AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hi Everyone.This is my first time on the Australian Poultry Forum. Interested in hearing people's experiences regarding recovery times from respiratory illnesses in chickens. A month ago I purchased two 4 month old silkies to add to my existing 2 Isa Browns. The day after getting the silkies I noticed that one had a weeping eye. It wasn't until a few days later when she started sneezing that I realised she must have had something and did my research. I spoke to our vet who thought she may have had Infectious Coryza, and we started her on Sulfa 3. After 5 days on Sulfa 3 she was still developing new symptoms - loss of appetite, gasping when resting, sleeping a lot, runny nose etc. The only other antibiotic the vets could give me was Oxymav B. They don't stock Tylan, and the only Baytril they had was in concentrated doses and we would have to do a 0.01g dose (not doable!). The chicken's symptoms came on very slowly over a period of about 2 weeks. I have now had her on Oxymav B for 15 days and all her symptoms are gone except for the sneezing (the symptoms went away as slowly as they came on). She was not separated from the other Silkie and that Silkie is showing no signs of illness (although the second silkie has been on the oxymav too). She has had symptoms for over a month. The 2 Isa Browns also come into the same hen house at night and they didn't develop symptoms, nor have they had antibiotics. I don't know whether to continue the Oxymav until she stops sneezing. I am worried if I stop now she may regress. Our vet thinks it is probably just viral and the antibiotics probably aren't helping anyway. Anyone found that the sneezing lingered? How long can it take to recover from a respiratory illness? I don't wish to cull this hen as I don't breed, show or sell birds. They are just my pets. I am giving this hen lots of TLC and vitamins to help her through. Would love to hear from those who have experienced something similar.

Lady Jane Grey?,

Recovery and recuperation would really depend on the location that you reside during this time of year. In some parts of Victoria it has been well below 2°C the past couple of days.

Continue with the TLC and keep her warm and well feed and her meds up; though maybe she has becone immume to them She will hopefully will pull trough. If she has survived the past month, I wish her well as she has a strong constitution.

Hi LJ.

Maybe you can stop for a few days & see how she goes & then put her back on them.

Just like humans, my doctor says you should only have antibiotics for 5-7 days then rest from them for a couple of days & then if symptoms persist to go a second round for another 5-7. And do this for maybe three times max.

The residual sneezes may just be her having a little linger, but not really anything majorly wrong.

See how you go for a few days break and then reassess.

cheers
Chicka-Dee

Thanks Petite Poulet and Chicka-Dee for your responses. I think I will finish up the Oxymav but keep up the TLC and hope for the best. If only she wasn't so damn cute!

You're welcome LJ

I hope she gets well soon.

Keep us posted. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Just discovered one of my hens sneezing this morning and came here and was happy to find this help so thank you for asking and for the answers now I can help Mim get on the road to recovery I hope

Hi BrassyHen. I wish you well with your sneezing hen. My run-in with this respiratory illness is now going on 7 weeks! After watching my hen 'bring up' mucus on the weekend, I decided to talk further with my vet about trying Baytril as one last ditch effort to alleviate her symptoms. I have a good relationship with my vet and we are both still learning about respiratory illnesses in chickens. She started Baytril 3 days ago, only to find out that we were underdosing her. Just started the right dose (we hope) today. Fingers crossed this works, otherwise I am all out of options. Perhaps she will always be a chronic case and exhibit symptoms. I have done a lot of research on the topic and have concluded that it's best to start with something like oxymav first, and if that doesn't work, then go with the big guns like Baytril or Tylan. Assuming you wish to treat and not cull. This is a much debated topic. I chose to treat, but understand the implications of doing so. I maintain a closed flock. Would others agree with my conclusions? All I can say is that poultry forums all over the world seem dominated by discussion on respiratory infections. Major issue. I do appreciate the argument that if we all culled at the first sign, then perhaps it wouldn't be as big an issue. Just can't I'm afraid... they are my pets. I am doing my utmost to not pass it on to anyone else though. Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

LJ

Hi ladies,

Can I ask a dumb question? How often are your sneezy hens sneezing? I've got my 4 girls on oxymav at the moment because I've heard the ancona and leghorns sneeze, but it doesn't seem to be often, (and there's no beak snot or pussy eyes) plus it's -4 here during the night at the moment so I'm not sure what's normal and what's not...
Also do your sneezy girls have hideously stinky poo?

Thanks and I hope your girls make a full recovery.
Jo

Hi Jo. My hen sneezes a few times per minute. So multiple times a day. She also shakes her head a lot associated with the sneezing, and scratches at her face. No terrible smelling poo though other than the normal cecal poo (which does smell terrible but is normal). Mine only do the odd cecal poo (I think it is normal to have a cecal poo every 8-10 poos). I know what it's like to not know anymore what amount of sneezing is normal. Everytime I see one of my other hens sneeze I get worried they are getting sick too. My sneezy hen did have a watery eye though in the early stages as well before the symptoms progressed. So for my girls, I just keep an eye on the odd sneezing, and if further symptoms develop, then I will treat. I have read posts on here from Parvo that chickens can and do recover from some respiratory problems on their own. I didn't start treating until my chicken showed signs of actually being unwell, and it had already been 2 weeks of sneezing/watery eye. Hope that helps you in some way. Perhaps someone else can comment on the smelly poo trouble.

LJ

Thanks Lady Jane, that's very helpful and very much appreciated. Reading the forum has me freaking out when a girl sneezes!
Fingers crossed your girls perk up.