Sneezy, rattley chicken - Please Help!

[Amy]

Hi everyone.
I have been to lock my chucks up tonight and one of my girls has taken herself off to a smaller hut on her own and got into a nest for the night. They take it in turns to wander to this pen sometimes and I normally just pick them out and pop them in the main hut when it is dark.
However, tonight I noticed that Maybel had gone in but when I went to pick her up she started sneezing and her throat was really rattley. I decided as it was warm in there to leave her and locked her in so she was segregated from the other chucks.

With all this heavy rain we have had, the chicken run flooded so we have just had some land drainage installed so for the last week or so they have been knee deep in mud and as I said, it has been hooning down with rain. Could this have had an impact?

Is there anything I can do? I go away for 2 weeks early next week so ideally want to get her well before I go as I dont want anything happening too her whilst she is being looked after by other people.

In my stores I have some Tylan powder and a tiny bit of liquid Baytril...will any of these do? Should I keep her apart from the others?

She seemed fine today. I spent a few hours in there late afternoon cleaning the hut out, changing water etc and she seemed fine today and non of my girls were sneezing.

Any suggestions would be great? If I treat her with medicine, should I treat my other hens, ducks and turkey?!?

Many thanks,
Amy xx :?

 

[Amy]

Further information is: -

They have a brand new house with excellent ventilation
I use chipped wood for their bedding which is dust extracted
I have just cleaned the hut out and dusted the floor, nesting boxes etc with Red Mite Powder - could this of irritated?
I use ACV in their water or herban
They get fresh veg/fruit every other day, continuous layer pellets and now that the rain has arrived in force, the temp dropped and the wind picked up, I have started scattering mixed corn again early evening for them to scratch around for!

Non of the others are sneezing or rattling as yet although one of my other girls goes and sits in the hut and hunches up for a few minutes then trots off and devours a load of food and goes off scratching then will go back in the house and hunch up for a short period of time!?!?

:? :? :? :?

 

[foxy]

Hi amy, you are doing all the right things, if you have Tylan and she still has symptoms of sneezing, raspy or
rattling breathing I would start her on a course of Tylan in their water, won't do any if the others drink the medicated water.

 

[Amy]

Hi Thanks for your reply. She is still rasping this morning. Sounds like she has a lot of mucus in her throat. Now all the others are doing them same. Some are walking round with their beaks open almost gasping.
I wondered about Gape Worm but I treated them all with Flubavent in June.
Im now worried the Turkey and Ducks will get it?

 

[Amy]

There is no discharge from the nose, mouth or eyes. No bubbling from the eyes etc. The chickens are acting completely normal in the sense...walking around, scratching, clucking, eating, drinking but they ALL sound like Darth Vader.
I have the vet coming up to the house at 4pm today as I am in total panic mode and there is no way I can go on holiday next week with sick chickens.
I hope I am really over-reacting here but not taking any chances. :?

 

[Davidd]

Hello, well if they have "darth Vadar" breathing it's either mycro or an upper respitory tract infection- either way they will need antibiotics. Hope they are well soon and enjoy your Hols
regards, David

 

[foxy]

Amy it is perfectly natural to feel anxious! Specially if you are about to go on holiday. What you are describing is an upper respiratory infection, caused by a bacteria. There a few common possibilites, however, the treatment is very straightforward for all of them,and is simply a course of antibiotics. The vet may give the obviously infected ones an injection,(ie the symptomatic ones) to make sure that the antibiotic is systemically absorbed and thus the best chance of efficacy. Probably all your chooks will be prescribed a course in their drinking water. The vet may take samples for pathology, just to identify the specific infection involved and to make sure the most effective treatment is prescribed.

It is also likely that the infection is now running its course through your little flock, and you are experiencing the worst of it now,very rarely are respiratory infections fatal, complications only occur when there are other problems going on.

I expect you ducks will be fine as well as the turkey, as the infection will unlikey cross species barriers.

There will be not a lot more you can do you have done everything!...I think you should relax and look forward to your holiday!

 

[foxy]

oops david! didn't see you post..says it all where I take about 3 paragraphs!!!