a fresh solution daily and their only source of water to drink for up to 7 days

 

[MINchick]

Here's where you can get it without a prescription. And you lucked out. It's in stock. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/ Easy to use. Mix into the drinking water.

Tylan soluable powder dosage is 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Make a fresh solution daily and their only source of water to drink for up to 7 days

Thank you! Literally everywhere else I looked required an RX or was out of stock.

 

[Myrshine]

Honestly, you shouldn’t treat without a proper diagnosis. You could be dealing with a fungal infection or a viral infection. Over use and misuse of antibiotics can also cause antibiotic resistant bacteria as well. Wheezing can be from many things, to a disease, an egg bound hen or circulatory issues. How old is she? When’s the last time she’s laid an egg?

 

[MINchick]

Honestly, you shouldn’t treat without a proper diagnosis. You could be dealing with a fungal infection or a viral infection. Over use and misuse of antibiotics can also cause antibiotic resistant bacteria as well. Wheezing can be from many things, to a disease, an egg bound hen or circulatory issues. How old is she? When’s the last time she’s laid an egg?

Antibiotics are always a last resort for us. We are very aware of their downsides. It isn't a matter of being egg bound or a circulatory issue. Five of our chickens have the same symptoms. Like I said, my guess is the severe weather affected them. I will not have Tylan for several days so have continued to give them the oatmeal mixture above and VetRX and they are improving as well as continuing to lay eggs through all of this. If they recover by the time the Tylan gets here I obviously won't use it.