Sick Chicken...?

[irvingj]

One of our 6-month old chickens has developed a "wheezing" when she breathes; frequently shakes head, occasionally a "chirp" sound. Don't think she's been eating too much, either, but not sure.

It's a silver-laced wyandotte; of our 10 layers, she's the only one like this. We've separated her from the others (in a box indoors) for the time being, and early this AM she was sleeping quietly with no noise, but has now started wheezing again --though not to the extent she was yesterday afternoon/evening. No noticeable eye/nose watering/discharge, in fact she appears to be quite healthy.

I've looked online and in our "chicken library" (LOTS of possibilities, apparently), but do any of you knoweledgeable folks have an idea of what's going on here? --Thanks!

 

[chrisdvorak]

my chickens had it, it is a respiratory infection it can also look like the chickens are sneezing, go to you local farm/livestock store and buy some aureomycin, it comes in powder form and you mix it in their water, if one has it i would treat all of them as it can quickly be spread through your whole flock.

 

[irvingj]

Wow, that was fast, Chris- thanks!

Our wyandotte was much better this AM, in fact so quiet initially I thought perhaps she'd died overnight. Turns out she was just sleeping, quietly. When awake, she sounded "normal" though she did wheeze a bit. Her appetite was back, and she drank a lot of water as well.

Wheezing seemed to stop after a bit, so we put her back in the henhouse with the others. Stool aslo looked normal-- housecat got a bit too curious, scared the hen, who flew out of box (knocking off cover in the process) and flew up onto the dryer. Stool "sample" was conveniently left on the face & top of dryer....

We'll pick up some aureomycin today-- thanks again!

 

[chrisdvorak]

no problem

 

[schmism]

backyard chickens is a GREAT source for all your chicken info.

they even have a sick/injury section that is well staffed.

BackYardChickens Forum

 

[irvingj]

Thanks again-- our wyandotte cleared up this morning, and seems now to be none the worse for wear.... one thought that was put forward was that sometimes chickens will get something stuck in their crop that's a bit too big, and that will cause the wheezing. Perhaps that's what we had. She seems fine now, and was definitely happy to get back with her "sisters" in the henhouse.

Never a dull moment, never stop learning.... I will definitely check out the backyard chickens link- thanks very much, schmism!

 

[jimmyj]

That is my favorite breed of chicken in the whole world! (I know, what losers have a fav kind of chicken...). Respiratory ailments can be sketchy, keep any eye on the flock and if it's really damp for a long time you may see it come back. The treatment is good, I've used Tetracyclene also. Chickens are easy to cure but turkeys are another story...

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

My chickens are doing the same. I don't think it will go away. One hen was doing that but none of the rest, she doesn't look or act sick, shiny feathers, everything fine. Then they all started doing it.

I bought Duramycin-10, tetracycline, at the feed store and am now giving it in their drinking water and have been for 6 days. They are still doing it some so not sure its helping. They do not act sick in any way. By the way if you are giving them antibiotics DO NOT EAT THEIR EGGS. I'm even waiting about 5 days after I stop it. These chickens are active, happy, scratching like crazy, eating bugs and anything I give them and again still shiny feathers.

If this doesn't clear it up I may take one to the vet to see whats wrong. I've never had a sick chicken before and am concerned about eating their eggs. They are laying all these beautiful eggs daily and I'm throwing them away, how sad. But I only have 5 chickens right now.

 

[irvingj]

Patriotic Stabilist- sorry to hear your birds aren't doing so well. I was going to check on the "don't eat the eggs" thing-- I had heard that, and you seem to concur.

Throughout the day yesterday and again this AM, all seem fine, making their usual "happy hen" noises. I will keep an ear open for the wheezing to return, you can bet!

JimmyJ- I guess, all things considered, I'd have to say my favorites are the buff orpingtons- nice personality. (Spent too much time too many times waiting for "Miss Wyandotte" to make up her mind to go in the henhouse or not!)

Here they are this morning.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

They are still doing it, yet I got 4 eggs out of 5 chickens today and 1 was a double yoker. How could they be sick? They are eating good , all the veggie and fruit scraps I give them, bread, and corn, plus eating bugs and stuff. I can't seem to keep them confined to their pen, so they run the yard during the day. I leave the light on at night with a bowl of water with the antibiotics in it, trying to limit them to it, but not doing well.

 

[irvingj]

For sure I'm no expert, but the advice I was given about a lump of food a bit too large is now making a lot of sense- our Wyandotte seems totally fine now.

Patriotic- any possibility your veggie scraps are too big? My wife found a cheap ($20) Black & Decker food chopper, holds maybe a cup, and if I use that on the scraps, they eat everything; if not, larger pieces are left, but they'll still peck at them... and maybe get a piece stuck...? The large piece stuck in the crop sounds very possible.

I'm also adding some "layer-sized" grit to their food now, after seeing them really go for the few bare ground spots in the driveway, looking for dirt/gravel.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

You need to give them oyster shells ground up, it helps produce a good eggshell, without it the shell may be very thin. Small bags are availabe from the feed store, doesn't cost much and just mix a small amount in their food daily.

Chickens eat rocks and bits of stuff, they use this grit in their gizzards to grind up their food as they have no stomach like we do that digests their food. If they are out free and running they get enough from the ground.

 

[firefighter9208]

I have chickens. Rhode Island Reds and Aracauna's. A friend at work gave me two RIR roosters. About a week later I had chickens start to die. They had the same symptoms as your chicken. They slowly (over a couple weeks) went off feed and water. I thought they were molting.

I spoke to a vet friend of mine and he said that it was a respiratory infection. He gave me an antibiotic to put in their water. He told me to lock them in the coup at night without water and then to put the medicated water in with them in the morning to force them to drink it.

After several had died and one of the roosters died I finally killed the other rooster. I gave them another round of medicated water and they slowly began to eat and lay again. I started with 25 and ended up with 15.

I actually went about 4 weeks without getting a single egg.

They are back healthy and laying again. I learned my lesson. No new birds from outside flocks. I want to get some more in the spring, but will order from a hatchery.

Chris

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I saw 2 of mine chugging the antibiotic water tonight. Good idea about giving it to them in the morning. In the winter hours of short daylight I leave the light on all night in the chicken house so they will continue to lay, they need something like 12 hours of daylight to keep laying eggs.

I will do that the next day, several sound better, just one sounds really hacky still. It will be 10 days Sunday, guess I will continue till the 28th. DD and I are off on another cruise, so hubbies the "chicken keeper" while I am gone.

This worked out great. We are getting new kitchen cabinets so he will be tearing the old ones out and the kitchen will be destroyed while I'm gone. I do dread coming home as they won't arrive for him to install till about the 4th, then at least 10 days after they are done to get the countertops. Will be rough going for awhile. Wonder if my cat, dog, and chickens will still be alive when I get home from the cruise. He has never been left in charge, generally my tenant takes care of them. But he is still on furlough, has been since Nov 2nd, and is really chomping at the bit to go back out on a project, this domesticated life is really getting to him.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I think they are fine, they sound good, running all over the place. Gave them their last dose today, day 10, so no more. Going to wait a few days before I eat the eggs to let the antibiotics clear out of them. Got 5 beauties today out of 5 hens, but I pitched them.

And yes the antibiotic packages says do not eat them while being treated.

 

[chrisdvorak]

i just had one die, at first i thought it was a disease but later i found that it had a tumor in the neck and all the food and water it drank went strait to the tumor and made it grow and it starved

 

[firefighter9208]

Chickens need 14 hours of sunlight to lay. I bought a cheap timer at Walmart and set it to come on at 6:00 am and go off at 8:00 pm. That way they have darkness to roost. That also keeps the rooster from crowing at 3:00 AM and the dog from barking and waking up my wife. .

Glad to see your chickens are doing better.

Chris

 

[dooleysm]

I didn't have any luck with extending the day in the morning and evening. They still refused to lay during the dark days of winter. I have the light set to come on at dusk and off at dawn. 24 hours of light keeps them laying well all winter long. I use a single 13W CFL bulb in my 6x9 coop. It doesn't get real bright, especially when it's cold outside, but it does the trick for pennies a month.

 

[firefighter9208]

So far I've had good luck with extending the day. Of course I'm in Alabama and we have fairly mild winters anyway. I'm getting an average of 9 eggs out of 15 hens a day. More than we can use. I sell the extras to offset the cost of feed.

Chris

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I'm turning off the light at night right now. We want to wait about 5 days to get the antibiotics out of their systems anyway and like hubby said why have them laying while doing that. I've been getting 4 and 5 eggs out of 5 chickens. Yes, that's good, more then we can eat really.

DD and I are leaving on a cruise Thursday. Wonder if I will still have chickens when I get back? Only gone 4 days.