Young Roo Sneezing

[Taebird]

OKAY So, I thought I heard a funny sounding sneeze this morning when I was feeding the chickens grapes. I also noticed that my little bantam cochin roo (5 1/2 months) was not nearly as enthusiastic about grapes as he normally is.... He has mostly stayed under the covered section of the run today, when he is normally strutting up and down- or up on the perch, surveying the backyard. We just let them out to graze a few minutes ago, and he came out and did some scratching around. I wouldn't say he's lethargic but he's SO NOT HIMSELF. I did catch him in the act of sneezing, and every now and then I can hear a faint rattling sound when he opens his beak. It sounds like a respiratory problem, but all the chicken illnesses I've been trying to read about list sneezing as a symptom.
AND- this could be totally unrelated but I have been noticing "light terracotta" colored poop over the past week. (Which is a new shade I have not seen before) and did notice a small bit (smaller than a green pea) of bright red blood in the coop under where he (and two of my other hens) usually roost.

After all that being said, these are my first chickens- and have not had any vaccines..... I didn't know that you were supposed to vaccinate them until the other day.... Do I need to quarantine him? What could be wrong? We love this little roo and don't want anything bad to happen to him!!+

 

[Haunted55]

OKAY So, I thought I heard a funny sounding sneeze this morning when I was feeding the chickens grapes. I also noticed that my little bantam cochin roo (5 1/2 months) was not nearly as enthusiastic about grapes as he normally is.... He has mostly stayed under the covered section of the run today, when he is normally strutting up and down- or up on the perch, surveying the backyard. We just let them out to graze a few minutes ago, and he came out and did some scratching around. I wouldn't say he's lethargic but he's SO NOT HIMSELF. I did catch him in the act of sneezing, and every now and then I can hear a faint rattling sound when he opens his beak. It sounds like a respiratory problem, but all the chicken illnesses I've been trying to read about list sneezing as a symptom.
AND- this could be totally unrelated but I have been noticing "light terracotta" colored poop over the past week. (Which is a new shade I have not seen before) and did notice a small bit (smaller than a green pea) of bright red blood in the coop under where he (and two of my other hens) usually roost.

After all that being said, these are my first chickens- and have not had any vaccines..... I didn't know that you were supposed to vaccinate them until the other day.... Do I need to quarantine him? What could be wrong? We love this little roo and want anything bad to happen to him!!+

If he hasn't been separated from the other up to now, it comes down to your choice on this. If this is a respiratory illness, and it sounds like it may be, they have all been exposed and will need to be treated. If it is just him, separating him from the others will make it easier to give the meds to him. I usually use Duramycin-10 to treat my chickens at the 400mg dose. 1tbls. to 1 gallon of water. I would use this for 7-14 days. If he isn't showing improvement on the 6th day or if he is, but still isn't at top condition, continue to the 14th day.

http://chat.allotment.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

Check this chart and see if you can find what your are talking about. Was it the coral urate?

The correct dosing for the 400mg level of the Duramycin-10 is 1/2 tbls.!!! I am so sorry I gave you incorrect information! It wouldn't have hurt them, but I always like to start in the middle and leave some wiggle room just in case.

Thanks so very much Jim! I'd much rather be wrong and fix it than wrong and no one point it out!

 

[Taebird]

Thanks so much for your reply.... It wasn't the uric acid part, but the poo (part that is normally brown) that has that funny coral color....

I went ahead and separated him from the rest of the flock- who aren't currently exhibiting any symptoms. I've had spring break this past week, so I've been out with the chickens everyday- Yesterday afternoon, he seemed to be feeling great- He was chasing crickets around the yard, mating with some of the newer chicks- But this morning was when I noticed the slight change in behavior and the sneezing/rattling.... His appetite seems to have decreased somewhat, but his eyes are bright and clear- and I've seen no discharge.
Being that it is Saturday evening, and I don't know of a feed store open on Sundays, do you think it can wait until Monday? I didn't want to let it go- and walk out to see a dead rooster in the morning.

Any advice is appreciated!


Quote:

 

[chickadee101]

possibly the early predeveloped infectious coryza? any other peculiar behavior to find out about would be easier to work with. please if you find out about any other similar behavior, let us know!

coryza symtoms:

Swollen Eyes
Bubbles in the corners of the eyes
Open mouth breathing
Pale face
Sneezing and coughing and gasping
Runny nose
Loss of appetite and not drinking water
Not laying eggs regularly as before
And the surefire last symptom that is a giveaway they have Infectious Coryza is a putrid smell coming from the nasal passages.
Once the chicken has this disease and is cured, that chicken never gets it again but they are still a carrier for life to give it to other chickens that have never had it.

 

[Taebird]

The only symptoms I've seen ( and they just started this morning ) are:

-Some Sneezing (It sounds a little more "wheezy" than an average/everyday sneeze)
-Intermittent- rattling sounds (seems to be associated with his breathing- audible with his beak opened or closed) I did not notice him opening his beak excessively
-Decreased appetite- He was eating and drinking this morning, but his appetite was not so great this evening- He drank the "juice" out of two mealworms I offered him, but then left them alone-
What I meant by 'behavior changes' was- He wasn't one of the first chickens to bust out into the yard, he didn't call the girls over when I threw him some scratch, and he didn't seem to be as interested in keeping the girls 'in line' as he usually is. Perhaps it would be best described as lethargy.

Is there anything I can be doing in the meantime to help my little man get through this, or whatever it is?

 

[Haunted55]

It sounds as if it may be Infectious Bronchitis. With Coryza there is usually a smell of infection near their beak. Do you have a Tractor Supply store near you? You can get the Duramycin-10 there. Give him some vitamins in his water, Sav-a-Chick or something similar, put him somewhere where he will be warm. Do you have any lavender oil? You could smear a couple of drops near where he will be. It seems to help ease the breathing just as Vicks does in us. If you have none of the above, you could try 1 tbls ACV and 1 tbls honey mixed into 1 gal. of water. Lots of vitamins in it and the honey and vinegar act somewhat like an expectorant as well.

If this is one of the respiratory diseases, chances are the rest of your flock will also get it as well. Keep your eyes and ears open and be prepared to treat them.