Yet ANOTHER sick chicken! Gah!

[Eggcessive]

You cannot see gapeworms without dissecting the trachea (airway) when doing a necropsy. A vet can do a fecal float though, and see the worm larvae in the droppings under a microscope.

I have dealt with infectious bronchitis. Mine only had sneezing and a little dirt around nostrils, and it lasts about 4 weeks. MG will cause the eye bubbles/foam, and more symptoms such as wheezing, gasping, and rales/crackles. Zoologix lab in TX will do PCR testing for 8 respiratory diseases by having you collect the swabs on a sick bird with symptoms at home for around $40-50. They are private, and here is a link:
https://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

 

[TJAnonymous]

Thanks Eggcessive... I may do that. Incidentally I have to run by my equine vet on Monday to pick up some meds for an elderly mare. I may ask her if she can look at a poop sample under the microscope and at least tell me if there are any worms. I don't think she tests for respiratory diseases in chickens though....

 

[TJAnonymous]

My sick girl is pretty much the same today. I took away her feed last night so make sure her crop was clearing. It was definitely decreased this morning but she still had some food in there. I will check her again after this post to see if it has cleared. Not sure if that is significant or not... I also thought she hasn't started laying yet but this morning there was broken eggshells and yolk among her poop. I couldn't tell if it was soft or just smashed. I will watch her more closely today but I checked her abdomen yesterday and she didn't feel egg bound

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

Bump.... Anyone?

I've been fortunate not to have any with what sounds like respiratory problems. I can only suggest, if you haven't already, isolating her for more aggressive treatment. I had an old hen with a terrible egg bound prolapse. I kenneled her inside and treated with rosemary garlic and thyme infusion. She was too lethargic to eat and drink, so it was a dropperfuls all day and night for a week but it worked.
I learned from BYC super members that those herbs are powerful antibiotics and antivirals. It did work. She was perfect!
I also treated the entire flock water with that herbal infusion to prevent any secondary or cross infection.

Best of luck.
I hate when my girls get sick so i sympathize.

 

[addctd2plnts]

The last two girls have recovered... Went two weeks and now I've got another hen down. She is less than a year old - Blue Birchen Maran.

Yesterday she was making a weird hiccup squeaking. This morning she seemed a little lethargic and not eating. I went out to the coop this evening to worm everyone again (it's been 10 days) and check for mites. Found her sounding VERY croupy. Not good! Let me clarify that she was NOT treated for worms 10 days ago. I had a handful of hens I couldn't get to because of where they were roosting. She was one of those... I DID treat her with Safeguard this evening. Any other suggestions? I also put Nutri-Drench in her water.

Are you really sure this isn't part of the current Avian Influenza outbreak? I don't know if you have ducks too, but wild ducks are carriers. The symptoms sound like it's possible to me: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2015/fs-hpai-what-to-expect-if-you-suspect.pdf

Missouri flocks have already tested positive: https://www.mymonticellonews.net/news/deadly-h5n1-avian-influenza-creeping-closer-arkansas

Another good article: https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2022/02/avian-influenza-and-backyard-chickens.html