[Silkysmooth]

Another of my chokes from a batch I got 6 weeks ago is ill. We bought 3 rhode islands and 1 Wyandotte. so far 2 Rhode islands of a mysterious repiratory disease that not even the vet can find an answer for. it usually starts with the chicken coughing and then it begins to look weak with occasional gasps for air with half open eyes. they have all been wormed 4 weeks ago and they have had broad spectrum antibiotic cover in the past 3weeks.

I don't know if it's one of them situations where I will never find the answer and it won't rest until the batch of chokes I introduced have died. It's just really disheartening and there seems to be no answer to what it is. Any ideas please? It's the Wyandotte that is Ill by the way.

many Thanks

Andy
 

[Silkysmooth]

 The first sentence is meant to say that the 2 rhode islands have died.

[Aunt Sally]

What wormer did you use ?

[joyfull]

I had some chicks last year of a breeder and these symptoms sound very similar to mine. The autopsy (which was carried out on the last chick) found it to be vent gleet (although not in their vent but all the way through their system and the gaping was because the fungal plates were obstructing their airways. Has your vet looked inside their beaks they may be able to see white/creamy coloured platelets. As mine were so young they couldn't have got it from a cockerel but - according to the autopsy - either from an unclean incubator of dirty eggs.
Another thing it could be is aspergillosis another fungal problem.
Both can be helped with nystatin.

[Silkysmooth]

I used Flubenvet for 7 days.

I carried out an autopsy on the first bird that died and it had clear signs of pneumonia including tracheal plaques.

The fungal thing Is an interesting theory...infact one of the young cream leg bars started with some horrid plaques in it's mouth a few days ago but is recovering well and they are nearly gone without needed treatment. I put this down to wet pox due to recent outbreak of fowl pox in the flock.

I've had a good look at the Wyandotte and there is a noisy airway but I can't see any worms in it's trachea nor is there any plaques visible. If it is aspergillosis then the chick is fairly bugged and it's extremely hard to get rid of (even in humans too).

Many Thanks

Andy

[Silkysmooth]

Update...

The Sussex looks better and has only coughed very very occasionally and looks better.

Today a rhode island looked ill with the same symptoms as the Sussex.

Is it possible that hot weather can give them a cough and noisy breathing? Or is it an underlying infection that only occurs under stress such as introducing new birds or heat?

Many thanks

Andy

[ehs284]

"Is it hot weather.....?" Maybe, I've no idea, but hot weather and dust go together. Fungal spores often travel as dust; respiratory problems and over dry and/or dusty air are often linked. Maybe worth thinkng of dust suppression even if you don't think of the area as very dusty - sprinkler perhaps? Best of luck.

[jhub]

hello,
A different antibiotic might be necessary as broad spectrum ABs treat many but not all infections.
Most mould and fungal spores are released when weather conditions are optimal ie damp / humid. Feed stores can be affected by fungal toxins if allowed to become damp and compost heaps are another source.
I learnt this to my cost when my labrador ate some very mouldy bread which she scavenged on a walk. Unfortunately she started to fit and had to be put down 4 days later as she did not regain consciousness.
Jane

[hillfooter]

I had a similar problem with breathing difficulties gaping, a rouping cough and sneezing.  There was no sign of runny noses or eyes so it wasn't the usual respiratory infection.  A course of Baytril quickly did the trick.  The rouping and gasping went within a couple of days and the gaping after about the 3rd and the wheezing eventually after about 4 or 5 days.

After treating the first two individually I gave the whole flock a 7 day course and so far no more have gone down with it and the shell quality has improved too.  Remember to not eat the eggs for at least 7 days after the treatment.

Best of luck
HF